K-42 (Kansas highway)

K-42 is a 75.061-mile-long (120.799 km) east–west state highway in the U.S. state of Kansas. K-42's western terminus is at U.S. Route 281 (US-281) in Sawyer and the eastern terminus is at Interstate 235 (I-235) in Wichita. Along the way it intersects K-14, a major north–south highway, in Rago.

K-42
K-42 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by KDOT and the city of Wichita
Length75.061 mi[1] (120.799 km)
Existed1927[2]–present
Major junctions
West end US-281 in Sawyer
  K-14 in Rago
East end I-235 in Wichita
Location
CountiesPratt, Kingman, Sumner, Sedgwick
Highway system
  • Kansas State Highway System
← K-41→ K-43

K-42 was first designated as a state highway in 1927, and at that time extended from east of Coates to Rago. It then continued east through Milton and Conway Springs before intersecting US-81 west of Belle Plaine. By 1931, K-42 was realigned to turn north, north of Milton. It then turned east and went through Viola to Clearwater. Then it turned northeast and terminated in Wichita. It formally extended to US-54 and US-400, then in March 2001, the eastern terminus was tuncated to I-235 in March 2001.

Route description
K-42 in southern Kingman County as it crosses the Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad.

K-42 begins at US-281 in Sawyer and travels east, and after four miles (6.4 km) crosses Sand Creek. Past the creek it coninues for three miles (4.8 km), then turns south at Southeast 100th Avenue (RS-39). The highway continues south for two miles (3.2 km), then back east and begins to parallel Pratt–Barber county line, north of Isabel. It continues along the county line for five miles (8.0 km), then enters Kingman County. About two miles (3.2 km) past the county line, the highway turns south at Saint Leo Road (RS-339). From here it continues south to Nashville, where it turns east again. Past Nashville, it continues east for about eight miles (13 km) and reaches Zenda. Past Zenda, K-42 crosses the Kansas and Oklahoma Railway, and begins to parallel it as they both cross the Chikaskia River together. Roughly 1.5 miles (2.4 km) past the river, the highway enters Spivey. In Spivey, K-42 turns north at, then curves back east as it exits the city. It continues east for roughly four miles (6.4 km), crosses the Kansas and Oklahoma Railway again, then intersects K-14 in Rago.[3]

Past K-14, K-42 crosses Copper Creek, then Duck Creek two miles (3.2 km) later. Past Duck Creek, the highway continues east and passes through Adams, where it crosses Deer Creek. From Adams, K-42 continues another 6.2 miles (10.0 km), crossing Big Spring Creek and Clearwater Creek along the way, before entering Norwich. About two miles (3.2 km) past Norwich, the roadway enters into Sumner County. Just after crossing the county line, it intersects the eastern terminus of K-2. Past K-2, the highway runs through Suppesville, then curves to the northeast, and enters into Sedgwick County. About two miles (3.2 km) into the county, K-42 intersects the northern terminus of K-49 in Viola. From K-49, the highway continues northeast and after two miles (3.2 km) crosses the Ninnescah River. It continues northeastward past the creek, then passes through Clonmel. Roughly 4.5 miles (7.2 km) past Clonmel, it changes from two-lane to four-lane as it enters Wichita. It continues through Wichita, along the south side of the airport, before reaching its eastern terminus at a partial cloverleaf interchange with I-235 at exit 5. Past I-235 the roadway continues as West Southwest Boulevard.[4]

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 250 vehicles near the western terminus to 18,600 vehicles just befored the eastern terminus.[5][6] K-42 is not included in the National Highway System,[7] a system of highways important to the nation's defense, economy, and mobility.[8] K-42 does connect to the National Highway System at its junction with I-235 in Wichita.[7] All but .578 miles (1 km) of K-42's alignment is maintained by KDOT. The entire section of K-42 within Wichita is maintained by the city.[9]

