K-126 (Kansas highway)

K-126 is a 26.918-mile-long (43.320 km) mostly east–west state highway located entirely within Crawford County in southeastern Kansas. Its western terminus is at U.S. Route 400 (US-400) just south of McCune, and its eastern terminus is the Missouri state line where it continues as Route 126. Along the way the highway passes through the city of McCune and also the city of Pittsburg, where it intersects US-69 and US-160.

K-126 marker

K-126

K-126 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by KDOT and the city of Pittsburg
Length26.918 mi[1] (43.320 km)
ExistedSeptember 30, 1943[2]–present
Major junctions
West end US-400 south of McCune
Major intersections US-69 / US-160 in Pittsburg
East end Route 126 at Missouri state line
Location
CountryUnited States
StateKansas
CountiesCrawford
Highway system
  • Kansas State Highway System
← K-124→ K-127

On October 11, 1940, the section from Pittsburg east to the Missouri state line was designated as K-104. On September 30, 1943, US-160 was realigned to follow K-126's current route from US-400 to Pittsburg, K-104 was moved to a highway from K-7 east to US-69, and the highway from Pittsburg east to the Missouri line was designated as K-126. Then in 1958, US-160 was realigned to go directly east from south of McCune to US-69 and at that time K-126 was extended along the old US-160 through McCune to end at the new US-160 (modern US-400).

Route description

K-126 begins at an intersection with US-400 and heads northward; south of this intersection, the roadway continues as Northwest 100th Street. The highway passes the small city of McCune on its eastern limit, then meanders slightly to the northwest before turning north again. It continues in this direction for about two miles (3.2 km) and then curves due east. Afterward, K-126 crosses Lightning Creek and continues east through mostly open farmlands and pastures toward Pittsburg. Approximately five miles (8.0 km) east of Lightning Creek, the route intersects K-7, then crosses the BNSF Railway.[3][4]

K-126 just east of the US-69/US-160 junction in Pittsburg

K-126 continues east past the railway through flat, open plains. It then enters a lightly wooded area scattered with several small ponds and crosses Second Cow Creek en route to Pittsburg. Just inside the city limits of Pittsburg, K-126 crosses First Cow Creek. East of the creek is a four-lane highway that carries the US-69 and US-160 designations. K-126 intersects this road, then continues eastward into the city; the route is known as 4th Street inside the city limits. It serves a residential area in the western section of the city, then passes a library and enters the downtown section. Here, it meets U.S. Route 69 Business (Broadway Street), then continues farther east.[4]

After leaving the downtown section of Pittsburg, K-126 passes over a railroad that serves both the South Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad and the Kansas City Southern Railway.[3] The road runs south of a city park, then heads through another residential neighborhood. After passing Pittsburg High School, K-126 exits Pittsburg and crosses East Cow Creek. East of the city, K-126 travels through a hilly, lightly wooded area for about three miles (4.8 km) before it bends to the southeast and terminates at the Missouri state line. The road continues eastward into Missouri as Missouri Route 126 toward Golden City.[4]

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) tracks the traffic levels on its highways, and in 2017, they determined that on average the traffic varied from 645 vehicles per day slightly south of McCune to 5360 vehicles per day slightly east of the US-69 Business junction. The second highest was 5190 vehicles per day slightly west of the US-69/US-160 junction.[5][6] K-126 is not included in the National Highway System.[7] The National Highway System is a system of highways important to the nation's defense, economy, and mobility. K-126 does connect to the National Highway System at its junction with US-69 and US-160.[8] All but 3.004 miles (5 km) of K-126's alignment is maintained by KDOT. The entire section within Pittsburg is maintained by the city.[9]

History

Early roads

Before state highways were numbered in Kansas there were Auto trails, which were an informal network of marked routes that existed in the United States and Canada in the early part of the 20th century. The former Jefferson Highway and Kansas City–Fort Scott–Miami–Tulsa Short Line cross K-148 near the location of the K-7 intersection. The highway crosses the former Ozark Trails in Pittsburg.[10]

