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{{short description|Segment of American highway}}{{highway detail hatnote|U.S. Route 50}}

factoids

|map_custom=yes|map_notes=US-50 highlighted in redKansas Department of Transportation>KDOT, and the cities of Cimarron, Kansas, Dodge City, Kansas>Dodge City and Emporia|length_mi=447.93|length_round=2|length_ref=Federal Highway Administration, National Highway Planning Network GIS data version 2005.08YEAR = 1927 TITLE = 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 SCALE = 1:1,600,000 PUBLISHER = RAND MCNALLY AND COMPANY OCLC = 2078375 ACCESS-DATE= AUGUST 24, 2020, |direction_a=Weststate=CO50400}} at Colorado state linestate=KS83}} in Garden City{{Jct|state=KS|US|400}} in Dodge City{{Jct|state=KS|US|56}} from Dodge City to Kinsley{{Jct|state=KS|US|281}} near St. John{{Jct|state=KS|I|135|US|81|K|15}} in Newton{{Jct|state=KS|I|35|KSTP}} in Emporia{{Jct|state=KS|US|59}} in Ottawa{{Jct|state=KS|US|169|K|7}} in Olathe{{Jct|state=KS|I|35|US|169|US|56|I|435}} in Lenexa{{Jct|state=KS|US|69}} in Overland Park|direction_b=Eaststate=MO43550}} at State Line Road between Leawood, Kansas and Kansas City, MissouriHamilton County, Kansas>Hamilton, Kearny County, Kansas, Finney County, Kansas>Finney, Gray County, Kansas, Ford County, Kansas>Ford, Edwards County, Kansas, Stafford County, Kansas>Stafford, Reno County, Kansas, Harvey County, Kansas>Harvey, Marion County, Kansas, Chase County, Kansas>Chase, Lyon County, Kansas, Coffey County, Kansas>Coffey, Osage County, Kansas, Franklin County, Kansas>Franklin, Miami County, Kansas, Johnson County, Kansas>Johnson|previous_type=K|previous_route=49|next_type=K|next_route=51}}U.S. Route 50 (US-50) is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching just over {{convert|3000|mi}} from Interstate 80 (I-80) in West Sacramento, California, to Maryland Route 528 (MD 528) in Ocean City, Maryland, on the Atlantic Ocean. In the U.S. state of Kansas, US-50 is a main east–west highway serving the southwestern, central and northeastern parts of the state. Kansas City is the only metropolitan area US-50 serves in the state, but the highway does serve several other larger towns in Kansas such as (from west to east) Garden City, Dodge City, Hutchinson, Newton and Emporia.US-50 was established in Kansas by 1927, and at that time split into two branch routes in Kansas. The US-50 split began in Garden City and ended slightly west of Baldwin City. In Garden City, the split began at Kansas Avenue and Main Street. US-50N continued east on Kansas Ave. and went through Jetmore, Larned, Great Bend, Lyons, McPherson and Baldwin City. US-50S ran along current US-50. The routes rejoined near what is now the intersection of US-56 and K-33. US-50N was replaced by US-156 from Garden City to Great Bend and by US-56 the rest of the way. US-156 is now known as K-156. The split was removed during the late 1950s.

