K-49 (Kansas highway)
K-49 is a 35.354-mile-long (56.897 km) north–south state highway in the U.S. state of Kansas. K-49 begins at U.S. Highway 81 (US-81) in Caldwell, and runs north to K-42 in Viola. Along the way, K-49 has a brief overlap with US-160 south of Conway Springs. The majority of the route exists in Sumner County, with only a mile existing in Sedgwick County.
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K-49 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by KDOT | ||||
| Length | 35.354 mi[1] (56.897 km) | |||
| Existed | 1927[2]–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end |  US-81 in Caldwell | |||
 US-160 south of Conway Springs | ||||
| North end |  K-42 in Viola | |||
| Location | ||||
| Counties | Sedgwick, Sumner | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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K-49 was first designated as a state highway in 1927, and at that time it ran from US-81 in Caldwell north to K-42 in Conway Springs. Then by 1931, K-42 was realigned to a new alignment and at that time K-49 was extended north to Viola.
Route description
K-49 begins in downtown Caldwell at an intersection with US-81 and West Central Avenue, traveling north as Main Street. Leaving the city, the highway shifts east slightly with an S-shaped curve, and passes through flat farmland. It crosses the Chikaskia River west of Corbin, and shifts northeast to avoid a second crossing with the river before intersecting the eastern terminus of K-44 in a slightly wooded area, where it shifts east once again with a gentle S-shaped curve. K-49 then continues north through flat fields, where it intersects the Chisholm Trail. It continues north and has a grade crossing with a BNSF Railway line a mile south of US-160, where it shares a three-mile (4.8 km) concurrency with the U.S. Highway. After traveling west with US-160, the highway resumes its northerly course toward Conway Springs through more flat fields, and passing through the town. K-49 meets the Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad with an at-grade crossing on the northern city limit. The highway continues north, crossing Slate Creek, before arriving at the northern Sumner county border. Upon crossing into Sedgwick County, it immediately arrives at Viola, where it meets its northern terminus at K-42.[3]
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) tracks the traffic levels on its highways, and in 2019, they determined that on average the traffic varied from 1010 vehicles per day near the southern terminus to 2980 vehicles per day near the northern terminus.[4]
History
K-49 was first designated as a state highway in 1927. At that time it ran from US-81 in Caldwell north to K-42 in Conway Springs.[2] By 1931, K-42 was realigned to turn north, north of Milton, then continue through Viola to Clearwater. From Clearwater, it zig-zagged northeastward to Wichita. At this time K-49 was extended north to Viola, to meet the new alignment of K-42.[5][6] In a December 10, 1957 resolution, the overlap with US-160 was moved north one mile (1.6 km) to a new alignment.[7]
Major junctions
| County | Location | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sumner | Caldwell | 0.000 | 0.000 | US-81 – Enid Oklahoma, South Haven | Southern terminus; highway continues as US-81 south (Main Street south) |
| Chikaskia Township | 8.914 | 14.346 |  K-44 west – Anthony | Eastern terminus of K-44 | |
| Ryan–Osborn township line | 17.318 | 27.871 | US-160 east – Wellington | Southern end of US-160 concurrency | |
| Ryan Township | 20.251 | 32.591 | US-160 west – Medicine Lodge, Argonia | Northern end of US-160 concurrency | |
| Sedgwick | Viola | 35.354 | 56.897 | K-42 – Norwich, Wichita | Northern terminus; former K-2; road continues north as 263rd Street West |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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See also
Kansas portal
U.S. Roads portal
References
- Kansas Department of Transportation (2014). "2014 Condition Survey Report". Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
- 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.
- Kansas Department of Transportation (2015). There's No Place Like Kansas: Official State Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
- Bureau of Transportation Planning (2020). Traffic Flow Map Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). [c. 1:1,584,000]. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- 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.
- State Highway Commission of Kansas (1932). Kansas State Highway System: Showing Route Numbers and Construction Progress (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
- State Highway Commission of Kansas (December 10, 1957). "Resolution for Relocation and Redesignation of Road in Sumner County". Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Retrieved April 17, 2020.