U.S. Route 24 in Kansas

U.S. Highway 24 (US-24) in the state of Kansas runs east–west across the northern half of the state for 435.95 miles (701.59 km). The route mostly connects rural communities across the High Plains of Kansas, while also later providing an Interstate alternate between Topeka, Lawrence, and Kansas City. US-24 both enters and exits the state running concurrently with Interstate 70 (I-70). Along with US-40, the road has largely been replaced by the more modern Interstate in its functionality as a long-distance route.

U.S. Highway 24 marker
U.S. Highway 24
Map
US 24 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by KDOT
Length435.95 mi[1] (701.59 km)
Existed1936[2]–present
Major junctions
West end I-70 / US 24 at Colorado state line near Kanorado
Major intersections
East end I-70 / US 24 / US 40 at Missouri state line in Kansas City
Location
CountryUnited States
StateKansas
CountiesSherman, Thomas, Sheridan, Graham, Rooks, Osborne, Mitchell, Cloud, Clay, Riley, Pottawatomie, Shawnee, Jefferson, Douglas, Leavenworth, Wyandotte
Highway system
  • Kansas State Highway System
K-23 K-25

Route description

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US-24 enters the state from Colorado concurrent with I-70 southwest of Kanorado. For its first 46.061 miles (74.128 km), the route runs concurrently with the Interstate, passing Goodland and Brewster. This is despite the fact that former alignment remains intact, albeit largely as a local road. The exception to this rule is a business route through downtown Goodland.

South-southwest of Levant, US-24 splits from the Interstate and begins heading northeastward before eastward and into Colby. The route passes through the northern side of town, intersecting K-25 before continuing east. Toward the ThomasSheridan county line, US-24 intersects US-83 in an extremely rural setting southeast of the town of Gem. The route continues through Sheridan, Graham, and Rooks counties, passing through the towns of Hoxie, Hill City, and Stockton and intersecting K-23, US-283, K-18, and US-183. US-24 also passes by several other smaller communities, such as Menlo and Morland, connecting to those towns via secondary state highways. Additionally, the route passes around the northern edge of the Webster Reservoir in western Rooks County.

In Osborne, the highway joins US-281 and begins heading northward. South of Portis, US-24 leaves US-281 and returns to an eastward trajectory, picking up a concurrency with K-9 in the process. The route passes through Downs and Cawker City, around Waconda Lake, and into Beloit. In Beloit, it junctions K-14, before K-9 splits toward the east as US-24 begins a southeastward run to Glasco, where it returns to an eastward trajectory. East of that town, the route crosses US-81 in another rural setting. US-24 continues through Clay County and Clay Center and into Riley County.

Shortly after Leonardville, US-24 takes a sharp rightward turn before intersecting US-77 on the north side of Riley, returning to an eastward direction and running concurrently. The routes split shortly thereafter as US-24 begins heading southeast toward Manhattan. The route passes around the city to the northeast and east sides, before splitting away from town at K-177 heading into Pottawatomie County and crossing the Big Blue River.

 
US-24 eastbound east of Perry
 
Concurrency of US-24 and US-59 near Williamstown

US-24 runs across the southern edge of the county parallel to the Kansas River, passing through Wamego, Belvue, and St. Marys. Entering Shawnee, US-24 begins heading southeastward toward Topeka via Rossville and Silver Lake. US-24 passes across the northern end of Topeka as a hybrid limited-access road, with four interchanges[clarification needed] in and around the city, including ones with US-75 and K-4, with a short concurrency between interchanges with the last route. US-24 continues eastward, paralleling the Kansas River through Jefferson County, passing through Grantville and Perry, then picking up a concurrency with US-59 north of Williamstown. The routes then turn south toward Lawrence, with US-24 splitting to the east and gaining a concurrency with US-40 on the north side of the city as US-59 and US-40 west head south toward downtown. US-24/US-40 heads northeast toward Tonganoxie, where it turns east once again. On the Kansas CityBonner Springs city line, the two routes intersect US-73 and K-7 at a cloverleaf interchange, where US-24/US-40 joins US-73/K-7 southward toward I-70 and Bonner Springs. At I-70, US-24 and US-40 join the Interstate Highway eastward, while US-73 ends and K-7 continues southward into the core of Bonner Springs. US-24 continues with I-70 into Kansas City and across the Kansas River into Kansas City, Missouri.