Route description

US-50 enters the state running concurrently with US-400, which joins US-50 at Granada, Colorado. The first town it runs through is Coolidge. Syracuse is the first county seat (Hamilton County). In western Kansas, US-50 parallels the Arkansas River.(File:US77sRoad-US50ewRoundabountSign (36618351831).jpg|thumb|left|US-50 at its junction with US-77)(File:Route50.jpg|thumb|left|US 50 Eastbound west of Emporia)US-50 then enters Kearny County and passes through the towns of Lakin and Deerfield before entering Finney County. West of the Old US-50 and Big Lowe Road overpass in Holcomb, US-50 splits into four lanes and the speed limit increases to 70 MPH until east of the intersection with US-83. The highway then tapers back into two lanes at the 3rd Street intersection and remains so until the intersection with Bus-50 south of town. US-50 then passes through the towns of Ingalls, Cimarron, Dodge City, Kinsley, and Hutchinson before it heads to Newton. In Newton, US-50 joins I-135 for a short time before it angles northeast to Emporia, another meat-packing town as well as the home of Emporia State University. US-50 then joins I-35 and it overlaps that interstate for most of the rest of the way in Kansas.US-50, along with I-35, then passes through a place known as "BETO Junction," which is where it meets US-75, north of Burlington. The letters in the acronym stand for Burlington, Emporia, Topeka and Ottawa, which are the cities to the south, west, north and east, respectively.From there, US-50 passes through Olathe and meets I-435 in Lenexa. At this point. US-50 leaves I-35 and joins I-435 for the rest of its trip in Kansas.The entire {{convert|1.369|mi|0}} section of US-50 in Cimarron is maintained by the city.WEB, Kansas Department of Transportation, January 1, 2012,weblink Resolution Designating City Connecting Links in State Highway System, Topeka, Kansas Department of Transportation, September 7, 2020, The entire 1.662 section within Dodge City is maintained by the city. The section in Emporia from Graphic Arts Road to the east city limit is maintained by the city.

History

(File:US 50 in Kansas auto trail sign.jpg|thumb|left|Santa Fe Trail sign along US-50)US-50 was established in Kansas by 1927, and at that time split into two branch routes. Branch routes were once common along the U.S. highway system but have always been discouraged. Branch routes that remain exist mostly in Kentucky and Tennessee. The US-50 split began in Garden City and ended near Baldwin City. In Garden City, the split began at Kansas Avenue and Main Street. US-50N continued east on Kansas Ave. and went through Jetmore, Larned, Great Bend, Lyons, McPherson and Baldwin City. US-50S ran along current US-50. The routes rejoined near what is now the intersection of US-56 and K-33.WEB,weblink 1932 Kansas Highway Map, Kansas Department of Transportation, 9 October 2014, The first route considered for US-56 was via US-40 from Ellsworth to Topeka and K-4 and US-59 via Atchison to St. Joseph, Missouri.Great Bend Daily Tribune, January 6, 1955 A revised route adopted in March 1955, due to AASHO objections to the original route, which traveled concurrently with other U.S. Highways for over half of its length, followed K-14, K-18, US-24, K-63, K-16, and US-59 via Lincoln and Manhattan.Great Bend Daily Tribune, New US-55 Route Approved Here, March 20, 1955Atchison Daily Globe, March 20, 1955 In July 1955, the US-50N Association proposed a plan that would have eliminated US-50N by routing US 56 along most of its length, from Larned east to Baldwin Junction, and then along US-59 to Lawrence and K-10 to Kansas City; towns on US-50N west of Larned, which would have been bypassed, led a successful fight against this.Great Bend Daily Tribune, July 26, 1955Great Bend Daily Tribune, July 29, 1955 However, in September of that year, the Kansas Highway Commission accepted that plan, taking US-56 east to Kansas City.Great Bend Daily Tribune, Highway Boosters Here Oppose New US-55 Plan, September 16, 1955 On June 27, 1956, the AASHO Route Numbering Committee considered this refined plan for US-56, between Springer, New Mexico and Kansas City, Missouri, with a short US-156 along the remaining portion of US-50N from Larned west to Garden City.Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Chronological History Documentation: US 56 (correspondence between ODOT, AASHO, and other DOTs) The entirety of US-156 was decommissioned on April 1, 1981, and redesignated as K-156.MAP,weblink Resolution to redesignate a Highway, KDOT, August 24, 2020, WEB,weblink 1956 Kansas Highway Map, Kansas Department of Transportation, 9 October 2014, WEB,weblink 1957 Kansas Highway Map, Kansas Department of Transportation, 9 October 2014, In mid 2019, work began to convert the junction with US-281 to an enhanced roundabout. The roundabout includes outer diamond shape lanes for oversized loads to bypass the roundabout. The former intersection with US-281 was dangerous as only US-281 traffic had to stop and therefore was the location of several injury and fatal accidents.NEWS, Rose, Gale,weblink Roundabout work begins near St. John, Salina Journal, 24 August 2020, Salina, Between 2002 and 2012, there were 21 accidents, resulting in one fatality.NEWS, Rose, Gale,weblink It's roundabout time at St. John, Pratt Tribune, 24 August 2020, Pratt, On March 4, 2020, traffic was rerouted, from a four-way stop and temporary asphalt detour, onto the permanent concrete outer roads for the roundabout.WEB,weblink Traffic flow change at U.S 50/281 roundabout work zone, Kansas Department of Transportation, 4 March 2020, The roundabout was completed and opened up to traffic on May 22, 2020. Venture Corporation from Great Bend, was the primary contractor for the $5.2 million project.NEWS, Green, John,weblink US-50/281 roundabout opens in Stafford County, The Hutchinson News, 24 August 2020, Hutchinson, On July 20, 2020 work began on a project to reconstruct US-50 from Road E5 to a half mile east of Road F in Lyon County. The project will widen the highway to 4-lanes for one mile. Improvements also will be made at the Road E5 and Road F intersections. Koss Construction Company of Topeka is the primary contractor of the $7.8 million project.WEB, Kansas Department of Transportation, July 20, 2020,weblink U.S. 50 T-WORKS project in Lyon County now underway, Topeka, Kansas Department of Transportation, August 24, 2020,

