:K-87 (Kansas highway)

K-87's southern terminus is at the unincorporated community of Vliets as a continuation of 26th Road. The highway travels north through flat rural farmland and soon crosses the Black Vermillion River. The roadway soon reaches a junction with K-9, also known as Sunflower Road. K-87 continues north through rural farmland for roughly {{convert|5|mi|km|spell=in}} to an intersection with Navajo Road by the Salem Church. The highway advances north through more farmland to its northern terminus at US-36, also known as the Pony Express Highway, west of Baileyville. Past US-36, the road continues north as 26th Road.{{cite map |author = Kansas Department of Transportation |year = 2011 |url = http://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/PastPublishedCounty/marshallDec2011.pdf |title = 2011 Marshall County Map |scale = Scale not given |location = Topeka |publisher = Kansas Department of Transportation |access-date = February 18, 2022 }}{{google maps |url=https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1yN2DupVbfmQBObgDlSChdJxJAg2D5ZWT&usp=sharing|title=Overview map of K-87 |accessdate=February 18, 2022}}

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) tracks the traffic levels on its highways, and in 2017, they determined that on average the traffic varied from 205 vehicles per day slightly north of K-9 to 240 vehicles per day between the southern terminus and K-9.{{cite map |author = Bureau of Transportation Planning |year = 2018 |url = http://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/CountMaps/Districts/countmap2017.pdf |title = Traffic Flow Map Kansas State Highway System |scale = [c. 1:1,584,000] |location = Topeka |publisher = Kansas Department of Transportation |access-date = July 29, 2019}} K-87 connects to the National Highway System at its northern terminus at US-36.{{cite map |url = https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/nhs_maps/kansas/ks_kansas.pdf |title = National Highway System: Kansas |publisher = Federal Highway Administration |access-date = July 29, 2019 |location = Washington, DC |archive-date = March 4, 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304035300/http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/nhs_maps/kansas/ks_kansas.pdf |url-status = live }}{{efn|The National Highway System is a system of highways important to the nation's defense, economy, and mobility.{{cite web |first1 = Stefan |last1 = Natzke |first2 = Mike |last2 = Neathery |first3 = Kevin |last3 = Adderly |url = https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/ |work = National Highway System |title = What is the National Highway System? |publisher = Federal Highway Administration |date = September 26, 2012 |access-date = January 10, 2022 |location = Washington, DC |archive-date = July 4, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120704194551/https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/ |url-status = live }}}}

Prior to the formation of the Kansas state highway system, 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. K-9 follows the former Kansas White Way. The northern terminus closely follows the former Pikes Peak Ocean to Ocean Highway, which was formed early in 1912, and travelled from New York City to Los Angeles.{{cite web |title = The Pikes Peak Ocean To Ocean Highway The Appian Way Of America |url = https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/pikes.cfm |publisher = Federal Highway Administration |date = June 27, 2017 |access-date = March 26, 2021 }}{{cite map |author = Rand McNally and Company |author-link = Rand McNally |year = 1924 |map = Kansas |title = AutoTrails Map, Southern Nebraska, Eastern Colorado, Kansas, Northeastern New Mexico, Northern Oklahoma |map-url = https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~201708~3000668:AutoTrails-Map,-Southern-Nebraska,-?sort=pub_list_no_initialsort%2Cpub_date%2Cpub_list_no%2Cseries_no&qvq=q:Kansas%20roads;sort:pub_list_no_initialsort%2Cpub_date%2Cpub_list_no%2Cseries_no;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=113&trs=175 |scale = 1:1,600,000 |location = Chicago |publisher = Rand McNally and Company |oclc = 2078375 |via = Rumsey Collection |access-date= February 18, 2022 }}

