Kansas/Highway Classification

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This is a proposal for standardized road classifications in Kansas as part of a larger discussion about classification standards nationwide (United States/Highway classification). You're free to add on and edit the contents of this page.

Methodology

We use several different metrics to evaluate the importance of every highway. These include, but are not limited to:

  • Traffic counts
  • Road quality for motor vehicles (e.g. number of lanes, average speeds, pavement)
  • Number and quality of alternate routes available
  • Whether the roads connect any populated locations of note or serve popular recreation areas

We do not copy any of the governmental ways of classifying highways (functional class, US vs state vs county route, etc.), but we do use them as guides to help with the particulars.

Significant Population Centers

Following are lists of major cities and towns both in Kansas and nearby. Population data is from the 2020 census.

In Kansas:[1]

City Population
Wichita 397,547
Overland Park 197,249
Kansas City 156,609
Olathe 141,285
Topeka 126,610
Lawrence 94,928
Shawnee 67,313
Lenexa 57,417
Manhattan 54,109
Salina 46,883
Hutchinson 40,022
Leavenworth 37,351
Leawood 33,897
Garden City 28,145
Dodge City 27,793

Near Kansas:[2]

City or Statistical Area State Classification Population
Denver-Aurora-Greeley Colorado Combined Statistical Area 3,623,560
Oklahoma City-Shawnee Oklahoma Combined Statistical Area 1,498,161
Tulsa-Bartlesville-Muskogee Oklahoma Combined Statistical Area 1,134,141
Omaha-Fremont Nebraska-Iowa Combined Statistical Area 1,004,777
Des Moines-West Des Moines-Ames Iowa Combined Statistical Area 890,362
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers Arkansas Metropolitan Statistical Area 546,725
Kansas City Missouri City 507,978
Colorado Springs Colorado City 479,021
Lincoln Nebraska City 291,138
Amarillo Texas City 200,378
Springfield Missouri City 169,170
Columbia Missouri City 126,044
Independence Missouri City 122,923
Pueblo Colorado City 111,871
Lee's Summit Missouri City 101,123
Santa Fe New Mexico City 87,505
St. Joseph Missouri City 72,477
Cheyenne Wyoming City 65,156
Blue Springs Missouri City 58,743
Grand Island Nebraska City 53,139
Joplin Missouri City 51,765
Enid Oklahoma City 51,292

Resources

KDOT Official Maps: https://www.ksdot.org/maps.asp - Includes general road maps and functional classification maps.

US NHS maps: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/nhs_maps/kansas/ - Maps on the NHS system in Kansas. Also includes maps of a few Kansan cities

US NHS Interactive Map: https://hepgis.fhwa.dot.gov/fhwagis/# - You can use this if you prefer to use an interactive map.

Proposed Guidelines

(These guidelines will be temporary. In the future, more specific guidelines will be developed for Kansas)

Motorways

The top category, highway=motorway should only be applied to roadways that are either signed Interstate highways or have ALL of the following characteristics:

  • Grade separation
  • Limited access via on/off ramps
  • No at-grade intersections or traffic signals (although on-ramps may have traffic control devices)
  • Divided carriageways
  • Designed and maintained to support high speeds over long distances as part of an interconnected motorway network

Trunks

As the top non-motorway classification, highway=trunk should be applied in the following cases:

  • In areas of high population density, to expressways that meet most, but not all, of the requirements for highway=motorway, and provide connectivity between motorways and other trunk roads. These roads should also be tagged expressway=yes.
  • In areas of medium to low population density, to the most important non-motorway roads that provide principal, long-haul connections between population centers of regional importance.

Classification

Motorway and Trunks

The table below classifies motorway and trunk roads in Kansas. These classifications are based on the guidelines above. (If you see this sentence, that means that the table is not yet finished.)

Highway Beginning/End (West/East, South/North) Motorway Segments
I 35 Throughout All
I 70 Throughout All
I 135 Throughout All
I 235 Throughout All
I 335 Throughout All
I 435 Throughout All
I 470 Throughout All
I 635 Throughout All
I 670 Throughout All
US 24 US 77- KS 82

North Main St (Riley) - US 40

State Ave (Kansas City) - Missouri State Line

I 70

Northeast Countryside Rd (Topeka) - Northwest Rochester Rd (Topeka)

US 36 KS 383 - Missouri State Line Wathena - Missouri State Line
US 40 US 83

I-70 - KS 4 West 6th St (Lawrence) - US 24

State Ave (Kansas City) - Missouri State Line

I 70
US 50 Throughout South Broadacres Rd - near South Obee Rd (Hutchinson)

Newton - I 135

I 135

I 35

I 435

US 54 Oklahoma State Line - US 69 Northeast 1000th Ave (Cairo) - Northeast 120 Ave (Kingman County)

near Northeast 40th Ave (Kingman County) - South 263rd St West (Sedgewick County)

White Glove Motel service road - South 143rd St East (Wichita)

near East 7th St (Augusta) - US 400

US 69 - East Wall St (Fort Scott)

US 56 US 400 - I 135

US 77 - East Trapp St (Herington)

US 59 - US 69

I 35
US 59 US 166

US 169 - Oak St (Williamstown)

KS 4 - Missouri State Line

I 35

I 35 - N 1100 Rd (Lawrence)

US 69 US 400 - Missouri State Line East 3rd St (Fort Scott) - Missouri State Line
US 73 US 59 - I -70 None
US 75 Throughout near Southwest Topeka Blvd (Four Corners) - Northwest 62nd St (Topeka)
US 77 US 24 - Nebraska State Line near East 7th St (Augusta) - US 400
US 81 I 135 - Nebraska State Line I 135 - Limestone St (Minneapolis)
US 83 US 54 - Nebraska State Line None
US 160 US 83

US 54 US 75 US 169 US 69

None
US 166 US 400 - Missouri State Line None
US 169 US 166 - Missouri State Line West 371st St (Miami County) - West 215th St (Spring Hill)

I 35

US 183 US 56

KS 96 - Nebraska State Line

None
US 281 US 36 - KS 181 None
US 283 US 54 - 117 Rd (Dodge City) None
US 400 Throughout Northeast 1000th Ave (Cairo) - Northeast 120 Ave (Kingman County)

near Northeast 40th Ave (Kingman County) - South 263rd St West (Sedgewick County)

White Glove Motel service road (Wichita) - South 143rd St East (Wichita)

near East 7th St (Augusta) - US 54

KS 96 US 183 - KS 156 (west of Great Bend)

US 50 - US 54

North 119th Street West - US 54
KS 171 Throughout None
KS 383 US 83 - US 36 None

Notes:

  1. The first motorway segment listed on US 54 (part of the Cannonball Stageline) has been flipped back and forth a few times. Discussion was had on #local_kansas Slack and it was concluded that this should be motorway despite only one interchange due to the length and separation of roads through bridges or closed intersections.