# U.S. Route 69 in Kansas

U.S. Route 69 (US-69) is a major north-south U.S. Highway that runs from Port Arthur, Texas to Albert Lea, Minnesota. In Kansas, the highway runs in the far eastern part of the state, usually within five miles of the Missouri state line. Most of the highway north of Fort Scott runs as a freeway.

## Route description

US-69 enters Kansas just north of Miami, Oklahoma as a concurrency with the southern terminus of K-7. The highway crosses US-166 west of Treece before K-7 leaves the concurrency with the intersection of US-160 in Columbus, of which U.S. 160 begins another overlap with U.S. 69. The two routes head east for 7 miles (10 km) before US-400 joins the overlap in Crestline and head north, before U.S. 400 leaves the highway south of Pittsburg. As the two highways leave Pittsburg, the route becomes a short 4-lane expressway before US-160 leaves the highway as it exits Frontenac. Just after US-69 meets the eastern terminus with K-47 in Franklin, the route reverts back to a 2-lane highway before entering the town of Arma. US-69 then becomes a 4-lane expressway near Garland. US-69 meets with K-7 for a second time as a partial interchange and the two routes continue north to Fort Scott. As the undivided freeway begins, U.S. Route 54 joins the overlap for 1/2 mile (0.8 km); both US-54 and K-7 leaves the overlap just north of the city limits as US-69 continues north as a divided freeway. The freeway runs through the towns of Pleasanton and Trading Post, as well as more rural areas before entering the Kansas City metropolitan area at Overland Park.
In Overland Park, US-69 interchanges with Interstate 435/US-50 before beginning an overlap with I-35/US-169/US-56 in Lenexa. US-69 and US-56 leave I-35 in Merriam, traveling back into Overland Park. US-56 leaves the highway, running into KCM. US-69 rejoins I-35 again at an interchange with I-635. US-69 leaves I-35 again and runs along the 18th Street Expressway to I-70/US-40 in KCK. US-69 joins I-70/US-40 and leaves again at an interchange with I-670/US-169. US-69 enters Missouri just past the intersection with K-5, crossing the Missouri River.

## History
### 18th Street Expressway

The 18th Street Expressway was the result of one of four feasibility studies conducted by the Kansas Turnpike Authority to extend the turnpike by providing easy access to northeast Johnson County. It was the only one of the four studies to be followed upon, with completion of the 18th Street Expressway Bridge over the Kansas River completed in 1959. It replaced the Argentine Boulevard bridge over the river behind the modern-day BNSF railroad yard.
Originally, the highway was part of the original K-58. Upon completion of the bridge, US-69 was rerouted onto the expressway from Southwest Boulevard (the section of which has since been renamed to Merriam Drive). In 1979, the K-58 designation was removed.
The section of 18th Street between I-70 and the southern end of the Kansas River bridge was tolled at least as late as 1984.

### Reconstruction

In early April 2020, a $21.8 million construction project to finish a four-lane expressway from Pittsburg to Kansas City began. The project will expand a six miles (9.7 km) section of US-69 in Crawford County to a four-lane divided expressway, from the K-47 junction north to three miles (4.8 km) north of Arma. The project will be completed by Koss Construction Company of Topeka and will be completed by August 2021.

### Overland Park toll lanes

As Overland Park has grown in recent years, US-69 south of 103rd Street has become the busiest four-lane highway in Kansas. On June 21, 2021, the Overland Park city council approved a toll lane to be added to both directions of US-69 between 103rd Street and 151st Street. Since then, the Kansas Turnpike Authority and the State Finance Council have also approved the project, which was required by a new Kansas law that allows toll lanes to pay for road expansion.

## Junction list

| County | Location | mi | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
| Kansas–Oklahoma line | Kansas–Oklahoma line | 0.000 | 0.000 | | US 69 south / Treece Road east / 10 Road west K-7 begins | Southern end of K-7 overlap; continuation into Oklahoma |
| Cherokee | Lyon–Spring Valley township line | 2.234 | 3.595 | | US-166 – Chetopa, Baxter Springs | |
| Cherokee | Columbus | 12.381 | 19.925 | | US-160 west / K-7 north – Oswego, Girard | Southern end of US 160 overlap; northern end of K-7 overlap |
| Cherokee | Shawnee Township | 19.402 | 31.224 | | US-400 east / US 69 Alt. south – Joplin, Miami | Southern end of US 400 overlap; northern terminus of US-69 Alternate |
| Cherokee | Pleasant View Township | 28.520 | 45.898 | | K-103 west – Weir | Eastern terminus of K-103 |
| Cherokee–Crawford county line | Pleasant View–Baker township line | 30.487 | 49.064 | | US-400 west / K-171 east – Parsons, Joplin | Northern end of US 400 overlap; western terminus of K-171 |
| Crawford | Pittsburg | 33.513 | 53.934 | | US 69 Bus. north – Pittsburg | Southern terminus of US-69 Bus. |
| Crawford | Pittsburg | 35.838 | 57.676 | | K-126 – McCune, Pittsburg | |
| Crawford | Pittsburg | 38.167 | 61.424 | | US 69 Bus. south – Pittsburg | Northern terminus of US-69 Bus. |
| Crawford | Pittsburg | 40.177 | 64.659 | | US-160 east – Lamar | Northern end of US 160 overlap |
| Crawford | Franklin | 43.213 | 69.545 | | K-47 west / US 69 Bus. north – Girard, Arma, Mulberry | Eastern terminus of K-47; southern terminus of US-69 Bus. |
| Crawford | Washington Township | 46.209 | 74.366 | | US 69 Bus. south (Highway A) | Northern terminus of US-69 Bus. |
| Bourbon | Scott Township | 61.325 | 98.693 | | K-7 south – Girard | Interchange; southern end of K-7 overlap |
| Bourbon | Fort Scott | 66.148 | 106.455 | — | US-54 east – Nevada | Southern end of freeway; southern end of US 54 overlap |
| Bourbon | Scott Township | 67.048 | 107.903 | — | US-54 west / K-7 north – Iola, Harding | Northern end of US 54/K-7 overlap |
| Bourbon | Scott Township | 69.628 | 112.055 | — | Poplar Road | Diamond interchange |
| Bourbon | Osage Township | 72.666 | 116.945 | — | Soldier Road | Diamond interchange |
| Bourbon | Osage Township | 76.719 | 123.467 | — | K-31 west – Harding | Eastern terminus of K-31; diamond interchange |
| Linn | Sheridan Township | | | — | K-239 – Prescott | Diamond interchange |
| Linn | Potosi Township | | | — | K-52 west – Mound City | Southern end of K-52 overlap; diamond interchange |
| Linn | Potosi Township | | | — | E. 1100 Road – Pleasanton | Diamond interchange |
| Linn | Potosi Township | | | — | E. 1350 Road | Diamond interchange |
| Linn | Valley Township | | | — | K-52 east – Butler | Northern end of K-52 overlap; diamond interchange |
| Linn | Lincoln Township | | | — | K-152 – La Cygne | Diamond interchange |
| Miami | Sugar Creek Township | | | — | W. 399th Street | Partial cloverleaf interchange |
| Miami | Sugar Creek Township | | | — | W. 359th Street | Diamond interchange |
| Miami | Sugar Creek–Middle Creek township line | | | — | W. 335th Street | Diamond interchange |
| Miami | Middle Creek Township | | | — | W. 311th Street | Diamond interchange |
| Miami | Louisburg | | | — | K-68 – Ottawa, Louisburg | Diamond interchange |
| Miami | Wea Township | | | — | W. 247th Street | Diamond interchange |
| Miami | Wea Township | | | — | W. 223rd Street | Diamond interchange |
| Johnson | Overland Park | | | — | 199th Street | Diamond interchange |
| Johnson | Overland Park | | | — | 179th Street | Diamond interchange |
| Johnson | Overland Park | | | — | 167th Street | Southbound exit and northbound entrance; partial diamond interchange |
| Johnson | Overland Park | | | — | 159th Street | Diamond interchange |
| Johnson | Overland Park | | | — | 151st Street | Diamond interchange |
| Johnson | Overland Park | | | — | US-69 Express Lanes north | Future south end of Express Lanes |
| Johnson | Overland Park | | | — | 135th Street | Partial cloverleaf interchange |
| Johnson | Overland Park | | | — | Blue Valley Parkway | Northbound exit and southbound entrance; to become Express Lane only interchange |
| Johnson | Overland Park | | | — | 135th Street | Future Express Lane interchange; southbound exit only |
| Johnson | Overland Park | | | — | 119th Street | Diamond interchange |
| Johnson | Overland Park | | | — | College Boulevard | Partial cloverleaf interchange |
| Johnson | Overland Park | | | — | I-435 / US-50 | I-435 exit 81; partial cloverleaf interchange; split into two exits (east/west) northbound |
| Johnson | Overland Park | | | — | US-69 Express Lanes south | Future north end of Express Lanes |
| Johnson | Overland Park | | | — | 103rd Street | Partial cloverleaf interchange; southbound access is part of I-435 exit |
| Johnson | Overland Park | | | — | 95th Street | Diamond interchange |
| Johnson | Lenexa | | | — | 87th Street Parkway | No northbound entrance |
| Johnson | Lenexa | | | — | 75th Street | Northbound exit only |
| Johnson | Lenexa | | | — | I-35 south (US-56 west / US-169 south) | Southern end of I-35/US-56/US-169 overlap; southbound left exit and northbound left entrance; I-35 exit 225B |
| Johnson | Overland Park–Merriam line | | | 227 | 75th Street | Exit numbers follow I-35; no northbound exit |
| Johnson | Merriam | | | 228A | 67th Street | |
| Johnson | Merriam | | | | I-35 north | North end of freeway section; northern end of I-35 overlap; I-35 exit 228B |
| Johnson | Overland Park–Mission line | | | | US-56 east / US-169 north (Shawnee Mission Parkway east) / Metcalf Avenue south | Cloverleaf interchange; northern end of US-56/US-169 overlap |
| Johnson | Overland Park–Mission line | | | | Metcalf Lane | Partial cloverleaf interchange; southbound exit and entrance |
| Johnson | Overland Park–Mission line | | | | Johnson Drive | Right-in/right-out interchange; southbound exit and entrance |
| Johnson | Overland Park–Mission line | | | | 58th Street | Right-in/right-out interchange; northbound exit and entrance |
| Johnson | Overland Park–Mission line | | | 231A | I-635 north / I-35 south | South end of freeway section; exit number is to I-635, no exit number northbound; southern end of I-35 overlap; I-35 exit 231B; I-635 exit 1A |
| Johnson–Wyandotte county line | Mission–Kansas City line | | | 232A | Lamar Avenue | |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | | | | I-35 north – Des Moines | North end of freeway section; northern end of I-35 overlap; I-35 exit 232B |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | | | South end of 18th Street Expressway | South end of 18th Street Expressway | South end of 18th Street Expressway |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | | | — | Merriam Lane | Southbound exit and northbound entrance |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | | | — | Steele Road | |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | | | — | Metropolitan Avenue / Ruby Avenue | Trucks prohibited |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | | | — | K-32 west (Kansas Avenue) | Eastern terminus of K-32 |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | | | 420B | 18th Street north I-70 west / US-24 west / US-40 west – Topeka | North end of 18th Street Expressway; southern end of I-70/US-24/US-40 overlap; exit numbers follow I-70; exit number is to 18th St. north, no exit number northbound; I-70 exit 420A |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | | | 421A | RR Yard (No outlet) | Railroad use only; southbound exit and northbound entrance |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | | | 421B | I-670 east | Northbound left exit and southbound entrance |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | | | | I-70 east (US-24 / US-40 east) / US-169 | North end of freeway section; northern end of I-70 overlap; I-70 exit 422A |
| Wyandotte | Kansas City | | | | Sunshine Road (K-5 west) | Eastern terminus of K-5 |
| Missouri River | Missouri River | 163 | 262 | | US 69 Missouri River Bridge Kansas–Missouri line | US 69 Missouri River Bridge Kansas–Missouri line |
| Missouri River | Missouri River | 163 | 262 | | US 69 north | Continuation into Missouri |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus Proposed Incomplete access |||||||

