K-177 (Kansas highway)
Encyclopedia
K-177 is a state highway in central Kansas. It runs from US-54 near El Dorado
to Manhattan
, passing through the Flint Hills
. It is part of the Flint Hills Scenic Byway and the Prairie Parkway.
. It then approaches the Kansas Turnpike
and runs parallel to it before having a junction with it (exit 92). It then passes through Matfield Green
and Bazaar
before reaching Cottonwood Falls
, Strong City
, and US-50.
Flint Hills Scenic Byway is a portion of K-177 located in the Flint Hills
region of the state, stretching from Interstate 35 at Cassoday
in the south to US-56 at Council Grove
in the north. Along the byway there are rolling hills and some of the only tallgrass prairie
left in North America
. It is a National Scenic Byway
.
North of Strong City, K-177 passes through the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
. In Council Grove
, it meets US-56. It has a brief concurrency
with K-4
near Alta Vista
before having an interchange (exit 313) with Interstate 70. Nine miles north of I-70, it ends at US-24 in Manhattan.
From I-70 to US-24, K-177 is named the Coach Bill Snyder
Highway, in honor of the long-time Kansas State University
football coach who transformed the Wildcats from the worst team in major college football into consistent winners.
K-177 is two lanes from US-54 to I-70 and a four-lane expressway from I-70 to US-24.
El Dorado, Kansas
El Dorado is a city situated along the Walnut River in the central part of Butler County, located in south-central Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 13,021. It is the county seat and most populous city of Butler County...
to Manhattan
Manhattan, Kansas
Manhattan is a city located in the northeastern part of the state of Kansas in the United States, at the junction of the Kansas River and Big Blue River. It is the county seat of Riley County and the city extends into Pottawatomie County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 52,281...
, passing through the Flint Hills
Flint Hills
The Flint Hills, historically known as Bluestem Pastures or Blue Stem Hills, are a band of hills in eastern Kansas stretching into north-central Oklahoma, extending from Marshall County, Kansas and Washington County, Kansas in the north to Cowley County, Kansas and Osage County, Oklahoma in the south...
. It is part of the Flint Hills Scenic Byway and the Prairie Parkway.
Route description
From its beginnings east of El Dorado, K-177 heads northward to provide access to El Dorado LakeEl Dorado Lake
El Dorado Lake is a reservoir in Butler County, Kansas, northeast of El Dorado.El Dorado Reservoir was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and was completed in June 1981. The lake consists of approximately of water, of park lands and of wildlife area. Management of the reservoir...
. It then approaches the Kansas Turnpike
Kansas Turnpike
The Kansas Turnpike is a freeway-standard toll road that lies entirely within the U.S. state of Kansas. It runs in a general southwest-northeast direction from the Oklahoma border, and passes through several major Kansas cities, including Wichita, Topeka, Lawrence and Kansas City...
and runs parallel to it before having a junction with it (exit 92). It then passes through Matfield Green
Matfield Green, Kansas
Matfield Green is a city in Chase County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 47.-Geography:Matfield Green is located at ., in the scenic Flint Hills of the Great Plains...
and Bazaar
Bazaar, Kansas
Bazaar is an unincorporated community in Chase County, Kansas, United States. The community is part of the Emporia Micropolitan Statistical Area. It is notable for being near the place of the 1931 Trans World Airlines Flight 599 crash that killed University of Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne...
before reaching Cottonwood Falls
Cottonwood Falls, Kansas
Cottonwood Falls is the largest city and county seat of Chase County, Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 903.-History:-19th century:...
, Strong City
Strong City, Kansas
Strong City is a city in Chase County, Kansas, United States. It is named after William Barstow Strong, former president of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 485.-19th century:...
, and US-50.
Flint Hills
The Flint Hills, historically known as Bluestem Pastures or Blue Stem Hills, are a band of hills in eastern Kansas stretching into north-central Oklahoma, extending from Marshall County, Kansas and Washington County, Kansas in the north to Cowley County, Kansas and Osage County, Oklahoma in the south...
region of the state, stretching from Interstate 35 at Cassoday
Cassoday, Kansas
Cassoday is a city in Butler County, Kansas, United States. It is known as the "Prairie Chicken Capital of the World." As of the 2010 census, the city population was 129.-Geography:Cassoday is located at , in the scenic Flint Hills...
in the south to US-56 at Council Grove
Council Grove, Kansas
Council Grove is a city in Morris County, Kansas, United States. It was named after an agreement between European Americans and the Osage Nation about allowing settlers' wagon trains to pass through the area and proceed to the West. Pioneers gathered at a grove of trees so that wagons could band...
in the north. Along the byway there are rolling hills and some of the only tallgrass prairie
Tallgrass prairie
The tallgrass prairie is an ecosystem native to central North America, with fire as its primary periodic disturbance. In the past, tallgrass prairies covered a large portion of the American Midwest, just east of the Great Plains, and portions of the Canadian Prairies. They flourished in areas with...
left in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. It is a National Scenic Byway
National Scenic Byway
A National Scenic Byway is a road recognized by the United States Department of Transportation for its archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and/or scenic qualities. The program was established by Congress in 1991 to preserve and protect the nation's scenic but often...
.
North of Strong City, K-177 passes through the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is a United States National Preserve located in the Flint Hills region of Kansas, north of Strong City. The preserve protects a nationally significant example of the once vast tallgrass prairie ecosystem...
. In Council Grove
Council Grove, Kansas
Council Grove is a city in Morris County, Kansas, United States. It was named after an agreement between European Americans and the Osage Nation about allowing settlers' wagon trains to pass through the area and proceed to the West. Pioneers gathered at a grove of trees so that wagons could band...
, it meets US-56. It has a brief concurrency
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with K-4
K-4 (Kansas highway)
K-4 is the longest designated state highway in Kansas traversing from north of Scott City at US-83 to US-59 near Nortonville in northeast Kansas. A segment of the highway in McPherson County overlaps Interstate 135, and a section in Topeka runs concurrent with Interstate 70.-Western Kansas:K-4...
near Alta Vista
Alta Vista, Kansas
Alta Vista is a city in Wabaunsee County, Kansas, United States. The population was 442 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Topeka, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
before having an interchange (exit 313) with Interstate 70. Nine miles north of I-70, it ends at US-24 in Manhattan.
From I-70 to US-24, K-177 is named the Coach Bill Snyder
Bill Snyder
Bill Snyder is the head football coach at Kansas State University. He was rehired to the position on November 24, 2008, making Snyder one of the rare college football head coaches to have non-consecutive tenure at the same school. Snyder previously served as head coach at the school from 1989 to...
Highway, in honor of the long-time Kansas State University
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
football coach who transformed the Wildcats from the worst team in major college football into consistent winners.
K-177 is two lanes from US-54 to I-70 and a four-lane expressway from I-70 to US-24.