State Route 7 in Kansas

According to bestitude, State Route 7, also known as K-7 is a state route in the U.S. state of Kansas. The road forms a north-south route through the east of the state, from Columbus through the west of the Kansas City and Leavenworth metropolitan area to the border with the state of Nebraska near White Cloud. The road is part freeway through the west of the Kansas City region. State Route 7 is 373 kilometers long.

Travel directions

US 69 and K-7 in southeastern Kansas.

Southeastern Kansas

K-7 begins at the town of Columbus on US 160. The road heads north through the countryside and is a single carriageway with long straights through the grid. The road parallels the more important US 69 for 12 miles. After nearly 70 kilometers, K-7 and US 69 converge south of Fort Scott and are then double-numbered through this town, not far from the border with the state of Missouri. The road has been run through Fort Scott in 2×2 lanes and becomes a freeway halfway through town, but K-7 soon splits off from US 69.

K-7 then heads north again and regularly jumps in the grid and therefore has a somewhat secondary character. Gradually, the road descends slightly further from US 69. K-7 then follows US 169 between Osawatomie and Olathe. This section is a limited-access highway with a mix of intersections and grade-separated intersections. This part has 2×2 lanes. The last part to Olathe has been developed to a lesser extent until it connects with Interstate 35.

Kansas City

K-7 in the suburbs of Kansas City.

K-7 passes through the west side of the Kansas City metropolitan area, through the suburbs of Olathe and Bonner Springs, still west of Interstate 435. Between Olathe and US 24 / US 40 the road is mostly a freeway with 2×2 lanes and grade separated connections, but there are still some intersections. Cross the Kansas River at Bonner Springs. The last grade separation is with US 24/40 just north of the connection to the Kansas Turnpike (I-70).

Northeastern Kansas

The K-7 is then another 2×2 divided highway to the city of Leavenworth. Through Leavenworth, the road is a five – lane road with center turn lane. Leavenworth is located on the Missouri River, which forms the border with the state of Missouri. Between Leavenworth and Atchison, K-7 follows the Amelia Earhart Road, a single-lane road that runs optimized across the countryside between the two towns. North of Atchison, K-7 is of more secondary importance, eventually ending in the Missouri River valley on the border with the state of Nebraska. Then only a local road continues to Rulo.

History

According to biotionary, K-7 was originally always a minor road, south of Kansas City US 69 was the main north-south connection in eastern Kansas, and between Kansas City and Atchison US 73 was the thoroughfare. These roads were already paved in the 1930s. By 1936, only a few short sections of K-7 were paved, mostly northwest of Fort Scott and south of Osawatomie. In the 1940s, the southernmost section was paved between Columbus and Fort Scott, as well as between Atchison and Troy. In the early 1950s, the main unpaved section was in Linn County, around Mound City. This was paved later in the 1950s. By 1960, the entire K-7 was asphalted.

Kansas City

The bridge over the Kansas River at Bonner Springs was probably built in the 1950s, but it was unclear whether it immediately had 2×2 lanes. Around 1963, the first double-lane section along the Kansas City region was built, this was then the double numbering with the K-10. Around 1963 the cloverleaf also opened with the US 24/40. In about 1969, the road between US 24/40 and Leavenworth was widened to 2×2 lanes. Around 1977 the cloverleaf opened with K-10 north of Olathe.

Kansas City suburbanization was relatively slow toward the west. It was not until around 1983-1984 that K-7 doubled between K-10 and the Kansas River Bridge at Bonner Springs. In about 1985, a missing two-lane section between Bonner Springs and the connection to I-70 was completed with 2×2 lanes. Shortly thereafter, the existing double-lane section between K-10 and Shawnee Mission Parkway was graded. After that, it took some time before the southern section between Olathe and K-10 was widened to 2×2 lanes. This part was built directly as a freeway around 1997. In 2010 the cloverleaf with the US 24/40 was converted into a parclo. In 2011, another grade separated intersection with Johnson Drive opened.

Traffic intensities

Usually 1,000 to 2,000 vehicles drive daily on the southern section between Columbus and US 69 south of Fort Scott, with a few peaks up and down. The section between Fort Scott and Osawatomie partly processes 400 to 700 vehicles per day, around Mound City somewhat higher.

The freeway-style section through the west of the Kansas City region usually handles 19,000 to 25,000 vehicles per day, and 20,000 vehicles further up to Leavenworth. After that, 3,000 vehicles will drive to Atchison and 1,500 vehicles to Troy. The northernmost part is the quietest, with fewer than 500 vehicles per day. Near the border with the state of Nebraska, there are fewer than 200 vehicles per day.