U.S. Route 69 in Kansas

U.S. Route 69
Route information
Maintained by KDOT
Length:	163 mi (262 km)
Existed:	1935 – present
Major junctions
South end:	US-69 at Oklahoma-Kansas state line
	I-435 / US-50 / US-169 in Overland Park I-35 / US-56 in Lenexa I-635 in Kansas City I-70 / US-40 in Kansas City
North end:	US 69 at Kansas-Missouri state line
Highway system
United States Numbered Highways List Bannered Divided Replaced Kansas numbered highways ← K-68 I-70 →

U.S. Route 69 (or US-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 just north 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 (the section of which has since been renamed to Merriam Drive). In 1979, the K-58 designation was removed.

The section of 18th Street between I-70 and the south end of the Kansas River bridge was tolled at least as late as 1984.

Junction list

County	Location	mi	km	Destinations	Notes
Cherokee	Oklahoma- Kansas state line			US-69 south – Miami	Continuation into Oklahoma
	​			US-166 – Chetopa, Baxter Springs
	Columbus			US-160 west / K-7 north – Oswego, Girard	South end of US 160 overlap
	​			US-400 east / US-69 Alt. south – Joplin, Miami	South end of US 400 overlap
	​			K-103 west – Weir
Crawford	​			US-400 west / K-171 east – Parsons, Joplin	North end of US 400 overlap
	Pittsburg			US-69 Bus. north – Pittsburg
				K-126 – McCune, Pittsburg
				US-69 Bus. south – Pittsburg
				US-160 east – Lamar	North end of US 160 overlap
	​			K-47 west – Girard
	​			US-69 Bus. north – Franklin
	​			US-69 Bus. south – Arma
Bourbon	​			K-7 south – Girard	Interchange; south end of K-7 overlap
	Fort Scott			US-54 east – Nevada	South end of freeway; south end of US 54 overlap
	​			US-54 west / K-7 north – Iola, Harding	North end of US 54/K-7 overlap
	​			Poplar Road
	​			Soldier Road
	​			K-31 – Harding
Linn	​			K-239 – Prescott
	​			K-52 west – Mound City	South end of K-52 overlap
	Pleasanton			6th Street/E. 1100th Road
	​			E. 1350 Road
	​			K-52 east – Butler	North end of K-52 overlap
	​			K-152 – La Cygne
Miami	​			W. 399th Street
	​			W. 359th Street
	​			W. 335th Street
	​			W. 311th Street
	Louisburg			K-68 – Ottawa, Louisburg
	​			W. 247th Street
	​			W. 223rd Street
Johnson	​			199th Street
	Overland Park			179th Street
				167th Street	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
				151st Street
				135th Street
				Blue Valley Parkway	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
				119th Street
				College Boulevard
				I-435 / US-50 / US-169 – Wichita, Int'l Airport, Independence	I-435 exit 81.
				103rd Street
				95th Street
	Lenexa			87th Street	No northbound entrance
				I-35 north / US-56 east	South end of I-35/US 56/US 169 overlap; northbound exit and southbound entrance
	Overland Park			75th Street
	Merriam			67th Street
				I-35 north	North end of I-35 overlap/freeway
	Overland Park			US-56 east – KCM	Interchange; north end of US 56 overlap
				Johnson Drive	Interchange; southbound exit and entrance
				I-35 south / I-635 north – Wichita, Kansas City	South end of I-35 overlap/freeway; I-35 exits 231A-B; I-635 exit 1A.
Wyandotte	Kansas City			24th Street
				I-35 north – KCM	North end of I-35 overlap
				Merriam Road	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
				Steele Road/Springhorn Lane
				Ruby Avenue
				K-32 (Kansas Avenue)
				I-70 west to Kansas Turnpike – Lawrence, Topeka	South end of I-70 overlap
				I-70 east / I-670 east / US-169 – Downtown Kansas City, St. Louis	North end of I-70 overlap/freeway
				K-5 west (Sunshine Road)
	Kansas- Missouri state line			Missouri River	Continues into Missouri crossing the Missouri River
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access

External links

• Kansas Highway Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT