K-68 (Kansas highway)

File:Int35nRoad-Exit187-KS68 (36757658355).jpg

File:K-68End.jpg

Beginning at US-75 and K-31 about a mile south of Lyndon. From here it heads east then reaches Quenemo, where it turns north and intersects K-268. Next it goes through Pomona. It continues east crossing the Marais des Cygnes River then turns northeastward and crosses the former route of US-59 near downtown Ottawa. As K-68 enters Ottawa, it intersects with I-35, US-59 and US-50 near the Walmart Distribution Center. Four miles west of Louisburg, K-68 intersects with US-169 and K-7, it also provides an end terminus with K-33 in Franklin County. It passes through Louisburg where it intersects with US-69. After passing Louisburg it reaches its eastern terminus at Missouri Route 2.

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) tracks the traffic levels on its highways, and in 2018, they determined that on average the traffic varied from 270 vehicles per day slightly west of Quenemo to 12,200 vehicles per day slightly east of US-69. The next highest volume of traffic was 8,820 vehicles per day slightly west of I-35 and 7,420 vehicles per day slightly west of US-69.{{cite map |author = Bureau of Transportation Planning |year = 2019 |url = https://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/CountMaps/Districts/countmap2018.pdf |title = Traffic Flow Map Kansas State Highway System |scale = [c. 1:1,584,000] |location = Topeka |publisher = Kansas Department of Transportation |access-date = August 10, 2020}}{{cite map |author = Bureau of Transportation Planning |year = 2019 |url = https://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/CountMaps/Districts/insetmap2018.pdf |title = Traffic Flow Inset Map Kansas State Highway System |scale = [c. 1:1,584,000] |location = Topeka |publisher = Kansas Department of Transportation |access-date = August 10, 2020}} K-68 is not included in the National Highway System.{{cite map |author = Federal Highway Administration |author-link = Federal Highway Administration |date = May 8, 2019 |url = https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/nhs_maps/kansas/ks_kansas.pdf |title = National Highway System: Kansas |scale = [c. 1:3,900,000] |publisher = Federal Highway Administration |access-date = September 12, 2019}} The National Highway System is a system of highways important to the nation's defense, economy, and mobility. K-68 does connect to the National Highway System at its western terminus at US-75, at its intersection with I-35 / US-50 / US-59, at its intersection with US-169 / K-7, and at its intersection with US-69.{{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 = September 12, 2019 }} The section of K-68 in Ottawa from the west city limit to the interchange with I-35 is maintained by the city.{{cite web |author = Kansas Department of Transportation |date = February 12, 2013 |url = https://dmsweb.ksdot.org/AppNetProd/docpop/docpop.aspx?clienttype=html&docid=8911960 |title = Resolution Designating City Connecting Links in State Highway System |location = Topeka |publisher = Kansas Department of Transportation |access-date = September 13, 2020}}

