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 east of Pittsburg where it continues as Route 126. The section between US-400 and Pittsburg was the original alignment for US-160.

K-126
K-126 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by KDOT
Length	26.918 mi[1] (43.320 km)
Major junctions
West end	US-400 south of McCune
	US-69 / US-160 in Pittsburg
East end	Route 126 east of Pittsburg
Location
Counties	Crawford
Highway system
Kansas State Highway System Interstate U.S. State Spurs ← K-124 K-127 →

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 toward Pittsburg. Approximately five miles (8.0 km) east of Lightning Creek, the route intersects K-7, then crosses the BNSF Railway.[2][3]

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.[3]

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.[2] 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.[3]

K-126 is not included in the National Highway System.[4] 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.[5] 2017 Annual average daily traffic (AADT) on K-126 ranged from 645 slightly south of McCune, 1110 slightly north of McCune, 1210 slightly west of the junction with K-7, 1210 near the Missouri border, 2900 slightly east of Pittsburg, 3320 slightly east of the junction with K-7, 5190 slightly west of the US-69/US-160 junction, 5280 slightly east of the US-69/US-160 junction, and 5360 slightly east of the US-69 Business junction.[6][7]

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.[8]

Establishment and realignments

In an October 11, 1940 resolution the section from Pittsburg east to the Missouri state line was designated as K-104.[9] 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.[10] 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.[10] Also in that resolution US-160 was reinstated north through McCune then east to Pittsburg, K-103 was reinstated from MccCune 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.[10] In a December 15, 1953 resolution K-126 was realigmed near the Missouri state line to eliminate two sharp curves.[11] 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.[12] In a December 1, 1994 resolution K-126's western terminus was co-designated as US-400 when US-400 was created.[13] This overlap lasted roughly four years then in a December 3, 1998 resolution US-160 was realigned onto K-96 from Oswego eastward.[14] 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.[15]

Major intersections

The entire route is in Crawford County.

Location	mi[1]	km	Destinations	Notes
Osage Township	0.000	0.000	US-400 – Pittsburg, Parsons	Western terminus
Sheridan Township	15.063	24.242	K-7 (150th Street) – Girard, Cherokee
Pittsburg	21.060	33.893	US-160 / US-69 – Fort Scott, Columbus
	22.103	35.571	US-69 Bus. (Broadway Street) – Fort Scott, Columbus
Baker Township	26.918	43.320	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). Retrieved January 21, 2014.
2. Kansas Railroad Map 2013 (PDF) (Map). Kansas Department of Transportation. March 18, 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
3. Google (January 30, 2014). "K-126 (Kansas highway)" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
4. Federal Highway Administration (May 8, 2019). National Highway System: Kansas (PDF) (Map). [c. 1:3,900,000]. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
5. Natzke, Stefan; Neathery, Mike; Adderly, Kevin (September 26, 2012). "What is the National Highway System?". National Highway System. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
6. 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 September 12, 2019.
7. 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. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
8. 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.
9. 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. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
10. 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. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
11. State Highway Commission of Kansas (December 15, 1953). "Resolution for relocation and redesignation of road in Crawford County". Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
12. 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. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
13. 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. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
14. 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. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
15. Kansas Department of Transportation (May 14, 2004). "Rural Resolution to withdraw and redesignate segments of K-57". Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 16, 2019.

External links

Template:Attached KML/K-126 (Kansas highway)

KML is from Wikidata

• Kansas Highways Routelog – K-126