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K-161 (Kansas highway)

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K-161 marker
K-161
Map
K-161 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by KDOT
Length17 mi[3] (27 km)
ExistedNovember 24, 1954[2]–present
Tourist
routes		Ancient Indian Traders Trail[1]
Major junctions
South end US-36 in Bird City
North end N-61 at the Nebraska state line south of Benkelman
Location
CountryUnited States
StateKansas
CountiesCheyenne
Highway system
  • Kansas State Highway System
← US-160→ K-163

K-161 is a 17-mile-long (27 km) north–south state highway located entirely within Cheyenne County in the state of Kansas. Its southern terminus is at U.S. Route 36 (US-36) in Bird City and the northern terminus is a continuation as Nebraska Highway 61 (N-61) at the Nebraska border. The road travels through rural land and is a two-lane road its entire length. The entire length of K-161 is designated as the Ancient Indian Traders Trail.

K-161 became a state highway on November 24, 1954, as Cheyenne County had brought the roadway up to state highway standards. The route has not been changed since it was established. K-161 was designated as the Ancient Indian Traders Trail in 2014.

Route description

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K-161's southern terminus is at US-36 in the northwest part of Bird City. The highway continues north for 182 feet (55 m) and has and at-grade crossing with a Nebraska Kansas Colorado Railway track before exiting the city.[4] The highway continues north through flat rural farmland for roughly 6.3 miles (10.1 km) then transitions to rolling hills covered with a mix of grasslands and exposed soils. The highway continues north and after another 0.7 miles (1.1 km) intersects County Road U before crossing Wolfe Canyon. K-161 continues north for about 1.9 miles (3.1 km) then curves north-northwest and crosses Wolfe Canyon again. The highway curves back north and then after about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) veers to the north-northeast. The road transitions back to a north direction 0.2 miles (320 m) later. The roadway continues for approximately 6.2 miles (10.0 km) before intersecting County Road Dd. K-161 continues north through flat farmlands for another one mile (1.6 km) then crosses into Nebraska, where the road becomes Nebraska Highway 61 (N-61).[5][6] The entire length of K-161 is designated as the Ancient Indian Traders Trail, which was designated due to it being near the route of a trail historically used as a hunting, military, and trading route over a long period of time.[1]

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) tracks the traffic levels on its highways, and in 2019, they determined that on average the traffic varied from 550 vehicles per day near the southern terminus to 650 vehicles per day near the northern terminus.[7] The entire route is paved with partial design bituminous pavement.[3][8] K-161 is not included or connected to the National Highway System.[9][a]

History

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K-161 was first approved to become a state highway in a resolution on November 24, 1954, as soon as Cheyenne County had finished constructing the roadway to state highway standards. Cheyenne County soon finished projects to bring the road up to state highway standards and then in a resolution on February 21, 1955, it was established as a state highway.[2] In May 1955, bids were taken to pave the highway, which was previously gravelled.[11] The entire route was paved by 1956.[12] The route has not been changed since it was established.[13][14]

In 2014, State Representative Cassidy showed support to designate K-161 as the Ancient Indian Traders Trail. K-161 was designated this due to it being near the route of a trail historically used as a hunting, military, and trading route over a long period of time. The cost of making and installing the two signs would be $2,140, along with $1,070 for future maintenance was provided to KDOT.[15] The signs were unveiled at a dedication ceremony in Bird City on September 7, 2014.[16] The designation was officially approved by the Kansas legislature in 2019.[17]

Major intersections

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The entire route is in Cheyenne County.

Locationmi[3]kmDestinationsNotes
Bird City0.00.0 US-36 – Atchison, St. FrancisSouthern terminus
Bird City Township1727
 N-61 north – Benkelman		Continuation into Nebraska
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Notes

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  1. ^ The National Highway System is a system of highways important to the nation's defense, economy, and mobility.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b KDOT (2015). "Kansas Memorial Highways, Bridges and Interchanges" (PDF). Topeka: KDOT. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 15, 2019. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  2. ^ a b State Highway Commission of Kansas (February 12, 1955). "Certification by State Highway Engineer in Compliance with Resolution adopted by the Commission November 24, 1954". Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Archived from the original on September 11, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c Kansas Department of Transportation (July 19, 2012). "Pavement Management Information System". Archived from the original on March 19, 2012. Retrieved December 11, 2012. Type '161' for route number, type '3' for district number, type '12' for county number.
  4. ^ Bureau of Transportation Planning (October 2002). City of Bird City (PDF) (Map). Topeka, KS: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 5, 2020. Retrieved August 16, 2020. KDOT City Maps
  5. ^ Bureau of Transportation Planning (2008). Cheyenne County (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. General Highway Map. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 5, 2020. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  6. ^ "K-161 (Kansas highway)" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  7. ^ Bureau of Transportation Planning (2020). 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 April 16, 2021. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  8. ^ Staff (10 June 2016). "Pavement Management Information System Glossary". Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on August 13, 2021. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  9. ^ 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 12, 2019.
  10. ^ 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 September 8, 2021.
  11. ^ "Seek Bids To Resurface 165 Miles In Northwest Kansas". The Salina Journal. May 11, 1955. p. 13. Archived from the original on September 9, 2021. Retrieved September 8, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ State Highway Commission of Kansas (1956). Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Highway & Transportation Map. Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 31, 2021. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  13. ^ State Highway Commission of Kansas (1954). Cheyenne County (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. General Highway Map. Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  14. ^ Kansas Department of Transportation (2019–2020). Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Highway & Transportation Map. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 11, 2021. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  15. ^ Kansas Legislature (2014). "Supplemental Note On Substitute For House Bill No. 2424" (PDF). kslegislature.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  16. ^ Kansas Department of Transportation (September 17, 2014). "Translines EXPRESS" (PDF). Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 8, 2021. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  17. ^ Kansas Legislature (2019). "2019 Statute". kslegislature.org. Archived from the original on September 8, 2021. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
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