K-20 (Kansas highway)

K-20 is a 37.21-mile-long (59.88 km) west–east state highway in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Kansas. It connects U.S. Route 75 (US-75) in the Kickapoo Nation Indian Reservation with K-7 southwest of Troy. Along the way, K-20 intersects several major highways, including U.S. Route 159 in Horton, and overlaps U.S. Route 73 from Horton to south of Everest. Northeast of Denton, the highway intersects K-120, which travels north to Severance and Highland. K-20 travels through mostly rural farmlands and is a two-lane highway its entire length.

K-20 marker

K-20

K-20 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by KDOT and the city of Horton
Length37.210 mi[1]: 35–38  (59.884 km)
Existedc. 1928[2][3]–present
Major junctions
West end US-75 in the Kickapoo Nation Indian Reservation
Major intersections
East end K-7 southwest of Troy
Location
CountryUnited States
StateKansas
CountiesBrown, Doniphan
Highway system
  • Kansas State Highway System
← K-19→ K-21

Before state highways were numbered in Kansas, there were auto trails. K-20 overlaps the former Capitol Route near Horton. From Horton to south of Everest, the highway overlaps the former George Washington National Highway and King of Trails. The section from K-120 to Bendena overlaps the former Pikes Peak Ocean to Ocean Highway. K-20 was established by 1928, and at that time ran from US-73E south of Everest east to K-16 south of Troy. On July 11, 1956, it was approved to extend K-20 from US-73 west to US-75 as soon as the county had improved the roadway. Then by August 1956, the county had finished the required projects and it was officially extended.

Route description

K-20's western terminus is at US-75 north of Holton on the border of the Kickapoo Indian Reservation. The highway proceeds east through mostly open pastures with some small forested areas to a crossing over the Delaware River. K-20 then passes through a group of houses and reaches Goldfinch Road at the Kickapoo Tribal Center. The roadway continues east through rural grasslands and soon reaches an intersection with Hazelnut Drive, which marks the eastern border of the reservation. The highway soon intersects Horned Owl Road, which travels north to Mercier, before reaching a crossing over Grasshopper Creek.[4][5]

The highway continues a short distance before entering Horton as 15th Street. Within the city, K-20 intersects and begins to overlap with US-73 and US-159. The three highways continue for approximately 420 feet (130 m) where US-159 turns south, as K-20 and K-73 continue east. The two highways then pass Municipal Reservoir and cross Mission Creek, as the highway exits the city.[6] The two routes proceed east through open farmlands to a point where K-20 turns north toward Everest as US-73 continues east. K-20 continues north for a short distance before entering Everest as 5th Street. The highway proceeds through the city to Main Street, where it turns east and crosses a Union Pacific Railway track. The highway then exits the city and curves north at Racoon Road.[7] The roadway curves back east and proceeds through open farmland before entering into Doniphan County.[4][5]

Just past the county line, the highway intersects K-137 which travels south to Purcell. K-20 continues east to Black Jack Road, where it shifts 0.5 miles (0.80 km) south, before curving back east. It proceeds through rural farmlands to Coronado Road and 115th Street where it curves north. The highway continues north through flat rural farmland with scattered areas of trees to a crossing over the North Branch Independence River. K-20 continues north, passing along the east border of Denton before curving east at 160th Road. The roadway continues east to a junction with K-120, which travels north to Severance. K-20 passes by Doniphan West Elementary School and continues east to Bendena. The highway continues through rural farmland for a short distance before reaching its eastern terminus at K-7 southwest of Troy.[8][5]

In 2018, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) determined that on average the traffic varied from 190 vehicles per day near slightly east of Purcell to 2,910 vehicles per day slightly east of Horton along the overlap with US-73.[9] K-20 is not included in the National Highway System,[10][lower-alpha 1] but does connect to it at its western terminus.[12]

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. K-20 overlaps the former Capital Route from Horned Owl Road to Horton. From Horton to south of Everest, the highway overlaps the former George Washington National Highway which ran from Savannah to Seattle,[13] and King of Trails which ran from Galveston and San Antonio north to Winnipeg.[14] The section from K-120 to Bendena overlaps the former Pikes Peak Ocean to Ocean Highway, which was formed early in 1912, and travelled from New York City to Los Angeles.[15][16]

Establishment and realignments

K-20 was established by the Kansas State Highway Commission, now known as KDOT, by 1928, and at that time ran from US-73E south of Everest east through Denton and Severance to K-16 south of Troy.[2][3] By 1934, US-73E was renumbered to US-73 and K-16 was decommissioned and became an extension of K-7.[17][18] The section between Horton and the eastern terminus was paved in 1948.[19] In a meeting on July 11, 1956, it was approved to extend K-20 from Horton west to US-75 as soon as the county had cleared brush and the ditches as well as fixing the slope of the roadway. By August 1956, the county had finished the required projects and in a meeting on August 9, 1956, it was approved and officially extended.[20]

