Kansas/Highway Classification

This is a proposal for standardized road classifications in Kansas as part of a larger discussion about classification standards nationwide (United States/Highway classification). You're free to add on and edit the contents of this page.

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

This is a list of major cities and towns both in and near Kansas

In Kansas

Population Center	Population
Wichita	397,532
Overland Park	197,238
Olathe	141,290
Topeka	126,587
Lawrence	94,934
Manhattan	54,100
Salina	46,889
Hutchinson	40,006
Leavenworth	37,351
Garden City	28,151
Dodge City	27,788
Emporia	24,139
Hays	21,116
Pittsburg	20,646
Liberal	19,825

Near Kansas

Population Center	Population
Denver, CO	715,522
Oklahoma City, OK	681,387
Kansas City, MO	508,090
Omaha, NE	490,627
Tulsa, OK	412,458
Lincoln, NE	291,114
Pueblo, CO	111,925
St. Joseph, MO	71,602
Joplin, MO	51,846
North Platte, NE	23,361

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 tagged expressway=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:

1. 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.