U.S. Route 69 in Kansas


U.S. Route 69 is a major north-south U.S. Highway that runs from Port Arthur, Texas to Albert Lea, Minnesota. In Kansas, the highway runs in the far eastern part of the state, usually within 5 miles of the Missouri state line. Most of the highway north of Fort Scott runs as a freeway.

Route description

US-69 enters Kansas just north of Miami, Oklahoma. The highway crosses US-166 west of Treece before beginning an overlap US-160 in Columbus. US-400 joins the overlap in Crestline, before the two highways leave near Pittsburg. US-69 travels north to Fort Scott and runs as a freeway. The freeway designation ends in Linn County, before resuming again a few miles north of Pleasanton. The highway runs through more rural areas before entering Overland Park.
In Overland Park, US-69 interchanges with Interstate 435/US-50/US-169 before beginning an overlap with I-35/US-56 in Lenexa. US-69 and US-56 leave I-35 in Merriam, traveling back into Overland Park. US-56 leaves the highway, running into KCM. US-69 rejoins I-35 again at an interchange with I-635. US-69 leaves I-35 again and runs along the 18th Street Expressway to I-70/US-40 in KCK. US-69 joins I-70/US-40 and leaves again at an interchange with I-670/US-169. US-69 enters Missouri just past the intersection with K-5, crossing the Missouri River.

History

18th Street Expressway

The 18th Street Expressway was the result of one of four feasibility studies conducted by the Kansas Turnpike Authority to extend the turnpike by providing easy access to northeast Johnson County. It was the only one of the four studies to be followed upon, with completion of the 18th Street Expressway Bridge over the Kansas River completed in 1959. It replaced the Argentine Boulevard bridge over the river behind the modern-day BNSF railroad yard.
Originally, the highway was part of the original K-58. Upon completion of the bridge, US-69 was rerouted onto the expressway from Southwest Boulevard. In 1979, the K-58 designation was removed.
The section of 18th Street between I-70 and the southern end of the Kansas River bridge was tolled at least as late as 1984.

Reconstruction

In early April 2020, a $21.8 million construction project to finish a four-lane expressway from Pittsburg to Kansas City began. The project will expand a section of US-69 in Crawford County to a four-lane divided expressway, from the K-47 junction north to north of Arma. The project will be completed by Koss Construction Company of Topeka and will be completed by August 2021.

Junction list