Establishment and realignments

In an October 11, 1940 resolution, the section from Pittsburg east to the Missouri state line was designated as K-104.[11] In a September 17, 1942 meeting, it was approved to realign US-160 from south of McCune directly east to US-69 and then north through Pittsburg along US-69 and to extend K-104 west from Pittsburg along the old US-160.[2] But then in a September 30, 1943 resolution, that plan was cancelled due to restrictions imposed on the State Highway Commission caused by World War II.[2] Also in that resolution US-160 was reinstated north through McCune then east to Pittsburg, K-103 was reinstated from McCune east to K-7 then south along K-7 then east through Weir to US-69, K-104 was established from K-7 along the Cherokee-Crawford county line to US-69 and K-104 from US-69 in Pittsburg east to the Missouri line was designated as K-126.[2][12] In a December 15, 1953 resolution, K-126 was realigned near the Missouri state line to eliminate two sharp curves.[13] In a November 23, 1955 resolution, was extended slightly west to meet a new alignment of US-69 and US-160.[14] Then in 1958, US-160 was finally realigned east along K-103 from south of McCune to K-7 then continued east along K-104 to US-69 and at that time K-126 was extended along the old US-160 through McCune to end at the new US-160 south of McCune.[15] In a December 1, 1994 resolution, K-126's western terminus was co-designated as US-400 when US-400 was created.[16] This overlap lasted roughly four years then in a December 3, 1998 resolution, US-160 was realigned onto K-96 from Oswego eastward.[17] Until 2003, K-57 originally overlapped US-69 through Pittsburg then in a May 14, 2003 resolution, K-57 was truncated to US-169 in Colony and the overlap was eliminated.[18]

Major intersections

The entire route is in Crawford County.

Locationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
Osage Township0.0000.000 US-400 – Pittsburg, ParsonsWestern terminus
Sheridan Township15.06324.242 K-7 (150th Street) – Girard, Cherokee
Pittsburg21.06033.893 US-160 / US-69 – Fort Scott, Columbus
22.10335.571
 US 69 Bus. (Broadway Street) – Fort Scott, Columbus
Baker Township26.91843.320
 Route 126 east		Continuation into Missouri
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References
  1. Kansas Department of Transportation (2013). "2013 Condition Survey Report for District 4" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
  2. State Highway Commission of Kansas (September 30, 1943). "Resolution for Relocation and Redesignation of Road in Cherokee and Crawford Counties". Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Archived from the original on December 23, 2017. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  3. Kansas Railroad Map 2013 (PDF) (Map). Kansas Department of Transportation. March 18, 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 15, 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
  4. Google (January 30, 2014). "K-126 (Kansas highway)" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
  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. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 5, 2020. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  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. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 31, 2019. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  7. Federal Highway Administration (May 8, 2019). National Highway System: Kansas (PDF) (Map). [c. 1:3,900,000]. Federal Highway Administration. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  8. Natzke, Stefan; Neathery, Mike; Adderly, Kevin (September 26, 2012). "What is the National Highway System?". National Highway System. Federal Highway Administration. Archived from the original on July 4, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  9. Kansas Department of Transportation (July 1, 1986). "Resolution Designating City Connecting Links in State Highway System". Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  10. Rand McNally and Company (1924). "Kansas" (Map). AutoTrails Map, Southern Nebraska, Eastern Colorado, Kansas, Northeastern New Mexico, Northern Oklahoma. 1:1,600,000. Chicago: Rand McNally and Company. OCLC 2078375. Retrieved June 15, 2020 – via Rumsey Collection.
  11. State Highway Commission of Kansas (October 11, 1940). "Resolution establishing the road from 4th Street in Pittsburg east to State line in Crawford County as a part of the State Highway System". Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Archived from the original on December 23, 2017. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  12. State Highway Commission of Kansas (September 30, 1943). "Designation of U.S. Highway 160". Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  13. State Highway Commission of Kansas (December 15, 1953). "Resolution for relocation and redesignation of road in Crawford County". Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Archived from the original on August 2, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  14. State Highway Commission of Kansas (November 23, 1955). "Resolution for relocation and redesignation of road in Crawford County". Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Archived from the original on August 2, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  15. State Highway Commission of Kansas (July 17, 1958). "Resolution for Relocation and Redesignation of Road in Cherokee and Crawford Counties". Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Archived from the original on December 23, 2017. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  16. Kansas Department of Transportation (December 1, 1994). "State Highway resolution to establish Highway US-400 in thirteen counties in Kansas". Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on July 14, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  17. Kansas Department of Transportation (December 3, 1998). "Rural Resolution to redesignate K-96 to US-160 and remove US-160 from US-400 in Cherokee County". Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on July 29, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  18. Kansas Department of Transportation (May 14, 2004). "Rural Resolution to withdraw and redesignate segments of K-57". Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on July 13, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
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