U.S. Route 36 in Kansas

U.S. Route 36 (US-36) is a major east–west route in the U.S. state of Kansas, extending from the Colorado state line to the Missouri border.

U.S. Highway 36 marker
U.S. Highway 36
Map
US-36 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by KDOT
Length390 mi[1] (630 km)
Existed1926[citation needed]–present
Major junctions
West end US 36 at the Colorado state line
Major intersections
East end US 36 at the Missouri state line
Location
CountryUnited States
StateKansas
CountiesCheyenne, Rawlins, Decatur, Norton, Phillips, Smith, Jewell, Republic, Washington, Marshall, Nemaha, Brown, Doniphan
Highway system
  • Kansas State Highway System
I-35 K-39

Route description

edit

The highway enters from Colorado into Cheyenne County, and shares a seven-mile (11 km) concurrency through the town of St. Francis with K-27, the first north–south route intersected in Kansas. K-27 splits east of St. Francis and heads south toward Goodland, and US-36 then continues through Bird City and McDonald before intersecting K-25 in Atwood, the seat of Rawlins County.

US-36 continues east through Decatur County, intersecting with US-83 in Oberlin before beginning a concurrency with K-383 in Norton County, a concurrency which runs for 12 miles (19 km) through the city of Norton, where it crosses US-283. K-383 splits in eastern Norton County and bends northeast toward Almena and the Nebraska state line, while US-36 enters Phillips County, picking up a brief concurrency with US-183 in Phillipsburg.

The highway passes through the small towns of Agra and Kensington before reaching Smith Center, the seat of Smith County, where US-281 joins US-36 for a 12-mile (19 km) concurrency. Near Lebanon, US-36 passes about four miles (6.4 km) south of the Geographic center of the contiguous United States, which is indicated by a marker where US-281 splits northward to Lebanon. US-36 then passes through largely unpopulated areas, except for the tiny town of Mankato in Jewell County.

At Belleville, the seat of Republic County, US-36 has an interchange with US-81. After passing through Washington County, US-36 picks up a brief concurrency with US-77 in Marysville, the seat of Marshall County, and another one with US-75 in Fairview. Between the junctions with US-77 and US-75, the highway passes through Nemaha County and its seat, Seneca.

In Brown County, US-36 becomes a super two, intersecting the concurrency of US-73 and US-159 in Hiawatha. The highway becomes full-access again before entering Doniphan County for its final trek through the state, passing through Troy and into Wathena, where it picks up freeway status though Elwood before crossing the Missouri River on the Pony Express Bridges and entering Missouri.

History

edit

Prior to 1926, the portion of future US-36 between Norton and the Missouri state line was known as the Rock Island Highway.[2] The US-36 designation first appeared on Kansas maps in 1932.[3] Since then, the highway has been straightened and parts of it upgraded to freeway or super two status.

Originally US-36 overlapped K-63 for a mile north out of Seneca, then turned east and left K-63 towards Oneida. Then in a March 21, 1939 resolution, it was approved to realign US-36 between Seneca and Fairview on a straight alignment, eliminating the overlap with K-63.[4]

Major junctions

edit

All exits are unnumbered.

CountyLocationmikmDestinationsNotes
Cheyenne0.0000.000 
 
US 36 west – Denver
Continuation into Colorado
 
 
K-27 north – Haigler Ne.
West end of K-27 concurrency
 
 
K-27 south – Goodland
East end of K-27 concurrency
Bird City 
 
K-161 north – Benkelman Ne.
RawlinsAtwood  K-25 – Trenton Ne., Colby
Midway 
 
K-117 north – Herndon
DecaturOberlin  US-83 – McCook Ne., Hoxie, OakleyFormer US-183
Norton 
 
K-383 south – Clayton
West end of K-383 concurrency; former US-383 south; originally US-83 south
Norton  US-283 (State Street) – Arapahoe Ne., Hill City, Business DistrictFormer K-21
 
 
K-67 north – Norton Correctional Facility
 
 
K-383 north – Almena
East end of K-383 concurrency; former US-383 north; originally US-83 north
 
 
K-60 north (Road E11) – Almena
PhillipsPhillipsburg 
 
US-183 north (Second Street) – Alma Neb.
West end of US-183 concurrency; former K-1 north
 
 
US-183 south – Stockton
East end of US-183 concurrency; former K-1 south
SmithKensington 
 
K-248 south (Main Street) – Business District
 
 
K-8 north (H Road) – Franklin Ne.
 