Future

In May 2020, KDOT's Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Plan was announced. One project included in the statewide plan will complete the four-lane expressway between Garden City and Dodge City.WEB, Kansas Department of Transportation, May 2020,weblink Expansion Pipeline May 2020, Topeka, Kansas Department of Transportation, August 31, 2020,

Junction list

{{mileposts}}{{jcttop|exit|length_ref=}}{{KSint|exit|espan=17|county=Hamilton|cspan=3|location=Coolidge|mile=0.000state=CO50USdir2=west|city=Lamar}}|notes=Continuation into Colorado}}{{KSint|type=concur|location=Syracuse|lspan=2|mile=16.094state=KS27name1=McDow Street|city1=Tribune}}|notes=West end of concurrency with K-27}}{{KSint|type=concur|mile=16.624state=KS27name1=Main Street|city1=Johnson City}}|notes=East end of concurrency with K-27}}{{KSint|county=Kearny|location=Lakin|mile=43.965state=KS25city1=Ulysses|city2=Leoti}}}}{{KSint|county=Finney|cspan=4|location=Holcomb|mile=59.848Holcomb, Kansas>Holcomb|notes=Diamond interchange}}{{KSint|location=Garden City|lspan=3|type=concur|mile=65.848state=KS835083dab3=Garden Citydir2=eastcity1=Garden City|city2=Scott City}}|notes=Diamond interchange; west end of concurrency with US-83}}{{KSint|mile=69.618state=KS156road|Mary Street}}|notes=Pair of half-diamond interchanges with one-way ramps connecting Mary Street and K-156}}{{KSint|type=concur|mile=71.156state=KS8350dir1=southname2=Fulton Streetcity2=Liberal}}|notes=Partial cloverleaf interchange; east end of concurrency with US-83}}{{KSint|county=Gray|location=Cimarron|mile=102.427state=KS23city1=Meade|city2=Dighton}}}}{{KSint|county=Ford|cspan=3|type=concur|location=none|mile=116.681state=KS400dir1=eastcity2=Hugoton}}|notes=East end of concurrency with US-400}}{{KSint|type=concur|location=Dodge City|mile=126.349state=KS56283dir1=westdir3=westcity1=Dodge City|city2=Minneola}}|notes=West end of concurrencies with US-56 and US-283}}{{KSint|type=concur|location=Wright|mile=128.085state=KS283city1=Jetmore}}|notes=East end of concurrency with US-283}}{{KSint|county=Edwards|cspan=3|type=concur|location=Kinsley|lspan=2|mile=156.245state=KS56city1=Great Bend}}|notes=East end of concurrency with US-56}}{{KSint|mile=157.363state=KS183city1=Greensburg|city2=La Crosse}}}}{{KSint|location=Belpre|mile=175.192state=KS19name1=Larned Street|city1=Larned}}}}{{KSint|county=Stafford|location=none|mile=194.427state=KS281city2=Pratt}}}}{{KSint|county=Reno|cspan=6|type=concur|location=none|mile=232.954state=KS61name1=John Neal Memorial Highway|city1=Pratt}}|notes=Interchange; west end of concurrency with K-61}}{{KSint|exit|type=concur|location=none|mile=238.462|exit=—state=KS1496dir2=westcity1=Lyons}}|notes=Partial cloverleaf interchange; west end of expressway; west end of concurrencies with K-14 and K-96}}{{KSint|exit|type=concur|location=South Hutchinson|lspan=2|mile=239.974|exit=—state=KS1496dir2=eastMain Street northcity2=Wichita}}|notes=East end of concurrencies with K-14 and K-96}}{{KSint|exit|mile=240.957|exit=—|road=Scott Boulevard / McNew Road}}{{KSint|exit|type=concur|location=Hutchinson|mile=242.535|exit=—state=KS61name1=Ken