K-31 (Kansas highway) explained

State:KS
Type:KS
Route:31
Map Custom:yes
Map Notes:K-31 highlighted in red
Maint:KDOT and the cities of Burlingame, and Osage City
Established:1927[1]
Length Mi:134
Length Round:1
Counties:Wabaunsee, Osage, Coffey, Anderson, Linn, Bourbon
Direction A:East
Terminus A: in Fulton
Junction:
Direction B:North
Terminus B: west of Harveyville
Previous Type:KS
Previous Route:30
Next Type:KS
Next Route:32

K-31 is a 134miles long state highway in the U.S. state of Kansas. K-31 is signed as east - west from US-69 in Fulton to US-59 west of Kincaid and is signed as north–south from US-59 west of Kincaid to K-99 west of Harveyville. K-31 runs diagonally southeast–northwest, connecting small towns in east-central Kansas.

Route description

K-31 begins at a diamond interchange with U.S. Highway 69 (US-69) near Fulton in Bourbon County and heads west on a two-lane road to Mapleton. The highway turns north for 6miles, then turns west again at a junction with K-52. 7miles west of this point, K-31 enters the town of Kincaid, where it begins an 18miles concurrency with US-59, and also overlaps US-169 south of Garnett. In Garnett, K-31 leaves US-59 to the west and heads towards Harris where it turns north, again. It turns west at the Franklin County line and overlaps the border until it enters Coffey County, where it continues west toward Waverly. Leaving the town, K-31 heads north again toward Interstate 35 (I-35), and Melvern. It shares a short wrong-way concurrency with I-35 before arriving in Melvern, where it once again turns west. The highway begins a 9adj=onNaNadj=on concurrency with US-75, where it heads toward, and passes through Lyndon. North of the city, K-31 again turns west toward Osage City. It begins a 7adj=onNaNadj=on concurrency with US-56 north of the town and travels north to Burlingame, where it leaves US-56 and heads west toward Harveyville. After passing through Harveyville, K-31 terminates at K-99 in rural Wabaunsee County.

Almost all of K-31's alignment is maintained by KDOT. The entire brick section within Burlingame is maintained by the city.[2] The section of K-31 in Osage City from K-170 to slightly east of 9th Street is maintained by the city.[3]

History

State:KS
Type:K 1926
Route:38
Established:1927
Decommissioned:1936
State:KS
Type:K 1926
Route:34
Established:1926
Decommissioned:1927
Location:Waverly - Garnett

The majority of K-31 has followed the same route since its creation. Minor adjustments were made when I-35 was built, and K-31 was rerouted through Melvern.

The junction with K-268 and US-75 was formerly a four-way intersection. From January 2004 to August 2009, there were a total of 24 crashes, which included one fatality and 15 that resulted in injuries. Residents of the surrounding communities requested a "safer type of intersection." Then in late Fall of 2013, work began to reconstruct the intersection as a roundabout.[4] [5] On November 17, 2014, the new roundabout at the eastern terminus opened to unrestricted traffic. The project was fully completed by the end of December. Smoky Hill LLC from Salina, was the primary contractor on the $2.541 million roundabout project.[6] On August 9, 2018, a tractor-trailer travelling southbound on US-75 crashed into the roundabout. The trucks fuel tank was damaged and spilled about 70 gallons of diesel fuel. K-31 and US-75 traffic was reduced to one lane for about four hours after the crash.[7]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Rand McNally and Company . Rand McNally . 1927 . Kansas . 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 . https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~33758~1171474:Rand-McNally-junior-auto-road-map-K . 1:1,600,000 . Chicago . Rand McNally and Company . 54–55 . 2078375 . Rumsey Collection .
  2. Web site: Kansas Department of Transportation . July 15, 1996 . Resolution Designating City Connecting Links in State Highway System . Topeka . Kansas Department of Transportation . September 8, 2020.
  3. Web site: Kansas Department of Transportation . December 1, 1978 . Resolution Designating City Connecting Links in State Highway System . Topeka . Kansas Department of Transportation . September 8, 2020.
  4. Web site: Kansas Department of Transportation . Kansas Roundabout Guide, Second Addition Appendices - KDOT . Kansas Department of Transportation . Topeka . August 29, 2020 .
  5. News: September 18, 2013 . US 75 and K-31/K-268 Roundabout Project open house Thursday . Emporia . The Emporia Gazzette . August 27, 2020.
  6. News: Wayne . White . November 17, 2014 . U.S. 75 and K-31/K-268 roundabout now open from all directions . Lyndon . Osage County News . August 27, 2020.
  7. News: Chuck . Samples . August 9, 2018 . UPDATE: Semi wreck almost totally closes roundabout connecting three Osage County highways . KVOE.com . August 29, 2020.