Kansas Highways: Number 60-79

K-61

Length: 83.343 miles

Southwest Endpoint: US 54-400 east of Pratt

Northeast Endpoint: I-135/US 81 exit 58, McPherson

Counties Served: Pratt, Reno, McPherson

Junction Guide

AADT (2019)

K-63

Length: 58.769 miles

South Endpoint: Junction US 24 in St. Marys

North Endpoint: Nebraska State Line south of Dubois, NE

Counties Served: Pottawatomie, Nemaha

Junction Guide

AADT (2019)

K-65

Length: 11.160 miles

West Endpoint: K-3 west of Xenia

East Endpoint:
K-31 north of Xenia (1936-1957)
K-31 in Mapleton (1957-present)

Counties Served: Bourbon

History

K-65 was re-numbered from K-69 in 1936 to accommodate the extension of US 69 into Kansas. The number was assigned as a ‘backfill’ because it was the lowest number available.

The highway remained gravel until 1957, when K-65 underwent reconstruction on a new blacktop route. This new route extended east from Xenia to Mapleton, rather than turning north at Xenia.

Junction Guide

AADT (2023)

K-66

Previously designated: US 66 (1926-1985)

Length: 5.527 miles

West Endpoint:
Oklahoma State line, Baxter Springs (As US 66, 1926-1985)
Junction US 69A–400 west of Riverton (1985-present)

East Endpoint:
Missouri State Line east of Galena, continues east as MO 66

County Served: Cherokee

History

Generally, the mother road has remained as it is now, cutting a corner in the southeast corner of Kansas in Cherokee County. When US 66 was first designated in 1926, the segment form Baxter Springs north and east to Missouri was hard surfaced, with the remainder of the route to the south remaining a dirt road. The dirt segment was graveled by 1928 and paved by 1929.

In 1960, The Riverton-Baxter Springs segment was realigned to the east. At some point (possibly around the same time), US 66 was moved from Front Street to 7th Street in Galena, with a new roadway running diagonally to 7th Street in Joplin, Missouri.

The elimination of what was left of US 66 from Joplin west to Sanders, Arizona was approved by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials on June 26, 1985. At the same time, a new route, US 69 Alternate was designated, replacing US 66 south and west of Riverton. The remainder of the road east of Riverton was re-designated as K-66.

Junction Guide

AADT (2019)

K-68

Length: 61.517 miles

West Endpoint:
Junction K-33 south of Wellsville (1927-1936)
Junction US 75/K-31 south of Lyndon (1936-present)

East Endpoint:
Junction US 69 in Louisburg (1927-1936)
MO 2 at the Missouri State Line east of Louisburg (1936-present)

Counties Served: Osage, Franklin, Miami

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US 69A

Length: 13.031 miles

South Endpoint:
Oklahoma State Line, south of Baxter Springs

North Endpoint:
Junction US 69-160-400 north of Crestline

Counties Served: Cherokee

History:

As part of the withdrawal of US 66 as a US numbered highway, the states of Oklahoma and Kansas jointly submitted a proposal to re-designate a portion of the former route as an alternate route of US 69, which was subsequently approved by AASHTO.

US 69A replaced US 66 from the Oklahoma state line to the former west junction of US 66 and K-26 west of Galena, then replaced K-26 north to US 69 at Crestline.

Junction Guide

AADT (2019)

US 69B (Arma)

Previously designated: US 69A (1961-1981)

Length: 2.988 miles

South Endpoint: Junction US 69/K-47 south of Arma.

North Endpoint: Junction US 69 north of Arma.

Counties Served: Crawford

History:

When the US 69 bypass around Arma was established in 1960, the original plan was to withdraw the old alignment through Arma. In late 1961, the State Highway Commission reversed course and chose to retain the old alignment as a alternate route.

The State Highway Commission never sought the inclusion of this route, among others, as part of the US Highway system. After the Highway Commission was reformed into the Kansas Department of Transportation, KDOT submitted this route for approval as a Alternate route of US 69. At AASHTO’s October 13, 1979 meeting, they approved the designation, but requested that the designation be changed from an Alternate route to a business route. KDOT implemented the banner change from “Alternate” to “Business” in April 1981.

Junction Guide

AADT (2019)

K-69

Historic West Endpoint: Junction K-3 west of Xenia

Historic East Endpoint: Junction K-38 north of Xenia

Historic Counties Served: Bourbon (1927-1936)

History:

K-69 was added to the State Highway system in 1927. The number was assigned in sequence. It was renumbered at K-65 in 1936 in order to free up the number for the extension of US 69 into Kansas.