Kennedy FreewayLorraine Street south|city1=McPherson}}|notes=East end of concurrency with K-61}}{{KSint|exit|location=none|mile=|exit=—extra=airport}} Airport Road / Yoder RoadHutchinson Municipal Airport (Kansas)>Hutchinson Municipal Airport}}{{KSint|exit|county=Harvey|cspan=8|location=none|mile=264.566state=KS89city1=Halstead}}}}{{KSint|exit|location=Newton|lspan=7|mile=271.238|exit=—|road=Meridian Road|notes=Partial cloverleaf interchange; west end of freeway}}{{KSint|exit|mile=272.514|exit=—|road=Anderson Avenue}}{{KSint|exit|type=concur|mile=273.514|exit=—state=KS15name1=Kansas Avenue|extra=hospital}}List of hospitals in Kansas>Newton Medical Center}}{{KSint|exit|type=concur|mile=274.272|exit=—state=KS135name1={{JctUSKdir2=southcity1=Wichita}}|notes=Full Y interchange; east end of concurrency with K-15; west end of concurrency with I-135/US-81; I-135 exit 30}}{{KSint|exit|mile=275.037|mile2=275.543|exit=31|road=First Street / Broadway Street|notes=Pair of half-diamond interchanges with one-way ramps connecting First Street and Broadway Street; exit number follows I-135}}{{KSint|exit|type=concur|mile=276.373|exit=—state=KS13581city1=Salina}}|notes=Eastbound exit westbound entrance; east end of concurrency with I-135/US-81; I-135 exit number 33}}{{KSint|exit|type=incomplete|mile=277.406|exit=—|road=12th Street|notes=Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; access via Old Trail Road; east end of freeway}}{{KSint|exit|espan=6|county=Marion|location=Florence|mile=302.524state=KS778th Street eastcity2=El Dorado}}|notes=Roundabout}}{{KSint|county=Chase|cspan=2|location=Elmdale|mile=320.589state=KS150city1=Marion}}|notes=Eastern terminus of K-150}}{{KSint|location=Strong City|mile=327.581state=KS177city2=Council Grove}}|notes=Partial cloverleaf interchange}}{{KSint|county=Lyon|cspan=6|location=Emporia|lspan=3|mile=345.346state=KSIIKSTPcity2=Wichita|city3=Topeka}}|notes=Roundabout with connector to I-35; I-35 Exit 127A}}{{KSint|mile=348.128state=KS99city1=Olpe|city2=Admire}}}}{{KSint|type=concur|mile=350.438state=KS35city1=Wichita}}|notes=Diamond interchange; west end of concurrency with I-35; I-35 exit 133}}{{KSint|exit|location=Jackson Township|ctdab=Lyon|lspan=3|exit=135|mile=|road=County Road R1}}{{KSint|exit|exit=138|mile=|road=County Road U}}{{KSint|exit|exit=141|mile=state=KS130city2=Hartford}}}}{{KSint|exit|county=Coffey|cspan=2|location=Lebo|exit=148|mile=state=KS131|city1=Lebo}}}}{{KSint|exit|location=Key West Township|ctdab=Coffey|exit=155|mile=state=KS75city2=Burlington}}}}{{KSint|exit|county=Osage|cspan=2|location=Melvern|lspan=2|exit=160|mile=state=KS31city1=Melvern}}|type=concurSouth|K-31}}}}{{KSint|exit|exit=162|mile=state=KS31city1=Waverly}}|type=concurNorth|K-31}}}}{{KSint|exit|county=Franklin|cspan=9|location=Williamsburg|exit=170|mile=Williamsburg, Kansas>Williamsburg, Pomona|notes=Formerly designated as K-273}}{{KSint|exit|location=Homewood Township|ctdab=Franklin|exit=176|mile=Homewood, Kansas>Homewood}}{{KSint|exit|location=Ottawa|lspan=2|exit=182|mile=|road=Eisenhower Road}}{{KSint|exit|exit=183|mile=state=KS59city1=Garnett}}|type=concurSouth|US-59}}}}{{KSint|exit|location=Harrison