K-95 (Kansas highway)

K-95 is an approximately 6.6-mile-long (10.6 km) state highway in the U.S. state of Kansas. K-95's southern terminus is at U.S. Route 83 (US-83) north of Scott City, and the northern terminus is at US-83 south of Elkader. The highway forms a section of the Western Vistas Historic Byway. K-95 travels through mostly rural land, and is a two-lane highway its entire length.

K-95 marker

K-95

K-95 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by KDOT
Length6.591 mi[1] (10.607 km)
ExistedJuly 27, 1966[2]–present
Tourist
routes		Western Vistas Historic Byway[3]
Major junctions
South end US-83 north of Scott City
North end US-83 south of Elkader
Location
CountryUnited States
StateKansas
CountiesScott
Highway system
  • Kansas State Highway System
← K-94→ K-96

Within Lake Scott State Park, just west of K-95, is the El Cuartelejo ruins. It is the remains of a structure thought to have been built by Taos Pueblo Indians who left New Mexico in 1664 to escape Spanish rule. The highway passes about 0.6 miles (970 m) east of the area of the Battle of Punished Woman's Fork, the last Indian battle in the state. The route that K-95 follows was planned to become a state highway in a resolution on July 27, 1966, to link US-83 to Lake Scott and Lake Scott State Park. This alignment was altered in a resolution on May 10, 1967, and was designated as K-95. K-95 first appeared on the 1969 State Highway Map, and its alignment has not changed since.

Route description

K-95's southern terminus is at US-83 north of Scott City. The highway travels in a northwest direction through mostly flat prairie for 0.4 miles (640 m) before intersecting West Road 250. K-95 then passes through a rock cut, as it descends in elevation slightly into the Ladder Creek Valley. The roadway continues for 0.45 miles (720 m) then curves in a northeast direction and crosses Ladder Creek. The highway soon intersects a road that leads west to the Battle of Punished Woman's Fork monument, then passes through a rock cut made through Devils Backbone. K-95 continues for about 0.7 miles (1.1 km) through flat grassland, passing by White Womans Grave, before crossing Morgan Draw, which flows into Ladder Creek. The roadway continues for about 0.3 miles (480 m) then begins to run along Ladder Creek, which the road continues to follow for about 0.15 miles (240 m), before the creek curves to the east.[4][5][6]

K-95 begins to curve in a northwest direction and soon crosses a creek that drains Epler Canyon, then Barrel Spring Trout Pond. The highway begins to head northeast as it intersects West Scott Lake Drive, which travels west then north to Lake Scott State Park. K-95 crosses Ladder Creek and continues in northeast direction through mostly open land with some scattered trees for about 0.5 miles (800 m) then enters an area with scattered houses before intersecting East Scott Lake Drive. The highway then turns to the east and passes through a rock cut for roughly 0.1 miles (160 m) then veers to the north. K-95 advances another roughly 0.75 miles (1.21 km) then curves east. The roadway continues through flat rural farmland for about 1.8 miles (2.9 km) before reaching its northern terminus at US-83 south of Elkader.[5][6][7]

The entire length of K-95 is part of the Western Vistas Historic Byway, which runs from US-83 at Scott City to US-40 at Sharon Springs.[3][8] The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) tracks the traffic levels on its highways. Along K-95 in 2019, they determined that on average the traffic varied from 125 vehicles per day near the northern terminus to 600 vehicles per day near the southern terminus.[9] K-95 is not included in the National Highway System.[10] The National Highway System is a system of highways important to the nation's defense, economy, and mobility. K-95 does connect to the National Highway System at its southern and northern terminus, US-83.[11] The entire route is a two-lane highway,[5] and paved with partial design bituminous pavement.[1][12]

History

Early area history
Dry grassland with a small rocky canyon; pyramidal stone monument on hill nearby
Battle Canyon, site of Battle of Punished Woman's Fork, located slightly west of K-95