History

K-42 was first designated as a state highway in 1927. At that time it extended from K-8 east of Coats, east through Sawyer and Nashville, to K-14 in Rago. It then continued east through Milton and Conway Springs before intersecting US-81 west of Belle Plaine.[2] By 1931, K-42 was realigned to turn north, north of Milton. It then turned east and continued through Viola to Clearwater. From Clearwater, it zig-zagged northeastward to Wichita. The old alignment between north of Milton and US-81 became locally maintained. Also by 1931, K-8 was realigned to the east to go through Sawyer instead of Coats, and at that time K-42's western terminus was truncated to the new alignment in Sawyer.[10] Between July 1938 and 1940, K-8 was renumbered to US-281.[11][12]

In a March 21, 1939 resolution, K-42 was realigned between Viola and Wichita. This realignment replaced a substandard section of highway, eliminated seven sharp curves, and bypassed Clearwater.[13] In a January 28, 1949 resolution, K-42 was realigned from southwest of Viola, to Viola. The realignment eliminated two sharp curves.[14] In a December 21, 1994 resolution, the overlap with K-2 was eliminated, as K-2 was truncated to its current northern terminus.[15] Before 2001, K-42 continued past I-235 and terminated at US-54 and US-400. The route was truncated to its current eastern terminus at I-235 in March 2001.[16]

Major intersections
CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
PrattSawyer0.0000.000 US-281 (Main Street) – Medicine Lodge, PrattWestern terminus; road continues as Broadway Street
KingmanRago32.75952.721 K-14 – Kingman, Anthony
SumnerEden Township48.91178.715 K-2 south – Anthony, HarperNorthern terminus of K-2
SedgwickViola Township57.49492.528 K-49 south (Grice Street) – Conway Springs, ViolaNorthern terminus of K-49
Wichita75.061120.799 I-235Eastern terminus; I-235 exit 5; former US-81 Byp.; partial cloverleaf interchange
Southwest Boulevard northeastContinuation past I-235; former K-2/K-42
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References
  1. Staff (2016). "Pavement Management Information System". Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  2. Rand McNally and Company (1927). "Kansas" (Map). Rand McNally Auto Road Atlas of the United States and Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritime Provinces of Canada, with a Brief Description of the National Parks and Monuments. 1:1,600,000. Chicago: Rand McNally and Company. pp. 54–55. OCLC 2078375 – via Rumsey Collection.
  3. Microsoft; Nokia (April 16, 2020). "overview map of K-42 from US-281 to K-14" (Map). Bing Maps. Microsoft. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  4. Microsoft; Nokia (April 16, 2020). "overview map of K-42 from K-14 to I-235" (Map). Bing Maps. Microsoft. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  5. Bureau of Transportation Planning (2018). Traffic Flow Map Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). [c. 1:1,584,000]. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  6. Bureau of Transportation Planning (2018). Traffic Flow Inset Map Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). [c. 1:1,584,000]. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  7. Federal Highway Administration (May 8, 2019). National Highway System: Kansas (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  8. Natzke, Stefan; Neathery, Mike; Adderly, Kevin (September 26, 2012). "What is the National Highway System?". National Highway System. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  9. Kansas Department of Transportation (July 18, 2017). "Resolution Designating City Connecting Links in State Highway System". Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  10. Rand McNally and Company (1931). "Kansas" (Map). Clason's Road Map of Kansas. 1:2,000,000. Denver: Clason Map Company. p. 87 – via Rumsey Collection.
  11. State Highway Commission of Kansas (1938). Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  12. State Highway Commission of Kansas (1940). Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  13. State Highway Commission of Kansas (March 31, 1939). "Resolution for relocation and redesignation of road in Sedgwick County". Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  14. State Highway Commission of Kansas (January 28, 1949). "Resolution for relocation and redesignation of road in Sumner and Sedgwick Counties". Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  15. State Highway Commission of Kansas (December 21, 1994). "Resolution to withdraw the K-2 designation from segments of highway in Sedgwick and Sumner Counties". Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  16. Kansas Department of Transportation (October 7, 2005). "KDOT 2001 Highway and Route Changes" (PDF). Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
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