 
K-204 east – Smith Center
Smith Center 
 
  US-281 south (Main Street) – Osborne, Business District
West end of US-281 concurrency; former K-8 south
 
 
K-182 north (V Road) – Bellaire
 
 
 
 
US-281 north / K-181 south – Lebanon, Downs
Interchange; east end of US-281 concurrency; northern terminus of K-181; US-281 north is former K-65
Jewell 
 
K-112 north (50 Road) – Esbon
 
 
K-128 south – Waconda Lake
West end of K-128 concurrency
 
 
K-128 north (110 Road) – Burr Oak
East end of K-128 concurrency; former K-28 west
 
 
K-14 south – Jewell, Beloit
West end of K-14 concurrency
 
 
K-14 north – Superior Ne.
East end of K-128 concurrency
Republic 
 
K-199 south – Courtland
  K-266 (50 Road) – Pawnee Indian Village
Belleville  US-81 – Concordia, Hebron Ne.Interchange
 
 
K-139 south – Cuba
Washington 
 
K-22 north (Deer Road) – Haddam
 
 
K-15 north – Morrowville, Fairbury Neb.
West end of K-15 concurrency; former K-15W north
Washington 
 
K-15 south (B Street) – Clay Center
East end of K-15 concurrency; former K-15W south
  K-148 (All-American Road) / Oregon National Historic Trail / California National Historic Trail / Pony Express National Historic Trail – Hanover, Nebraska state line, BarnesFormer K-15E
MarshallMarysville 
 
US-77 north – Beatrice Ne.
West end of US-77 concurrency
 
 
US-77 south (Tenth Street) / Oregon National Historic Trail / California National Historic Trail – Junction City, Blue Rapids
East end of US-77 concurrency
  K-99 (21st Terrace) – Beattie, Frankfort
 
 
K-87 south (26th Road) – Vliets
 
 
K-110 north (30th Road) – Axtell
Nemaha 
 
K-187 south – Centralia
 
 
K-178 north – St. Benedict
Seneca 
 
K-63 north (21st Terrace) – Beattie, Frankfort
West end of K-63 concurrency
 
 
K-63 south (26th Road) – Vliets
East end of K-63 concurrency
 
 
K-236 north – Oneida
Brown  US-75 – Sabetha, HoltonInterchange
12th StreetWest end of super two
Hiawatha   US-73 / US-159 – Hiawatha, Horton
Mulberry Road
Raccoon Road
Timber Road
DoniphanAsh Point Road – LeonaAt-grade intersection; east end of super two
  K-120 – Highland, SeveranceInterchange
  K-7 – Atchison, White CloudInterchange
  K-136 – TroyInterchange; northern terminus of K-136
WathenaElwood line165th RoadWest end of freeway
Elwood  K-238Southern terminus of K-238
Roseport Road
Missouri River390.0627.6Pony Express Bridges; KansasMissouri line
 
 
US 36 east
Continuation into St. Joseph, Missouri
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

edit
  1. ^ "U.S. Route 36 in Kansas" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  2. ^ "Official Map: Kansas State Roads" (PDF). Kansas Highway Commission. 1918. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  3. ^ "Kansas State Highway System" (PDF). State Highway Commission of Kansas. 1932. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  4. ^ State Highway Commission of Kansas (March 21, 1939). "Resolution for Relocation and Redesignation of Road in Nemaha and Brown Counties". Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
edit
KML is not from Wikidata
  U.S. Route 36
Previous state:
Colorado
Kansas Next state:
Missouri