K-68 was first designated a state highway in 1929 and went from US-73W and US-50S in Ottawa eastward to US-73E in Louisburg. By April 1936, US-50S was realigned onto K-33 from south of Ottawa to K-31 east of Waverly and K-68 was extended west on the old US-50S alignment from Ottawa to US-75 by Lyndon. At that time K-33 was also truncated to end at K-68 east of Ottawa. Sometime between April 1933 and April 1936 US-73W was renumbered to US-59 and US-73E was renumbered to US-69.{{cite map |author = State Highway Commission of Kansas |year = 1933 |url = http://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/HistoricStateMaps/1933Mapside.PDF|title = 1933 Kansas State Map |scale = Scale not given |location = Topeka |publisher = State Highway Commission of Kansas |access-date = September 4, 2019 }}{{cite map |author = State Highway Commission of Kansas |year = 1936 |url = http://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/HistoricStateMaps/1936Mapside.pdf|title = 1936 Kansas State Map |scale = Scale not given |location = Topeka |publisher = State Highway Commission of Kansas |access-date = September 4, 2019 }} In a May 26, 1937 resolution K-68 was extended further east from US-69 to the Missouri border, which was first approved in a March 29, 1937 meeting.{{cite web |author = State Highway Commission of Kansas |date = May 26, 1937 |url = http://dmsweb.ksdot.org/AppNetProd/docpop/pdfpop.aspx?KT142_0_0_0=003709941&clienttype=html&doctypeid=114 |title = 1937 Resolution |location = Topeka |publisher = State Highway Commission of Kansas |access-date = September 12, 2019 }} In a March 12, 1963 resolution, a {{convert|9.997|mi|km}} section of K-68 was realigned northwest of Paola to eliminate two curves.{{cite web |author = State Highway Commission of Kansas |date = March 13, 1963 |url = http://dmsweb.ksdot.org/AppNetProd/docpop/pdfpop.aspx?KT142_0_0_0=003709937&clienttype=html&doctypeid=114 |title = Resolution for Relocation and Redesignation of Road in Miami County |location = Topeka |publisher = State Highway Commission of Kansas |access-date = September 12, 2019 }} Then in a January 12, 1965 resolution, a {{convert|5.949|mi|km}} section of K-68 was realigned northeast of Paola to meet the section realigned in the March 12, 1963 resolution, which eliminated the overlap with US-169.{{cite web |author = State Highway Commission of Kansas |date = January 12, 1965 |url = http://dmsweb.ksdot.org/AppNetProd/docpop/pdfpop.aspx?KT142_0_0_0=003709934&clienttype=html&doctypeid=114 |title = Resolution for Relocation and Redesignation of Road in Miami County |location = Topeka |publisher = State Highway Commission of Kansas |access-date = September 12, 2019 }} Originally US-169 and K-7 ran together through Paola then in a June 12, 1969 resolution, US-169 and K-7 was realigned to the east of Paola and K-68's junction with the two highways was moved roughly {{convert|1|mi|km}} to the east.{{cite web |author = State Highway Commission of Kansas |date = June 12, 1969 |url = http://dmsweb.ksdot.org/AppNetProd/docpop/pdfpop.aspx?KT142_0_0_0=003709933&clienttype=html&doctypeid=114 |title = Resolution for Relocation and Redesignation of Road in Miami County |location = Topeka |publisher = State Highway Commission of Kansas |access-date = September 12, 2019 }} Originally US-69 through Louisburg then in an April 6, 1976 resolution, US-69 was realigned to the west of Louisburg and K-68's junction with the two highways was moved approximately {{convert|1|mi|km}} to the west.{{cite web |author = State Highway Commission of Kansas |date = April 6, 1976 |url = http://dmsweb.ksdot.org/AppNetProd/docpop/pdfpop.aspx?KT142_0_0_0=003709930&clienttype=html&doctypeid=114 |title = Resolution for Relocation and Redesignation of Road in Miami County |location = Topeka |publisher = State Highway Commission of Kansas |access-date = September 12, 2019 }} US-50 Business (US-50 Bus.) originally overlapped K-68 in Ottawa, then in a November 6, 2000 resolution the US-50 Bus. designation was removed.{{cite web |author = KDOT |date = November 6, 2000 |url = http://dmsweb.ksdot.org/AppNetProd/docpop/pdfpop.aspx?KT142_0_0_0=003709520&clienttype=html&doctypeid=114 |title = Project 35-50 K 5641-01 Withdrawal of U.S. 50 Business (Ottawa) |location = Topeka |publisher = KDOT |access-date = September 12, 2019 }}

On May 21, 2019, the highway was closed north of Quenemo, due to flooding from Salt Creek.{{cite web

| url = https://www.wibw.com/content/news/KDOTStretch-of-K-99-likely-closed-for-days-510271451.html

| title = KDOT: Stretch of K-99 likely closed for days

| date = May 20, 2019

| publisher = wibw.com

| author = Nick Viviani

| access-date = 20 April 2020}}

{{Jcttop|length_ref={{cite web|author=Staff|url=http://www.ksdot.org/matreslab/pmis/query.asp|title=Pavement Management Information System|publisher=Kansas Department of Transportation|year=2016|accessdate=April 22, 2017}}}}

{{KSint

|county=Osage

|cspan=2

|township=Valley Brook

|ctdab=Osage

|mile=0.000

|road={{Jct|state=KS|US|75|K|31|city1=Burlington|city2=Lyndon|city3=Topeka}}

|notes=Western terminus; road continues as 261st Street}}

{{KSint

|township=Agency

|ctdab=Osage

|mile=11.412

|road={{Jct|state=KS|K|268|dir1=west|city1=Osage City}}

|notes=Eastern terminus of K-268

}}

{{KSint

|county=Franklin

|cspan=3

|location=Ottawa

|lspan=2

|type=incomplete

|mile=25.775

|road=Old Depot Museum, Forest Park

|notes=Partial interchange; no eastbound entrance

}}

{{KSint

|mile=27.926

|road={{Jct|state=KS|I|35|US|59|US|50|city1=Kansas City|city2=Wichita}}

|notes=I-35 exit 187; diamond interchange}}

{{KSint

|township=Peoria

|ctdab=Franklin

|mile=35.956

|road={{Jct|state=KS|K|33|dir1=north|city1=Wellsville}}

|notes=Southern terminus of K-33

}}

{{KSint

|county=Miami

|cspan=3

|township=Marysville

|ctdab=Miami

|mile=49.364

|road={{Jct|state=KS|US|169|K|7|city1=Olathe|city2=Paola}}

|notes=Diamond interchange

}}

{{KSint

|location=Louisburg

|mile=57.000

|road={{Jct|state=KS|US|69|city1=Kansas City|city2=Ft. Scott}}

|notes=Diamond interchange

}}

{{KSint

|township=Wea

|ctdab=Miami

|mile=61.517

|road={{Jct|state=MO|MO|2|dir1=east|road|State Line Road south}}

|notes=Continuation into Missouri as Rte. 2

}}

{{Jctbtm|keys=incomplete}}

• List of Kansas numbered highways

{{Reflist}}

{{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]

068

Category:Transportation in Miami County, Kansas

Category:Transportation in Franklin County, Kansas

Category:Transportation in Osage County, Kansas

Category:Ottawa, Kansas