## Special routes
### Alternate route

U.S. Route 69 Alternate (US-69 Alt.) is a special route of U.S. Highway 69, traveling 20.3 miles (32.7 km) between junctions east of Commerce, Oklahoma and north of Crestline, Kansas.
US-69 Alt., cosigned with Historic Route 66, splits from mainline US 69 south of Picher and west of Quapaw. US-69 Alt. and HR-66 head ENE through the towns of Quapaw and Baxter Springs, Kansas. North of Baxter Springs, US 400 joins the concurrency. West of Riverton, HR-66 heads east along K-66, while US-69 Alt. and US 400 head north. North of Crestline, US-69 Alt. and US 400 meet US 69 and US 160 from the west. US-69 Alt. terminates as US 69 and US 160 merge with US 400. The concurrency of US 69, US 400, and US 160 continues north.

### Pittsburg Business loop

U.S. Route 69 Business (US 69 Business) is a business route of US 69 running through Pittsburg. Its southern terminus is at US-69 and its northern terminus is at US-69.

#### Major Intersections

The entire route is in Pittsburg, Crawford County.
| mi | km | Destinations | Notes |
| 0.00 | 0.00 | US-69 / US-160 | Southern terminus |
| | | K-126 (4th Street) | |
| | | US-69 / US-160 (West Atkinson Road / Parkview Drive) | Northern terminus |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi ||||

### Arma business loop

U.S. Route 69 Business (US-69 Business) is a business route of US-69 running through Arma. Its southern terminus is at US-69 and K-47 and its northern terminus is at US-69.

#### Major Intersections

The entire route is in Crawford County.
| Location | mi | km | Destinations | Notes |
| Franklin | 0.00 | 0.00 | K-47 west US-69 | Southern terminus; eastern terminus of K-47; highway continues west as K-47 |
| Washington Township | | | US-69 – Fort Scott, Pittsburg | Northern terminus |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Route transition |||||