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 Along with US-40, the road has largely been replaced by the more modern Interstate in its functionality as a long-distance route.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 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 US 24 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by KDOT | ||||
| Length | 435.95 mi[1] (701.59 km) | |||
| Existed | 1936[2]–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |   I-70 / US 24 at Colorado state line near Kanorado | |||
| East end |  I-70 / US 24 / US 40 at Missouri state line in Kansas City | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Kansas | |||
| Counties | Sherman, Thomas, Sheridan, Graham, Rooks, Osborne, Mitchell, Cloud, Clay, Riley, Pottawatomie, Shawnee, Jefferson, Douglas, Leavenworth, Wyandotte | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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Route description
editUS-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 Thomas–Sheridan 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 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 City–Bonner 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
edit U.S. Highway 40N | |
|---|---|
| Location | Colorado state line–Manhattan |
| Length | 327 mi[3] (526 km) |
| Existed | 1926–1935[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
edit| County | Location | mi[1] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherman | | 0.00 | 0.00 |   I-70 west / US 24 west | Continuation into Colorado | |
| | 1.35 | 2.17 | 1 |  K-267 – Kanorado | ||
| | 9.32 | 15.00 | 9 | County Road 11 | ||
| | 12.27 | 19.75 | 12 | County Road 14 | ||
| Goodland | 17.27 | 27.79 | 17 |    US 24 Bus. east / K-27 – Sharon Springs, St. Francis | ||
| 19.25 | 30.98 | 19 | US 24 Bus. west – Goodland | |||
| | 27.22 | 43.81 | 27 |  K-253 – Edson | ||
| Thomas | | 36.34 | 58.48 | 36 |  K-184 – Brewster | |
| | 46.061 | 74.128 | 45 |  I-70 east / County Road 11 – Salina | Eastern end of I-70 overlap | |
| Colby | 54.967 | 88.461 |   K-25 (North Range Avenue) to I-70 – Oakley, Atwood, College | To I-70, airport signed westbound only | ||
| | 64.966 | 104.553 |  US-83 – Oakley, Oberlin | |||
| Thomas–Sheridan county line | | 73.223 | 117.841 |   K-186 south / County Road 11 – Menlo | Northern terminus of K-186 | |
| Sheridan | | 80.159 | 129.003 |   K-188 south / CR 481 / Road 80W – Seguin | Northern terminus of K-188 | |
| Hoxie | 88.681 | 142.718 |  K-23 (Main Street) – Gove, Oberlin | |||
| Graham | | 108.572 | 174.730 |  K-85 south – Morland, St. Peter | Northern terminus of K-85 | |
| | 113.907 | 183.316 |  K-84 south – Penokee | Northern terminus of K-84 | ||
| Hill City | 120.713 | 194.269 |   US-283 (Fourth Avenue) – Wakeeney, Norton | |||
| | 129.286 | 208.066 |  K-18 east – Bogue, Plainville | Western terminus of K-18; Bogue signed eastbound only | ||
| Rooks | | 144.730 | 232.920 |  K-258 south – Webster Reservoir | Interchange; northern terminus of K-258 | |
| Stockton | 152.689 | 245.729 |  US-183 (Cedar Street) – Hays, Phillipsburg | |||
| Osborne | Osborne | 184.436 | 296.821 |  US-281 south (North First Street) / West 80th Street – Osborne | Western end of US-281 overlap; hospital signed eastbound only | |
| | 188.441 | 303.266 |   US-281 north / K-9 west / 40th Drive – Smith Center | Eastern end of US-281 overlap; western end of K-9 overlap | ||
| Downs | 196.362 | 316.014 |  K-181 (Morgan Avenue) – Lebanon, Tipton | |||
| Mitchell | | 207.620 | 334.132 |  K-128 north to US-36 / Glen Elder State Park | Southern terminus of K-128 | |
| | 220.160 | 354.313 |  K-14 – Jewell, Marshall County Historical Museum | |||
| Beloit | 220.832 | 355.395 | K-9 east – Concordia | Eastern end of K-9 overlap | ||
| | 229.574 | 369.464 |  K-193 south / Honey Lane – Asherville | Northern terminus of K-193 | ||
| Mitchell–Cloud county line | | 232.193 | 373.678 |  K-194 south / County Road 757 – Simpson | Northern terminus of K-194 | |