History

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U.S. Highway 40N
LocationColorado state line–Manhattan
Length327 mi[3] (526 km)
Existed1926–1935[2]

When the United States Numbered Highway System was first instituted in 1926, much of what is now US-24 was designated as U.S. Highway 40N (US-40N). US-40N ran along present-day US-24 between Limon, Colorado, and Manhattan. At Manhattan, it and US-40S recombined into US-40, which used the present alignment of US-24 eastward toward Topeka. Between Topeka and Lawrence, K-10 occupied the current alignment of US-24 as US-40 used its still standing alignment on the south side of the Kansas River. At Lawrence, US-40 returned to using US-24's alignment onto Kansas City and Missouri. In 1935, US-40N was decommissioned and US-24 was extended westward from its previous terminus at Independence across the state into Colorado and eventually on to Grand Junction, Colorado (later reduced to Minturn, Colorado).[4]

Major junctions

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CountyLocationmi[1]kmExitDestinationsNotes
Sherman0.000.00 
 
 
 
I-70 west / US 24 west
Continuation into Colorado
1.352.171  K-267 – Kanorado
9.3215.009County Road 11
12.2719.7512County Road 14
Goodland17.2727.7917 
 
 
  US 24 Bus. east / K-27 – Sharon Springs, St. Francis
19.2530.9819 
 
 
US 24 Bus. west – Goodland
27.2243.8127  K-253 – Edson
Thomas36.3458.4836  K-184 – Brewster
46.06174.12845 
 
I-70 east / County Road 11 – Salina
Eastern end of I-70 overlap
Colby54.96788.461  
 
K-25 (North Range Avenue) to I-70 – Oakley, Atwood, College
To I-70, airport signed westbound only
64.966104.553  US-83 – Oakley, Oberlin
ThomasSheridan
county line
73.223117.841 
 
K-186 south / County Road 11 – Menlo
Northern terminus of K-186
Sheridan80.159129.003 
 
  K-188 south / CR 481 / Road 80W – Seguin
Northern terminus of K-188
Hoxie88.681142.718  K-23 (Main Street) – Gove, Oberlin
Graham108.572174.730 
 
K-85 south – Morland, St. Peter
Northern terminus of K-85
113.907183.316 
 
K-84 south – Penokee
Northern terminus of K-84
Hill City120.713194.269   US-283 (Fourth Avenue) – Wakeeney, Norton
129.286208.066 
 
K-18 east – Bogue, Plainville
Western terminus of K-18; Bogue signed eastbound only
Rooks144.730232.920 
 
K-258 south – Webster Reservoir
Interchange; northern terminus of K-258
Stockton152.689245.729  US-183 (Cedar Street) – Hays, Phillipsburg
OsborneOsborne184.436296.821 
 
  US-281 south (North First Street) / West 80th Street – Osborne
Western end of US-281 overlap; hospital signed eastbound only
188.441303.266 
 
 
 
US-281 north / K-9 west / 40th Drive – Smith Center
Eastern end of US-281 overlap; western end of K-9 overlap
Downs196.362316.014  K-181 (Morgan Avenue) – Lebanon, Tipton
Mitchell207.620334.132 
 
K-128 north to US-36 / Glen Elder State Park
Southern terminus of K-128
220.160354.313   K-14 – Jewell, Marshall County Historical Museum
Beloit220.832355.395 
 
K-9 east – Concordia
Eastern end of K-9 overlap
229.574369.464 
 
K-193 south / Honey Lane – Asherville
Northern terminus of K-193
MitchellCloud
county line
232.193373.678 
 
K-194 south / County Road 757 – Simpson
Northern terminus of K-194
Cloud247.501398.314  US-81 – Salina, Concordia, National Orphan Train MuseumInterchange on US 81
259.144417.052 
 
K-189 south / 260th Road – Miltonvale, St. Joseph, Ames
Northern terminus of K-189
ClayClay Center276.689445.288   K-15 (Sixth Street) – Abilene, Washington
Riley288.379464.101 
 
K-82 west / Cavalry Road – Junction City
Northern terminus of K-82
297.661479.039 
 
US-77 south / North Main Street – Junction City, Riley
Western end of US-77 overlap
301.759485.634 
 
US-77 north / Stockdale Park Road – Marysville
Eastern end of US-77 overlap
310.375499.500 
 
  K-113 south – Manhattan, Kansas State University
Northern terminus of K-113; Kansas State, hospital signed eastbound only
311.317–
311.326
501.016–
501.031
 
 
K-13 north to K-16 – Tuttle Creek State Park
Southern terminus of K-13
Manhattan316.972–
316.980
510.117–
510.130
 
