Kansas/Highway Classification
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Methodology
We use several different metrics to evaluate the importance of every highway. These include, but are not limited to:
- Traffic counts
- Road quality for motor vehicles (e.g. number of lanes, average speeds, pavement)
- Number and quality of alternate routes available
- Whether the roads connect any populated locations of note or serve popular recreation areas
We do not copy any of the governmental ways of classifying highways (functional class, US vs state vs county route, etc.), but we do use them as guides to help with the particulars.
Significant Population Centers
Following are lists of major cities and towns both in Kansas and nearby. Population data is from the 2020 census.
In Kansas:[1]
| City | Population |
|---|---|
| Wichita | 397,547 |
| Overland Park | 197,249 |
| Kansas City | 156,609 |
| Olathe | 141,285 |
| Topeka | 126,610 |
| Lawrence | 94,928 |
| Shawnee | 67,313 |
| Lenexa | 57,417 |
| Manhattan | 54,109 |
| Salina | 46,883 |
| Hutchinson | 40,022 |
| Leavenworth | 37,351 |
| Leawood | 33,897 |
| Garden City | 28,145 |
| Dodge City | 27,793 |
Near Kansas:[2]
| City or Statistical Area | State | Classification | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Greeley | Colorado | Combined Statistical Area | 3,623,560 |
| Oklahoma City-Shawnee | Oklahoma | Combined Statistical Area | 1,498,161 |
| Tulsa-Bartlesville-Muskogee | Oklahoma | Combined Statistical Area | 1,134,141 |
| Omaha-Fremont | Nebraska-Iowa | Combined Statistical Area | 1,004,777 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines-Ames | Iowa | Combined Statistical Area | 890,362 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | Arkansas | Metropolitan Statistical Area | 546,725 |
| Kansas City | Missouri | City | 507,978 |
| Colorado Springs | Colorado | City | 479,021 |
| Lincoln | Nebraska | City | 291,138 |
| Amarillo | Texas | City | 200,378 |
| Springfield | Missouri | City | 169,170 |
| Columbia | Missouri | City | 126,044 |
| Independence | Missouri | City | 122,923 |
| Pueblo | Colorado | City | 111,871 |
| Lee's Summit | Missouri | City | 101,123 |
| Santa Fe | New Mexico | City | 87,505 |
| St. Joseph | Missouri | City | 72,477 |
| Cheyenne | Wyoming | City | 65,156 |
| Blue Springs | Missouri | City | 58,743 |
| Grand Island | Nebraska | City | 53,139 |
| Joplin | Missouri | City | 51,765 |
| Enid | Oklahoma | City | 51,292 |
Resources
KDOT Official Maps: https://www.ksdot.org/maps.asp - Includes general road maps and functional classification maps.
US NHS maps: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/nhs_maps/kansas/ - Maps on the NHS system in Kansas. Also includes maps of a few Kansan cities
US NHS Interactive Map: https://hepgis.fhwa.dot.gov/fhwagis/# - You can use this if you prefer to use an interactive map.
Proposed Guidelines
(These guidelines will be temporary. In the future, more specific guidelines will be developed for Kansas)
Motorways
The top category, highway=motorway should only be applied to roadways that are either signed Interstate highways or have ALL of the following characteristics:
- Grade separation
- Limited access via on/off ramps
- No at-grade intersections or traffic signals (although on-ramps may have traffic control devices)
- Divided carriageways
- Designed and maintained to support high speeds over long distances as part of an interconnected motorway network
Trunks
As the top non-motorway classification, highway=trunk should be applied in the following cases:
- In areas of high population density, to expressways that meet most, but not all, of the requirements for
highway=motorway, and provide connectivity between motorways and other trunk roads. These roads should also be taggedexpressway=yes. - In areas of medium to low population density, to the most important non-motorway roads that provide principal, long-haul connections between population centers of regional importance.
Classification
Motorway and Trunks
The table below classifies motorway and trunk roads in Kansas. These classifications are based on the guidelines above. (If you see this sentence, that means that the table is not yet finished.)
| Highway | Beginning/End (West/East, South/North) | Motorway Segments |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | Throughout | All |
| I 70 | Throughout | All |
| I 135 | Throughout | All |
| I 235 | Throughout | All |
| I 335 | Throughout | All |
| I 435 | Throughout | All |
| I 470 | Throughout | All |
| I 635 | Throughout | All |
| I 670 | Throughout | All |
| US 24 | US 77- KS 82
North Main St (Riley) - US 40 State Ave (Kansas City) - Missouri State Line |
I 70
Northeast Countryside Rd (Topeka) - Northwest Rochester Rd (Topeka) |
| US 36 | KS 383 - Missouri State Line | Wathena - Missouri State Line |
| US 40 | US 83
I-70 - KS 4 West 6th St (Lawrence) - US 24 State Ave (Kansas City) - Missouri State Line |
I 70 |
| US 50 | Throughout | South Broadacres Rd - near South Obee Rd (Hutchinson)
Newton - I 135 I 135 I 35 I 435 |
| US 54 | Oklahoma State Line - US 69 | Northeast 1000th Ave (Cairo) - Northeast 120 Ave (Kingman County)
near Northeast 40th Ave (Kingman County) - South 263rd St West (Sedgewick County) White Glove Motel service road - South 143rd St East (Wichita) near East 7th St (Augusta) - US 400 US 69 - East Wall St (Fort Scott) |
| US 56 | US 400 - I 135
US 77 - East Trapp St (Herington) US 59 - US 69 |
I 35 |
| US 59 | US 166
US 169 - Oak St (Williamstown) KS 4 - Missouri State Line |
I 35
I 35 - N 1100 Rd (Lawrence) |
| US 69 | US 400 - Missouri State Line | East 3rd St (Fort Scott) - Missouri State Line |
| US 73 | US 59 - I -70 | None |
| US 75 | Throughout | near Southwest Topeka Blvd (Four Corners) - Northwest 62nd St (Topeka) |
| US 77 | US 24 - Nebraska State Line | near East 7th St (Augusta) - US 400 |
| US 81 | I 135 - Nebraska State Line | I 135 - Limestone St (Minneapolis) |
| US 83 | US 54 - Nebraska State Line | None |
| US 160 | US 83
US 54 US 75 US 169 US 69 |
None |
| US 166 | US 400 - Missouri State Line | None |
| US 169 | US 166 - Missouri State Line | West 371st St (Miami County) - West 215th St (Spring Hill)
I 35 |
| US 183 | US 56
KS 96 - Nebraska State Line |
None |
| US 281 | US 36 - KS 181 | None |
| US 283 | US 54 - 117 Rd (Dodge City) | None |
| US 400 | Throughout | Northeast 1000th Ave (Cairo) - Northeast 120 Ave (Kingman County)
near Northeast 40th Ave (Kingman County) - South 263rd St West (Sedgewick County) White Glove Motel service road (Wichita) - South 143rd St East (Wichita) near East 7th St (Augusta) - US 54 |
| KS 96 | US 183 - KS 156 (west of Great Bend)
US 50 - US 54 |
North 119th Street West - US 54 |
| KS 171 | Throughout | None |
| KS 383 | US 83 - US 36 | None |
Notes:
- The first motorway segment listed on US 54 (part of the Cannonball Stageline) has been flipped back and forth a few times. Discussion was had on #local_kansas Slack and it was concluded that this should be motorway despite only one interchange due to the length and separation of roads through bridges or closed intersections.