K-70

Historic Southwest Endpoint:
K-99 west of Reading (1927-1957)

Historic Northeast Endpoint:
West City Limits of Reading (1927-1945)
K-31 is Osage City (1946-1957)

Historic Counties Served:
Lyon (1927-1957), Osage (1945-1957)

History

K-70 was added to the State Highway system in 1927 as a spur from K-11 to Reading. The number was assigned in sequence. The route was graded and graveled by 1928. In 1935, Osage County graded and graveled a road connecting Reading with Osage City. The State Highway Commission accepted the route as an extension of K-70 in 1945. The entire route was blacktopped by 1947.

K-70 was re-designated as K-170 on October 31, 1957, in order to free up the number for use as Interstate 70.

K-72 (1927-1978)

Historic South Endpoint: Junction US 24–40 South of Basehor

Historic North Endpoint: South City Limits of Basehor

Historic Counties Served: Leavenworth (1927-1978)

History

K-72 was added to the State Highway system in 1927 as a spur from US 40 to Basehor. The number was assigned in sequence. The route was paved from the outset. In 1947, the south end shifted south when US 24-40 was moved from Parallel Road to State Avenue.

K-72 was removed from the state highway system upon the passage of the 1978 legislature’s Proposal No. 61, which disallowed intra-city highways.

US 73E (1927-1935)

Historic South Endpoint:
Junction US 73W/US 73/K-96 at Oswego

Historic North Endpoint:
Junction US 73W/73 at Horton

Historic Counties Served:
Labette, Cherokee, Crawford, Bourbon, Linn, Miami, Johnson, Wyandotte, Leavenworth, Atchison, Brown

US 73 Truck Route (Leavenworth)

Historic South Endpoint: 4th and Spruce, Leavenworth

Historic North Endpoint: 4th and Pawnee, Leavenworth

Historic County Served: Leavenworth

History:

From at least the 1980s until 2017, 4th Street through Downtown Leavenworth carried a truck prohibition, despite the fact that the street was the City Connecting Link for US 73/K-7/K-92. The City designated 3rd Street as the main truck route through the area and signed the route accordingly. The truck route was not considered a city connecting link, the route was signed and maintained at the sole expense of the City of Leavenworth.

By April, 2017, the truck prohibition was removed from 4th Street, and the truck route signage was removed.

US 75

Length: 228.161 miles

South Endpoint:Oklahoma State Line south of Caney

North Endpoint:Nebraska State Line north of Sabetha

Counties Served:
Montgomery, Wilson, Woodson, Coffey, Osage, Shawnee, Jackson, Brown, Nemaha

(More…)

US 75 Bypass (Topeka)

HistoricSouth Endpoint:US 75 in South Topeka

HistoricNorth Endpoint: US 75/US 24 in North Topeka

HistoricCounty Served: Shawnee (1965-1998)

History

In 1965, a new alignment of US 75 was constructed between Topeka and Hoyt. In conjunction with the opening of the new route, the State Highway Commission petitioned AASHO to designate a new Bypass route of US 75 via I-470, Wanamaker Road, I-70, the Westgate Bridge, and US 24. The bypass route was approved at AASHO’s October 1965 meeting.

In 1976, in conjuction with the addition of the second Westgate Bridge, the road between the bridge and US 24 was widened to four lanes and re-aligned to tie directly in to US 75.

In 1997, in conjunction with the opening of a new US 75 south of Topeka, KDOT applied to re-designate the US 75 bypass as the US 75 mainline. After an initial rejection in November 1997 and request for clarification, AASHTO approved the change in April 1998

US 77

Length: 241.260 miles

South Endpoint:Oklahoma State Line south of Arkansas City

North Endpoint: Nebraska State Line (CG/JJW) north of Marysville

Counties Served:
Cowley, Butler, Marion, Dickinson, Morris, Geary, Riley, Marshall

(More…)

US 77B (Herrington) (1962-1990)

Previously designated: US 77 Alternate (1962-1981)

Historic Southwest Endpoint:
Junction US 56–77 south of Herington, concurrent with US 56B

Historic Northeast Endpoint:
Junction US 56–77 east of Herington, concurrent with US 56B

Historic County Served:
Dickinson

History

In 1960, a bypass was built around the east side of Herrington and was designated US 56–US 77. The old alignment of US 56 through Herrington was re-designated as an alternate route for both US 56 and US 77. The State Highway Commission never sought the inclusion of this route, among others, as part of the US Highway system. After the Highway Commission was reformed into the Kansas Department of Transportation, KDOT submitted this route for approval as a alternate route of US 56 and US 77. AASHTO approved the request as a business loop at their October 1979 meeting. KDOT would issue a resolution implementing the change in April 1981.

In December of 1990, KDOT issued a resolution removing the US 77B designation, leaving the route solely as a Business route of US 56.

K-78

Length: 1.057 miles

South Endpoint: Former north city limits of Miller

North Endpoint:US 56 north of Miller

County Served: Lyon

AADT (2019): 175 (22.9% truck)

History

K-78 was added to the State Highway system in 1927 as a spur from US 50N to Miller. The number was assigned in sequence. It was graded and blacktopped by 1931.