| Cloud | | 247.501 | 398.314 |  US-81 – Salina, Concordia, National Orphan Train Museum | Interchange on US 81 | |
| | 259.144 | 417.052 |  K-189 south / 260th Road – Miltonvale, St. Joseph, Ames | Northern terminus of K-189 | ||
| Clay | Clay Center | 276.689 | 445.288 |  K-15 (Sixth Street) – Abilene, Washington | ||
| Riley | | 288.379 | 464.101 |  K-82 west / Cavalry Road – Junction City | Northern terminus of K-82 | |
| | 297.661 | 479.039 |  US-77 south / North Main Street – Junction City, Riley | Western end of US-77 overlap | ||
| | 301.759 | 485.634 | US-77 north / Stockdale Park Road – Marysville | Eastern end of US-77 overlap | ||
| | 310.375 | 499.500 |  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 | ||
| Manhattan | 316.972– 316.980 | 510.117– 510.130 |  K-177 south (Fort Riley Boulevard) – Council Grove | Northern terminus of K-177 | ||
| Pottawatomie | Wamego | 330.920– 330.932 | 532.564– 532.583 |  K-99 (Lincoln Avenue) to I-70 – Alma, Westmoreland, Oz Museum, Columbian City Park | ||
| St. Marys | 344.009 | 553.629 |  K-63 north (North Sixth Street) / South Sixth Street – Seneca | Southern terminus of K-63 | ||
| Shawnee | Topeka | 364.823– 364.829 | 587.126– 587.135 |  US-75 – Topeka, Holton | Cloverleaf interchange | |
| 368.271 | 592.675 | Topeka Boulevard | Cloverleaf 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 | ||
| Jefferson | | 378.575– 378.580 | 609.257– 609.265 |  K-237 north / Bridge Road – Perry State Park | Southern terminus of K-237 | |
| | 386.383 | 621.823 |  US-59 north / Oak Street – Williamstown, Oskaloosa | Western end of US-59 overlap | ||
| Douglas | | 394.813 | 635.390 | 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 | |
| | 397.273 | 639.349 |  K-32 east – Linwood, Bonner Springs | Western terminus of K-32; Bonner Springs signed westbound only | ||
| Leavenworth | Tonganoxie | 406.760 | 654.617 |  K-16 west (West Fourth Street) / East Fourth Street – Oskaloosa, McLouth | Eastern terminus of K-16; McLouth signed westbound only | |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City–Bonner Springs line | 417.838– 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 Springs | 419.403– 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 City | 410 | 110th Street – Kansas Speedway | Exit numbers follow mileage of I-70. | |||
| 411 |  I-435 | I-435 exits 12A-B; signed as exits 411A (south) and 411B (north) | ||||
| 414 | 78th Street | |||||
| 415 | Turner Diagonal / College Parkway | Diverging diamond interchange | ||||
| 417 | 57th Street | |||||
| 418 |  I-635 – St Joseph, Wichita | Signed as exits 418A (north) and 418B (south) eastbound; westbound access is part of exit 419; I-635 exits 4A-B | ||||
| 419 | Park Drive / 38th Street | |||||
| 420A |  US-69 south (18th Street Expressway) | Western end of US-69 overlap; eastern end of Kansas Turnpike | ||||
| 420B | 18th Street north | |||||
| 421A | Railroad Yard – No outlet, railroad use only | Westbound 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 | ||||
| 422C | Pacific Avenue | |||||
| 422D | Central Avenue | |||||
| 423A | 5th Street | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||||
| 423B | James Street / 3rd Street | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||||
| 423C | Minnesota Avenue / Washington Boulevard | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||||
| 423D | Fairfax District | Westbound 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
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References
edit- ^ a b Kansas Department of Transportation (2017). "Pavement Management Information System". Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
- ^ a b "US Highway 40N (1926–1935)". Kansas Highway Routelog. Route56.com. Retrieved April 22, 2021.[self-published source]
- ^ Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). April 1933. Retrieved April 22, 2021.[full citation needed]
- ^ 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]