Within Lake Scott State Park, just west of K-95, is the El Cuartelejo ruins. It is the remains of a structure thought to have been built by Taos Pueblo Indians who left New Mexico in 1664 to escape Spanish rule.[13] The site became a National Historical Landmark in 1964. In 1970, the Kansas Historical Society studied the area and restored the landmark.[13] K-95 passes about 0.6 miles (970 m) east of the area of the Battle of Punished Woman's Fork, the last Indian battle in the state.[14]

Establishment and improvements

K-95 was first approved to become a state highway in a resolution on July 27, 1966, to link US-83 to Lake Scott and Lake Scott State Park. As planned in 1966, the highway curved northwest at East Scott Lake Drive, and continued for about one mile (1.6 km), then made a sharp curve toward the southeast. It continued for a short distance before curving east and meeting its modern alignment.[2] This alignment was cancelled and was altered in a resolution on May 10, 1967, at which time a new alignment was approved, and became K-95.[15] The highway first appeared on the 1969 State Highway Map, and its alignment has not changed since.[16][17][18] In 2007, community leaders in Scott, Logan, and Wallace counties agreed to apply for a scenic byway designation from Scott City to Oakley to Sharon Springs. At this time it was suggested that it would be better to designate it a historic byway due to all the historic locations along the route.[19] On July 22, 2010, the Western Vistas Historic Byway was established along K-95.[8]

Major intersections

The entire route is in Scott County.

Locationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
Michigan Township0.0000.000 US-83 – Scott City, OakleySouthern terminus
Beaver Township3.1355.045West Scott Lake Drive – Lake Scott State Park
Michigan Township6.59110.607 US-83 – Scott City, OakleyNorthern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References
  1. Staff (2016). "Pavement Management Information System". Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on May 3, 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  2. State Highway Commission of Kansas (July 27, 1966). "Resolution for Location and Designation of Road in Scott County as a State Highway". Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  3. "Statewide "At A Glance" Map". Kansas Office of Tourism & Travel. Archived from the original on September 2, 2021. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  4. U.S. Geological Survey — Lake Scott quadrangle — Kansas (Scott Co.) (Map). 1:24,000. USGS 7 1/2-minute quadrangle maps. Cartography by U.S. Geological Survey. TopoQuest.com. Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  5. "Overview of K-95". Google Maps. Google, Inc. Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  6. Bureau of Transportation Planning (November 2009). Scott County (PDF) (Map). [c. 1:211,200]. General Highway Map. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 5, 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  7. U.S. Geological Survey — Lake Scott quadrangle — Kansas (Scott Co.) (Map). 1:24,000. USGS 7 1/2-minute quadrangle maps. Cartography by U.S. Geological Survey. TopoQuest.com. Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  8. "State bestows historic byway". The Morning Sun. Pittsburg, KS. July 24, 2010. Archived from the original on September 2, 2021. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  9. Bureau of Transportation Planning (2020). Traffic Flow Map Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). [c. 1:1,584,000]. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 16, 2021. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  10. Federal Highway Administration (May 8, 2019). National Highway System: Kansas (PDF) (Map). [c. 1:3,900,000]. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  11. Natzke, Stefan; Neathery, Mike; Adderly, Kevin (September 26, 2012). "What is the National Highway System?". National Highway System. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Archived from the original on July 4, 2012. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  12. Staff. "Pavement Management Information System Glossary". Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on May 3, 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  13. Scott City, Kansas. "Historic Lake Scott State Park". Scott City, Kansas: Scott City, Kansas. Archived from the original on March 26, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  14. "Squaws Den Battleground". The Salina Journal. May 7, 1995. p. 87. Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved April 5, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. State Highway Commission of Kansas (May 10, 1967). "Revision of Resolution for Location and Designation of Road in Scott County as a State Highway using state-wide funds". Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  16. Kansas State Highway Department (1968). Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Highway & Transportation Map. Topeka: Kansas State Highway Department. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 5, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  17. Kansas State Highway Department (1969). Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Highway & Transportation Map. Topeka: Kansas State Highway Department. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 5, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  18. Kansas Department of Transportation (2019–2020). State Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Highway & Transportation Map. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 5, 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  19. "State's first historic byway in planning stages in western Kansas". Garden City Telegram. November 30, 2009. p. 3. Archived from the original on September 3, 2021. Retrieved September 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
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