Township|ctdab=Franklin|exit=185|mile=|road=15th Street}}{{KSint|exit|location=Ottawa|lspan=2|exit=187|mile=state=KS68city2=Louisburg}}}}{{KSint|exit|exit=188|mile=state=KS59city1=Lawrence}}|type=concurNorth|US-59}}}}{{KSint|exit|location=Franklin Township|ctdab=Franklin|exit=193|mile=|road=Tennessee Road}}{{KSint|exit|location=Wellsville|exit=198|mile=state=KS33|city1=Wellsville}}}}{{jctco|state=KS|county=Miami}}{{KSint|exit|county=Johnson|cspan=13|location=Edgerton|exit=202|mile=Edgerton, Kansas>Edgerton}}{{KSint|exit|location=Gardner Township|ctdab=Johnson|exit=205|mile=|road=Homestead Lane|notes=Diverging diamond interchange}}{{KSint|exit|location=Gardner|lspan=2|exit=207|mile=|road=Gardner Road}}{{KSint|exit|exit=210|mile=state=KS56city1=Gardner}}|type=concurSouth|US-56}}}}{{KSint|exit|location=Olathe|lspan=5|exit=214|mile=|road=Lone Elm Road, 159th Street}}{{KSint|exit|exit=215|mile=state=KS169Kcity1=Paola}}|type=concurSouth|US-169}}}}{{KSint|exit|exit=217|mile=|road=Old Highway 56|type=incomplete|notes=Southbound exit and northbound entrance}}{{KSint|exit|exit=218|mile=|road=Santa Fe}}{{KSint|exit|exit=220|mile=|road=119th Street}}{{KSint|exit|espan=2|type=concur|location=Lenexa|lspan=2|mile=|mspan=2|exit=state=KS35name1={{JctUSdir1=east169noshield=yes}}Des Moines, Iowa>Des Moines}}|notes=Exit 222A on I-35; east end of concurrency with I-35/US-56/US-169}}{{KSint|type=concur|mile=none|exit=state=KS435|dir1=west}}|notes=Exit 83 on I-435; west end of concurrency with I-435}}{{jctgap|text=Overlap with I-435}}{{KSint|exit|location=Leawood|mile=447.93|exit=state=MO435USdir2=east}}|notes=Continuation into Kansas City, Missouri}}{{jctbtm|exit|keys=concur,incomplete}}

Special routes

In Garden City. US-50 and US-83 each have business routes. They both start at the same place, at the junction of US-50, 83 and 400 about one mile (1.6 km) north of town. They run concurrently along the former alignments of US-50 and 83 through town to the intersection of Main Street and Fulton Street. At that point, the business routes split and Business 50 heads east to meet up with US-50, 83 and 400 east of town.US-50 once had alternate routings in Garden City and Dodge City and business routes in Dodge City and Ottawa. Former Alternate 50 in Garden City is now known as Campus Drive. Its purpose was to connect US-50 travelers to then-US-156 without having to go all the way into downtown. Its purpose was taken over by Spur US-83 in the 1970s. Spur US-83 is now the bypass around Garden City that carries highways 50, 83 and 400.Former Alternate 50 at Dodge City is now the main route for US-50. Business 50 in Dodge City was decommissioned when the US-400 bypass was built to the south and west of that city. Business 50 in Ottawa ran along the former US-50 alignment through Ottawa.

References

External links

{{Attached KML}}

• Kansas Highway Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
• 1926 US Highway Map, Department of Agriculture

{{state detail page browse|type=US|route=50|state=Kansas|statebefore=Colorado|stateafter=Missouri}}