On July 12, 1950, the section of what is now K-20 from US-73 north to the city of Everest was established as K-114.[21] The commission authorized relocations of US-73 from south of Everest to Huron and K-20 east of Everest through a resolution on August 12, 1964. Prior to this, US-73 followed Racoon Road and Douglas Road south to 326th Road, then followed 326th Road east to Huron. Additionally, K-20 ran north–south to the east of Everest along Racoon Road. At this time, K-20 was approved to be relocated to pass through Everest and assume the course of K-114.[22] By 1967, K-114 had been replaced by K-20 when the relocation of US-73 was completed.[23][24]

Major intersections
CountyLocationmi[1]: 35–38 kmDestinationsNotes
BrownPowhattan Township0.0000.000 US-75 – Holton, SabethaWestern terminus; road continues as 110th Street
Horton10.85617.471
 US-73 / US-159 north (Central Avenue) – Hiawatha		Western end of US-73/US-159 concurrency
10.93717.601
 US-159 south (1st Avenue East) – Nortonville		Eastern end of US-159 concurrency
Everest16.32926.279
 US-73 south – Atchison		Eastern end of US-73 concurrency
DoniphanUnion Township22.31035.904
 K-137 south – Purcell		Northern terminus of K-137
Union–Wolf River
township line		31.80051.177
 K-120 north – Highland		Southern terminus of K-120
Independence–Center
township line		37.21059.884 K-7 (Glacial Hills Scenic Byway) – Troy, AtchisonEastern terminus; road continues as 160th Road
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

Notes
  1. The National Highway System is a system of highways important to the nation's defense, economy, and mobility.[11]

References
  1. Kansas Department of Transportation (2016). "Dist. 1 Condition Survey Report" (PDF). Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  2. 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. Retrieved October 10, 2020 – via Rumsey Collection.
  3. The Clason Map Company (1928). "Kansas" (Map). Clason's Touring Atlas of the United States, with Road Maps of every State and Ontario and Quebec, Canada. Chicago: The Clason Map Company. p. 37.
  4. Bureau of Transportation Planning (February 2008). Brown County (PDF) (Map). [c. 1:211,200]. General Highway Map. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  5. Google (October 17, 2020). "Overview Map of K-20" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  6. Bureau of Transportation Planning (January 2007). City of Horton (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. KDOT City Maps. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  7. Bureau of Transportation Planning (May 2004). City of Everest (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. KDOT City Maps. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  8. Bureau of Transportation Planning (September 2010). Doniphan County (PDF) (Map). [c. 1:211,200]. General Highway Map. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  9. Bureau of Transportation Planning (2018). Traffic Flow Map Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). [c. 1:1,584,000]. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  10. National Highway System: Kansas (PDF) (Map). Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  11. Natzke, Stefan; Neathery, Mike; Adderly, Kevin (September 26, 2012). "What is the National Highway System?". National Highway System. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Archived from the original on July 4, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  12. Natzke, Stefan; Neathery, Mike; Adderly, Kevin (September 26, 2012). "What is the National Highway System?". National Highway System. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  13. "N. O. Monserud Reports Action at the Omaha Highways Convention". Argus-Leader. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. April 26, 1916. p. 8. Retrieved January 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "King of Trails Is an Important Road". The Ottawa Herald. June 27, 1917. p. 8. Retrieved January 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. "The Pikes Peak Ocean To Ocean Highway The Appian Way Of America". Federal Highway Administration. June 27, 2017. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  16. 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 October 17, 2020 – via Rumsey Collection.
  17. State Highway Commission of Kansas (1933). Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  18. Continental Oil Company (1934). Kansas (Map). Denver: Continental Oil Company.
  19. "New Surface on Kansas Route 20". St. Joseph News-Press. St. Joseph, Missouri. October 25, 1948. p. 4. Retrieved October 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. Kansas State Highway Commission (August 9, 1956). "Certification by State Highway Engineer for addition of road in Brown County to the State Highway System". Topeka: Kansas State Highway Commission. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  21. Kansas State Highway Commission (July 12, 1950). "Resolution to Add Road in Brown County to the State Highway System: Spur from US 73 to Everest". Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  22. Kansas State Highway Commission (August 12, 1964). "Resolution for Relocation and Redesignation of Road in Brown County and Atchison County". Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  23. Kansas State Highway Commission (1966). Official Kansas Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Topeka: Kansas State Highway Commission. §§ B11, C9. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  24. Kansas State Highway Commission (1967). Official Kansas Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Topeka: Kansas State Highway Commission. §§ B11, C9. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
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