K-170 (Kansas highway)

K-170
K-170 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by KDOT
Length	21.759 mi[4] (35.018 km)
Existed	c. 1930[1][2]–present
History	Renumbered from K-70 to K-170 on October 31, 1957[3]
Major junctions
West end	K-99 west of Reading
East end	K-31 in Osage City
Location
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Counties	Lyon, Osage
Highway system
Kansas State Highway System Interstate US State Spurs
← K-171

K-170 is a 21.759-mile-long (35.018 km)

The highway that became K-170 was first designated by 1930 as K-70, from K-11 and K-22 east to Reading. K-11 was renumbered to K-99, and K-22 was decommissioned in 1938. Then in 1946, the highway was extended east to end in Osage City. In 1957, K-70 was renumbered to K-170 to avoid a numbering confusion with Interstate 70 (I-70).^[3]

Route description

K-170's western terminus is at an intersection with

Roughly 1.2 miles (1.9 km) past Cherry Creek it crosses Little Cable Creek, then Cable Creek about one mile (1.6 km) later. After crossing Cable Creek, it intersects West 301st Street, which leads to the Eisenhower State Park. At this point, K-170 curves north and travels approximately 3.7 miles (6.0 km) then crosses Mute Creek. It continues north for about .3 miles (0.48 km) then intersects West 269th Street, which leads west to the unincorporated community of Barclay. From this point, it continues north roughly two miles (3.2 km) and enters Osage City. The highway passes by Osage City Reservoir, then expands to four lanes and has an at-grade crossing with the BNSF Railroad track again. K-170 then briefly exits the city and transitions back to two lanes. It then crosses Salt Creek as it reenters the city as Martin Street. The roadway continues north through the city for about .6 miles (0.97 km) then reaches its eastern terminus at K-31 in Osage City.^[5][8]

K-170 is signed as east–west its entire length, even though the section from West 301st Street to K-31 runs directly north–south. The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) tracks the traffic levels on its highways, and in 2017, they determined that on average the traffic varied from 430 vehicles per day east of Reading to 1,150 vehicles per day south of the terminus of K-31.^[9] K-170 is not included in the National Highway System.^[10][a]

History

Before state highways were numbered in Kansas there were

K-170 was commissioned as K-70 by 1930, with the designation applying to a highway running from K-11 and K-22 east to Reading.^[1][2] K-11 was renumbered to K-99 on May 17, 1938, along with Oklahoma and Nebraska doing the same to make a three-state, continuous Highway 99.^[15][16] Also the K-22 designation was removed between January and July 1938.^[17][18][19] In a resolution on December 12, 1945, it was approved to extend K-70 from Reading east then north to Osage City as soon as Osage County had brought the road up to state highway standards.^[20] Then in a resolution on October 23, 1946, it was extended, as the county had finished required projects.^[20][21] By late 1957, a majority of I-70 had been completed within Kansas and on October 31, 1957, K-70 was renumbered to K-170 to avoid a numbering confusion with I-70.^[3][22][23]

Major intersections

County	Location	mi[4]	km	Destinations	Notes
Lyon	Reading Township	0.000	0.000	K-99 – Emporia, Admire, Alma	Western terminus; road continues as Road 250
Osage	Osage City	21.759	35.018	K-31 – Lyndon, Burlingame	Eastern terminus; highway continues north as K-31 (Martin Street)
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Notes

References