K-51 (Kansas highway)
East end | US-83 north of Liberal | |||
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Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | Kansas | |||
Counties | Morton, Stevens, Seward | |||
Highway system | ||||
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K-51 is an approximately 79-mile-long (127 km) east–west
Before state highways were numbered in Kansas there were auto trails. The eastern terminus (US-83) was part of the Atlantic and Pacific Highway. K-51 was first designated as a state highway in 1926, and at that time started as a continuation of Colorado Highway 51 and went east to K-25 (current K-27). Then by 1927, it ran from K-12 north of Rolla to K-27 in Richfield.[4] Between 1930 and 1931, K-51 was replaced with an extension of K-12. Then on January 1, 1937, K-51 was re-established from the Colorado border east to K-27. Then by 1937, K-51 was extended further east to US-83, its modern-day routing. K-51 originally overlapped US-270, then in a May 18, 1981 resolution, the US-270 designation was removed.
Route description
K-51's western terminus is at the Colorado state line, acting as a continuation of County Road M (CR M). The highway travels due east through flat, rural farmlands for 7.9 miles (12.7 km) then intersects K-27. At this point K-51 turns north and begins to overlap K-27. The highway continues north for 3.5 miles (5.6 km) then crosses an unnamed creek. K-27/K-51 continues north through more farmlands for another two miles (3.2 km) then crosses North Fork Cimarron River. K-27/K-51 continues north for roughly 2.6 miles (4.2 km) then curves east at Road 9 and U Road. The highway continues east through flat farmlands for about six miles (9.7 km) and enters Richfield as South Boulevard. About 0.5 miles (800 m) into the city K-27 turns north onto Main Street, as K-51 continues eastward. K-51 then crosses North Fork Cimarron River again as it exits the city.[5] The highway continues east through rural farmlands for 7.1 miles (11.4 km) then curves south at Road 23 and U Road. It continues south for about 2.5 miles (4.0 km), where it curves southeast and crosses the Cimarron River. The highway then curves back south and after 1.8 miles (2.9 km) intersects P Boulevard. From here it continues south for another 4.3 miles (6.9 km) then enters Rolla.[6][7]
Inside the city, K-51 has an at-grade crossing with a
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 110 vehicles per day near the western terminus to 2,320 vehicles per day just west of the city of Hugoton.[12][13] K-51 is not included in the National Highway System,[14] a system of highways important to the nation's defense, economy, and mobility.[15] K-51 does connect to the National Highway System at its junction with US-83.[14]
History
Early roads
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. The eastern terminus of K-51 (US-83) was part of the Atlantic and Pacific Highway. It connected Los Angeles on the Pacific Ocean with New York City on the Atlantic Ocean.[16]
Establishment and realignments
Existed | 1927[4]–c. 1937[17][18][19] |
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K-51 was first designated as a state highway in 1926, and at that time started as a continuation of Colorado Highway 51 and went east to K-25 (current K-27).
The section of K-51 from Rolla northeast to Hugoton, originally overlapped K-45. In the early 1950s, towns along the K-45 corridor, connecting
Major intersections
County | Location | mi[3] | km | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Westola Township | 0.000 | 0.000 | CR M west | Continuation into Colorado | |
7.871 | 12.667 | K-27 south – Elkhart | Western end of K-27 concurrency | ||
Richfield | 22.265 | 35.832 | K-27 north (Main Street) – Johnson City | Eastern end of K-27 concurrency | |
US-56 west (1st Avenue) – Elkhart | Western end of US-56 concurrency | ||||
West Center Township | 47.994 | 77.239 | K-25 south – Guymon OK | Western end of K-25 concurrency | |
Eastern end of US-56 and K-25 concurrencies | |||||
Liberal Township | 79.095 | 127.291 | US-83 (Road I) – Sublette, Liberal | Eastern terminus; road continues as Road 13 (unpaved) | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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References
- ^ a b Rand McNally and Company (1926). "Kansas" (Map). Rand McNally Auto Road Atlas of the United States, including a Brief Description of the National Parks and Monuments. Chicago: Rand McNally and Company. pp. 56–57.