 
K-177 south (Fort Riley Boulevard) – Council Grove
Northern terminus of K-177
PottawatomieWamego330.920–
330.932
532.564–
532.583
  K-99 (Lincoln Avenue) to I-70 – Alma, Westmoreland, Oz Museum, Columbian City Park
St. Marys344.009553.629 
 
K-63 north (North Sixth Street) / South Sixth Street – Seneca
Southern terminus of K-63
ShawneeTopeka364.823–
364.829
587.126–
587.135
  US-75 – Topeka, HoltonCloverleaf interchange
368.271592.675Topeka BoulevardCloverleaf interchange
371.311–
371.328
597.567–
597.594
 
 
K-4 west
Western end of K-4 overlap; trumpet interchange
371.983–
371.992
598.649–
598.663
 
 
K-4 east – Valley Falls
Eastern end of K-4 overlap; diamond interchange
Jefferson378.575–
378.580
609.257–
609.265
 
 
K-237 north / Bridge Road – Perry State Park
Southern terminus of K-237
386.383621.823 
 
US-59 north / Oak Street – Williamstown, Oskaloosa
Western end of US-59 overlap
Douglas394.813635.390 
 
 
 
 
 
US-40 west / US-59 south to I-70 / 1800 North – Lawrence
Eastern end of US-59 overlap; western end of US-40 overlap; To I-70 signed westbound only
397.273639.349 
 
K-32 east – Linwood, Bonner Springs
Western terminus of K-32; Bonner Springs signed westbound only
LeavenworthTonganoxie406.760654.617 
 
K-16 west (West Fourth Street) / East Fourth Street – Oskaloosa, McLouth
Eastern terminus of K-16; McLouth signed westbound only
WyandotteKansas CityBonner Springs line417.838–
417.856
672.445–
672.474
 
 
 
 
US-73 north / K-7 north / State Avenue – Lansing, Leavenworth
Western end of US-73 / K-7 overlap; destinations signed eastbound only; partial cloverleaf interchange
Bonner Springs419.403–
419.420
674.964–
674.991
224 
 
 
 
 
 
I-70 west / Kansas Turnpike west / K-7 south – Topeka, Olathe
Eastern end of K-7 overlap; western end of I-70 / KTA overlap; southern terminus of US-73; Topeka signed eastbound only, Olathe westbound only
Kansas City410110th Street – Kansas SpeedwayExit numbers follow mileage of I-70.
411  I-435I-435 exits 12A-B; signed as exits 411A (south) and 411B (north)
41478th Street
415Turner Diagonal / College ParkwayDiverging diamond interchange
41757th Street
418  I-635 – St Joseph, WichitaSigned as exits 418A (north) and 418B (south) eastbound; westbound access is part of exit 419; I-635 exits 4A-B
419Park Drive / 38th Street
420A 
 
US-69 south (18th Street Expressway)
Western end of US-69 overlap; eastern end of Kansas Turnpike
420B18th Street north
421ARailroad Yard – No outlet, railroad use onlyWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
421B 
 
 
 
 
I-670 east to I-35 south – St. Louis
Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
422A 
 
US-69 north (7th Street Trafficway)
Eastern end of US-69 overlap
422B 
 
US-169 south (7th Street Trafficway)
Western end of US-169 overlap
422CPacific Avenue
422DCentral Avenue
423A5th StreetEastbound exit and westbound entrance
423BJames Street / 3rd StreetEastbound exit and westbound entrance
423CMinnesota Avenue / Washington BoulevardWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
423DFairfax DistrictWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I-70 east / US 24 east / US 40 east / US 169 north – Kansas City, St. Louis
Continuation into Missouri
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

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  1. ^ a b Kansas Department of Transportation (2017). "Pavement Management Information System". Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "US Highway 40N (1926–1935)". Kansas Highway Routelog. Route56.com. Retrieved April 22, 2021.[self-published source]
  3. ^ Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). April 1933. Retrieved April 22, 2021.[full citation needed]
  4. ^ Bessert, Chris; Garnell, Dan; Hargraves, Don; Ivy, Brent; Karner, Karin; Karner, Martin; Morris, Terry; Morrison, Jeff; Mortell, Robert; Nitzman, Alex; Outen, David; Pinto, Paul; Sanderson, Dale; Schecter, James; Schul, Dave; Summa, Michael (May 1, 2020) [1998]. "US 24". USEnds.com. Retrieved April 22, 2021.[self-published source]
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  U.S. Route 24
Previous state:
Colorado
Kansas Next state:
Missouri