K-55 (Kansas highway)

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K-55 marker
K-55
K-55 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by KDOT
Length12.049 mi[2] (19.391 km)
Existed1927[1]–present
Major junctions
West end US-81 west of Belle Plaine
East end K-15 in Udall
Location
CountiesSumner, Cowley
Highway system
  • Kansas State Highway System
← US-54→ K-57

K-55 is a 12.049-mile-long (19.391 km) west–east state highway in the U.S. state of Kansas. K-55's western terminus is at U.S. Route 81 (US-81) roughly 11 miles (18 km) north of Wellington and the eastern terminus is at K-15 in Udall. It passes through the city of Belle Plaine.

The road's westbound terminus is a triangle-type intersection. Just before the western terminus, the road passes under the Kansas Turnpike, although there is no intersection. Turnpike access is available at K-53 to the north and US-160 to the south near Wellington.

K-55 was first designated a state highway in 1927, and at that time ran from K-12 in Oxford, northwestward to US-81 in Belle Plaine. By 1931 it was changed to an alignment from US-81 in Belle Plain east to US-77 south of Rock. Then by 1932, K-55 was truncated to K-15 west of Udall. Then in a January 1, 1941 resolution, K-15 was realigned from southeast of Mulvane to Udall, and at that time K-55 was extended east to Udall.

Route description[]

K-55 begins at US-81 north of Wellington and begins travelling east through flat rural farmlands and soon crosses under I-35, also known as the Kansas Turnpike. The highway continues for another two miles (3.2 km), then has an at-grade crossing with a BNSF Railway track as it enters the city of Belle Plaine. It continues through the city as 4th Avenue for about .9 miles (1.4 km) then exits the city.[3] The highway continues east for about 2.2 miles (3.5 km) and crosses , a tributary of the Arkansas River. The highway continues east through flat farmlands for another roughly two miles (3.2 km), then crosses the Arkansas River, a tributary of the Mississippi River. It continues east, crosses , then enters into Cowley County.[4] About 1.5 miles (2.4 km) past the county line, the roadway enters the city of Udall. It continues through Udall, crosses a BNSF Railway track again, then reaches Clark Street where it turns north and intersects K-15, K-55's eastern terminus.[5][6][7]

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) tracks the traffic levels on its highways, and in 2018, they determined that on average the traffic varied from 805 vehicles per day near the eastern terminus to 2050 vehicles per day just east of Belle Plaine.[8][9] K-55 is not included in the National Highway System,[10] a system of highways important to the nation's defense, economy, and mobility.[11] K-55 does connect to the National Highway System at its junction with K-15.[10]

History[]

Before state highways were numbered in Kansas there were Auto trails, which were an informal network of marked routes that existed in the United States and Canada in the early part of the 20th century. K-55's western terminus, US-81, closely follows the Meridian Highway and the South West Trail.[12]

K-19 was first designated by KDOT in 1927, and at that time ran from K-12 in Oxford, northwestward to US-81 in Belle Plaine.[1][13] By 1931, this alignment had been abandoned, and instead K-55 ran from US-81 in Belle Plain east to US-77 south of Rock, creating a short overlap with K-15.[14] Then by 1932, K-55 was truncated to K-15, and the old alignment of K-55 between K-15 and US-77 became a new alignment of K-15.[15][16] Before 1941, K-55 ended west of Udall at K-15. Then in a January 1, 1941 resolution, K-15 was realigned from southeast of Mulvane to Udall, and at that time K-55 was extended east to Udall.[17]

Major intersections[]

CountyLocationmi[2]kmDestinationsNotes
SumnerBelle Plaine Township0.0000.000 US-81 – Wellington, WichitaWestern terminus; highway continues south as US-81 (west as 90th Avenue North)
CowleyUdall12.04919.391 K-15Eastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References[]

  1. ^ a b (1927). "Kansas" (Map). Sectional paved road map. 1:1,600,000. Indianapolis: National Map Company. pp. 18–19 – via Rumsey Collection.
  2. ^ a b Staff (2016). "Pavement Management Information System". Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  3. ^ Bureau of Transportation Planning (April 1995). City of Belle Plaine (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. KDOT City Maps. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  4. ^ Bureau of Transportation Planning (May 2010). Sumner County (PDF) (Map). [c. 1: 211,200]. General Highway Map. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  5. ^ Bureau of Transportation Planning (June 2009). Cowley County (PDF) (Map). [c. 1: 211,200]. General Highway Map. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  6. ^ Bureau of Transportation Planning (July 2005). City of Udall (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. KDOT City Maps. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  7. ^ Microsoft; Nokia (April 16, 2020). "Overview map of K-55" (Map). Bing Maps. Microsoft. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  8. ^ Bureau of Transportation Planning (2019). Traffic Flow Map Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). [c. 1:1,584,000]. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  9. ^ Bureau of Transportation Planning (2018). Traffic Flow Inset Map Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). [c. 1:1,584,000]. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  10. ^ a b Federal Highway Administration (May 8, 2019). National Highway System: Kansas (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  11. ^ Natzke, Stefan; Neathery, Mike; Adderly, Kevin (September 26, 2012). "What is the National Highway System?". National Highway System. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  12. ^ Rand McNally and Company (1924). "Kansas" (Map). AutoTrails Map, Southern Nebraska, Eastern Colorado, Kansas, Northeastern New Mexico, Northern Oklahoma. 1:1,600,000. Chicago: Rand McNally and Company. OCLC 2078375. Retrieved September 4, 2020 – via Rumsey Collection.
  13. ^ Rand McNally and Company (1927). "Kansas" (Map). Rand McNally Auto Road Atlas of the United States and Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritime Provinces of Canada, with a Brief Description of the National Parks and Monuments. 1:1,600,000. Chicago: Rand McNally and Company. pp. 54–55. OCLC 2078375 – via Rumsey Collection.
  14. ^ Rand McNally and Company (1931). "Kansas" (Map). Clason's Road Map of Kansas. 1:2,000,000. Denver: Clason Map Company. p. 87 – via Rumsey Collection.
  15. ^ State Highway Commission of Kansas (1932). Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. OCLC 1007837202. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
  16. ^ Kennedy, Richie. "Kansas Highways Routelog". Kansas Highways 7.0. Archived from the original on 2005-09-06. Retrieved 2008-01-18.[self-published source?]
  17. ^ State Highway Commission of Kansas (January 13, 1941). "Resolution for relocation and redesignation of road in Sumner and Cowley Counties". Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Retrieved April 15, 2020.

External links[]

Route map:

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