- ^ a b State Highway Commission of Kansas (July 1, 1937). "Resolution for designation of K-51". Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Archived from the original on May 3, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
- ^ a b Staff (2016). "Pavement Management Information System". Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on March 13, 2016. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
- ^ OCLC 2078375– via Rumsey Collection.
- ^ Bureau of Transportation Planning (October 2006). City of Richfield (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. KDOT City Maps. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 5, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
- ^ a b Bureau of Transportation Planning (June 2009). Morton County (PDF) (Map). [c. 1:211,200]. General Highway Map. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 5, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
- ^ a b Google (January 10, 2021). "Overview of K-51" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
- ^ Bureau of Transportation Planning (October 2006). City of Rolla (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. KDOT City Maps. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 5, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
- ^ Bureau of Transportation Planning (October 2004). City of Hugoton (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. KDOT City Maps. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 5, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
- ^ Bureau of Transportation Planning (April 2009). Stevens County (PDF) (Map). [c. 1:211,200]. General Highway Map. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 20, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
- ^ Bureau of Transportation Planning (January 2009). Seward County (PDF) (Map). [c. 1:211,200]. General Highway Map. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 5, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
- ^ Bureau of Transportation Planning (2018). Traffic Flow Map Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). [c. 1:1,584,000]. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
- ^ 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. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
- ^ a b Federal Highway Administration (May 8, 2019). National Highway System: Kansas (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
- ^ Natzke, Stefan; Neathery, Mike; Adderly, Kevin (September 26, 2012). "What is the National Highway System?". National Highway System. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Archived from the original on July 4, 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
- OCLC 2078375. Retrieved June 15, 2020 – via Rumsey Collection.
- ^ a b State Highway Commission of Kansas (1936). Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
- ^ a b c State Highway Commission of Kansas (1937). Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
- ^ a b "Re-Number Highway". The Hutchinson News. April 5, 1937. p. 11. Archived from the original on May 3, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- OCLC 4048012– via Rumsey Collection.
- ^ Rand McNally and Company (1930). "Kansas" (Map). Rand McNally Auto Road Atlas of the United States, A Map of Every State in the United States and Every Province of Eastern Canada. Chicago: Rand McNally and Company. pp. 32–33.
- 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.
- ^ State Highway Commission of Kansas (January 4, 1939). "Resolution for relocation and redesignation of road in Morton County". Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Archived from the original on May 3, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
- ^ State Highway Commission of Kansas (1938). Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
- ^ Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (November 14, 1980). "Route Numbering Committee Agenda" (PDF) (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. p. 522 – via Wikimedia Commons.
- ^ Kansas Department of Transportation (May 18, 1981). "Resolution to withdraw a US Numbered Route from the State Highway System in several counties in Kansas". Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on May 3, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
- Atchison Daily Globe. December 17, 1953. p. 20. Retrieved October 7, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Vernon Tip Traylor..." Great Bend Daily Tribune. October 1, 1953. p. 1. Retrieved October 7, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "New Mexico Okays US-55 Road Proposal". Great Bend Daily Tribune. June 2, 1954. p. 7. Retrieved October 7, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Another Effort to Reroute Proposed Federal Highway". Great Bend Daily Tribune. January 6, 1955. Archived from the original on October 12, 2020. Retrieved October 7, 2020 – via NewspaperArchive.
- ^ "New US-55 Route Approved Here". Great Bend Daily Tribune. March 20, 1955. p. 3. Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Call Meeting On Road Proposals". Great Bend Daily Tribune. July 26, 1955. p. 1. Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "US 50N Boosters Turn Down New Route, Name". Great Bend Daily Tribune. July 29, 1955. Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Highway Boosters Here Oppose New US-55 Plan". Great Bend Daily Tribune. September 16, 1955. Archived from the original on October 12, 2020. Retrieved October 7, 2020 – via NewspaperArchive.
- ^ "Chronological History Documentation: US 56 (correspondence between ODOT, AASHO, and other DOTs)" (PDF). Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved January 10, 2021.