K-66 (Kansas highway)
Encyclopedia
K-66 is a 5-mile long state highway
in the southeastern corner of the state. Its eastern terminus is on the Missouri
state line near Galena
(where it continues as Route 66), while its western terminus is at Alternate U.S. Highway 69 and U.S. Route 400 at Riverton
. This road is noteworthy in the fact that it used to be part of the famed U.S. Route 66
. When the nearby Interstate 44
offered a more direct route between Missouri and Oklahoma, there was no need to keep the US-66 designation. Kansas then left it as K-66.
, where K-66 ends. Original US-66 through Kansas continues as a county road to the north and west of U.S. Route 69 Alternate to Baxter Springs
, and joins US-69 Alternate to the Oklahoma
state line. The 13 miles (20.9 km) of US-66 in Kansas retain much of the character of the Mother Road.
Thus the final (1985) alignment of US-66 perfectly matches present U.S. Route 69 Alternate and K-66. US-69 Alternate was formed in 1985 when US-66 was decommissioned.
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in the southeastern corner of the state. Its eastern terminus is on the Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
state line near Galena
Galena, Kansas
Galena is a city in Cherokee County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,085.-History:The city was named after the lead ore galena found here in 1877. The city was originally platted by the Galena Mining and Smelting Company and was to be known as Cornwall...
(where it continues as Route 66), while its western terminus is at Alternate U.S. Highway 69 and U.S. Route 400 at Riverton
Riverton, Kansas
Riverton is a small unincorporated community at the junction of K-66 and U.S. Route 69 Alternate and U.S. Route 400 in Cherokee County, Kansas, United States. It is located near the Spring River and has a population of 600. It is one of only three towns in Kansas on U.S...
. This road is noteworthy in the fact that it used to be part of the famed U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
. When the nearby Interstate 44
Interstate 44
Interstate 44 is a major highway in the central United States. Its western terminus is in Wichita Falls, Texas at a concurrency with US 277, US 281 and US 287; its eastern terminus is at the Illinois state line on the Poplar Street Bridge over the Mississippi River in St...
offered a more direct route between Missouri and Oklahoma, there was no need to keep the US-66 designation. Kansas then left it as K-66.
History
The easternmost section of K-66 was not US-66 until 1979. Prior to 1979, US-66 came in from Missouri as Front Street and turned south on Main Street before joining K-66. US-66 then followed K-66 to RivertonRiverton, Kansas
Riverton is a small unincorporated community at the junction of K-66 and U.S. Route 69 Alternate and U.S. Route 400 in Cherokee County, Kansas, United States. It is located near the Spring River and has a population of 600. It is one of only three towns in Kansas on U.S...
, where K-66 ends. Original US-66 through Kansas continues as a county road to the north and west of U.S. Route 69 Alternate to Baxter Springs
Baxter Springs, Kansas
Baxter Springs is a town situated along the Spring River in the extreme southeastern part of Cherokee County, located in southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 4,238...
, and joins US-69 Alternate to the Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
state line. The 13 miles (20.9 km) of US-66 in Kansas retain much of the character of the Mother Road.
Thus the final (1985) alignment of US-66 perfectly matches present U.S. Route 69 Alternate and K-66. US-69 Alternate was formed in 1985 when US-66 was decommissioned.