In October 1932, the Kansas State Highway Commission (SHC) announced that it had allocated $1,991.94 (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|1991|1932}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} to build a {{convert|0.5|mi|km|-long|adj=mid}} spur from Vliets north to K-9. The grading of the new highway was done under supervision of the county commissioners with county labor. The SHC agreed to give the road a gravel surface within three months of completion. The continuation of the state road from K-9 north to US-36 had a gravel surface added in late 1934, making it an all-weather road.{{cite news|page=1|work=The Axtell Standard|accessdate=February 13, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94836745/k87-1934/|date=November 15, 1934|location=Axtell, Kansas|title=Important Improvements}} In early October 1935, the SHC asked for bids to add a sand/gravel or keystone surface to K-87.{{cite news|page=2|work=Marshall County News|accessdate=February 13, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94833937/k87-oct-1935/|date=October 11, 1935|location=Marysville, Kansas|title=Notice To Contractors}} The next month, the SHC approved a bid of $4,445 (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|4445|1935}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} to add a gravel surface to K-87.{{cite news|page=1|work=Marshall County News|accessdate=February 13, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94796067/will-spend-9345-on-marshall-county/|date=November 8, 1935|location=Marysville, Kansas|title=Will Spend $9,345 On Marshall County Roads}} In a resolution approved on September 11, 1946, the K-87 was to extend north to US-36 as soon as Marshall County had brought the road up to state highway standards.{{cite web |author = State Highway Commission of Kansas |date = September 9, 1946 |website = ksdot.org |url = http://dmsweb.ksdot.org/AppNetProd/docpop/pdfpop.aspx?KT142_0_0_0=003709881&clienttype=html&doctypeid=114 |title = Road to be added to the State System when constructed by Marshall County to Federal Aid Secondary Standards |location = Topeka |publisher = State Highway Commission of Kansas |access-date = September 3, 2019 |archive-date = February 13, 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220213133728/https://dmsweb.ksdot.org/AppNetProd/docpop/pdfpop.aspx?KT142_0_0_0=003709881&clienttype=html&doctypeid=114 |url-status = dead }} By mid-1947, the county had finished necessary projects and in a resolution approved on July 9, 1947, it was added to the state highway system.

In August 1951, the entire length of the highway was re-gravelled at a cost of $4,556.30 (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|4556|1951}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars).{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}{{cite news|page=1|work=The Marysville Advocate|accessdate=February 13, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94865465/road-improvement-bids-let-in-county-k87/|date=August 16, 1951|location=Marysville, Kansas|title=Road Improvement Bids Let In County}} In early February 1958, the SHC asked for bids to be received to pave the entire length of K-87.{{cite news|page=6|work=Marshall County News|accessdate=February 13, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94866681/state-highway-commission-of-kansas/|date=February 6, 1958|location=Marysville, Kansas|title=State Highway Commission Of Kansas Notice To Contractors}} On March 12, 1958, the SHC approved a bid of $9,469 (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|9469|1958}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} for the paving job.{{cite news|page=1|work=The Frankfort Index|accessdate=February 13, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94866615/approves-construction-contracts-on/|date=March 13, 1958|location=Frankfort, Kansas|title=Approves Construction Contracts On Highways}} Over the years, the Black Vermillion River has flooded the highway numerous times, including 17 times in 1973 alone.{{cite news|page=1|work=The Summerfield Sun|accessdate=February 13, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94795746/k87-flooded-17-times-1973/|date=January 17, 1974|location=Summerfield, Kansas|title=Excess Moisture In 1973}} In December 1978, KDOT initiated land condemnation proceedings to obtain {{convert|1.88|acre|m2}} of land for building of a new bridge over the river. Included in the easement were plans to change the course of the river as well as raise the elevation of the bridge.{{cite news|page=2|work=The Marysville Advocate|accessdate=February 13, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94870918/land-condemnation-brought-by-state-k87/|date=December 14, 1978|location=Marysville, Kansas|title=Land condemnation brought by state}} In mid-January 1979, KDOT began taking in bids to build the new bridge and {{convert|0.5|mi|km}} of grading on each end of the bridge.{{cite news|page=19|work=The Marysville Advocate|accessdate=February 13, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94871134/bid-taking-set-k87-bridge-over-black/|date=January 18, 1979|location=Marysville, Kansas|title=Bid taking set}} The bridge was replaced by the end of the year.{{cite web |author = bridgereports.com |date = 2020 |url = https://bridgereports.com/1204706 |title = K-87 Hwy over Black Vermillion River |publisher = bridgereports.com |access-date = February 13, 2022 }}

{{Jcttop|state=KS|county=Marshall|length_ref={{cite web|author= Kansas Department of Transportation |url=http://www.ksdot.org/matreslab/pmis/query.asp|title=Pavement Management Information System|publisher=Kansas Department of Transportation|year=2016|accessdate=April 16, 2017}}}}

{{KSint

|location=Vliets

|mile=0.000

|road=26th Road

|notes=Southern terminus; continues south as 26th Road

}}

{{KSint

|location=Noble Township

|mile=0.590

|road={{jct|state=KS|KS|9|name1=Sunflower Road|city1=Frankfort|city2=Centralia}}

|notes=

}}

{{KSint

|location=Murray Township

|mile=8.625

|road={{jct|state=KS|US|36|name1=Pony Express Highway|city1=Marysville|city2=Seneca}}

|notes=Northern terminus

}}

{{jctbtm}}

{{notelist}}

{{Reflist|refs=}}

{{Attached KML}}

• [http://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/MapsState.asp Kansas Department of Transportation State Map]
• [http://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/HistoricStateMaps.asp KDOT: Historic State Maps]

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Category:Transportation in Marshall County, Kansas