K-101 (Kansas highway)

K-101's southern terminus is at an intersection with US-166 just south of Edna. K-101 heads north and quickly enters the city as Walnut Avenue, as it crosses a former railroad grade. The highway exits the city becoming known as Jackson Road, as it passes by the Edna Cemetery.[3] The highway proceeds north through farmland to a crossing over Hackberry Creek. K-101 continues to 9000 Road then begins to pass by a former airport. The highway proceeds north to a crossing over Richland Creek. The roadway continues a short distance and reaches its northern terminus at US-160 west of Altamont.[4]

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) tracks the traffic levels on its highways. On K-101 in 2020, they determined that, on average, the traffic varied from 675 vehicles per day near the northern terminus to 1,360 vehicles per day near the southern terminus. The second highest was 790 vehicles per day slightly north of Edna.[5] K-101 is not included in the National Highway System, however does connect to it at each terminus.[6]

K-101 was first designated as a state highway from US-166 north to Edna on May 26, 1937, by the Kansas State Highway Commission (SHC), now known as KDOT.[2] In a resolution approved on May 10, 1950, K-101 was extended northward 0.495 miles (0.797 km) to the Edna Cemetery.[7] In a resolution approved on February 24, 1954, the SHC proposed to extend K-101 northward to K-96 (modern US-160) when the county had improved the road to state highway standards. By late April, the county had made the proper improvements to the roadway. Then in a resolution passed on April 28, 1954, the highway was extended north.[8] By July 1954, the SHC was near finishing grading work need before paving the highway.[9] The highway was paved by 1956.[10]

On February 21, 1971, a car struck the side of a rail car, causing no injuries to the driver.[11] In December 1978, a car was struck by a train but caused no injuries to the driver. In late January 1979, a meeting was held in Edna about the dangerous railroad crossing in the city. The meeting discussed the lack of signals and the numerous accidents that occurred.[12] In early May 1985, the city postponed a vote about widening the highway and adding signals at the crossing. This was due to opposition from two businesses who claimed that parking spaces would be removed due to the widening.[13] Then on May 14, the Edna City Council approved to widen the highway and to install crossing signals at the crossing. City officials also offered to help the business owners in construction of a new parking lot.[14] On September 18, 1986, KDOT accepted bids for grading and surfacing of the highway at the crossing.[15] As of 2007, the railroad tracks had been removed.[4]

On December 3, 1998, K-96 was truncated to end at its current eastern terminus, US-54 and US-400, in Wichita. The segment of K-96 that made up the northern terminus of K-101 became a newly rerouted US-160. Prior to this US-160 turned north onto US-75 east of Independence. It continued north to US-400, which it followed east to its current alignment.[16][17][18][19][20][21][22]

The entire route is in Labette County.

Location	mi[1]	km	Destinations	Notes
Elm Grove Township	0.000	0.000	US-166 (4000 Road) – Chetopa, Coffeyville	Southern terminus
Mount Pleasant Township	9.998	16.090	US-160 (14000 Road) – Independence, Oswego	Northern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

• Kansas Department of Transportation State Map
• KDOT: Historic State Maps