K-103 is a 6.980-mile-long (11.233 km) east–west state highway located entirely in Cherokee County in the U.S. state of Kansas. K-103's western terminus is at K-7 south of the City of Cherokee and the eastern terminus is at U.S. Route 69 (US-69), US-160 and US-400 south of the City of Pittsburg. Along the way the route passes through the City of Weir.[3]
K-103 was designated as a state highway by 1936, and extended from US-160 east to US-69. Then in 1958, US-160 was realigned east along K-103 from K-103's original western terminus to K-7 then continued east along K-104 to US-69, and at that time K-103 was truncated to its current western terminus.
Route description
K-103 begins at an at-grade intersection with K-7 south of Cherokee and begins travelling east. After roughly .5 miles (0.80 km) it crosses BNSF Railway tracks. It then passes the Hosey Hill Cemetery then reaches Weir. It travels 1.238 miles (1.992 km) through the city and continues east. After roughly 2.5 miles (4.0 km) it crosses Brush Creek, a tributary of Cow Creek and then reaches its eastern terminus at US-69, US-160 and US-400.[3][4]
K-103 is not included in the National Highway System.[5] The National Highway System is a system of highways important to the nation's defense, economy, and mobility. K-103 does connect to the National Highway System at its eastern terminus.[6] 2017 Annual average daily traffic (AADT) on K-103 was 775 near the eastern terminus.[7] The entire route is paved with partial design bituminous pavement.[8][2]
History
Early roads
Before state highways were numbered in Kansas there were Auto trails, which were an informal network of marked routes that existed in the United States and Canada in the early part of the 20th century. K-103's western terminus (K-7) was part of the Jefferson Highway and Kansas City-Fort Scott-Miami-Tulsa Short Line auto trails.[9]
Establishment and realignments
K-103 first appears as a state highway on the 1936 Cherokee County map and extended from US-160 east for 10 miles (16 km) to K-7 then overlapped K-7 south for 2 miles (3.2 km) then left K-7 and travelled east through Weir to end at US-69.[1][10] In a September 17, 1942 meeting, it was approved to realign K-103 as a spur from Weir northward to a new alignment of US-160. But then in a September 30, 1943 resolution, that plan was cancelled due to restrictions imposed on the State Highway Commission caused by World War II.[11] Then in 1958, US-160 was realigned east along K-103 from K-103's original western terminus to K-7 then continued east along K-104 to US-69, and at that time K-103 was truncated to its current western terminus.[12]
Major intersections
The entire route is in Cherokee County.
| Location | mi[2] | km | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mineral Township–Ross Township line | 0.000 | 0.000 |  K-7 – Columbus, Girard | Western terminus | |
| Pleasant View Township | 6.980 | 11.233 |    US-69 / US-160 / US-400 – Pittsburg, Baxter Springs | Eastern terminus | |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
References
- ^ a b Kansas State Highway Department (1936). Stafford County (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Highway & Transportation Map. Topeka: Kansas State Highway Department. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
- ^ a b c Staff (2016). "Pavement Management Information System". Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
- ^ a b KDOT (2011). 2011 Cherokee County Map (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Topeka: KDOT. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
- ^ Google (April 6, 2022). "Overview map of K-103" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
- ^ Federal Highway Administration (May 8, 2019). National Highway System: Kansas (PDF) (Map). [c. 1:3,900,000]. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
- ^ Natzke, Stefan; Neathery, Mike; Adderly, Kevin (September 26, 2012). "What is the National Highway System?". National Highway System. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
- ^ Bureau of Transportation Planning (2018). Traffic Flow Map Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). [c. 1:1,584,000]. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
- ^ Staff (2012-05-09). "Pavement Management Information System Glossary". Kansas Department of Transportation.
- ^ Rand McNally and Company (1924). "Kansas" (Map). AutoTrails Map, Southern Nebraska, Eastern Colorado, Kansas, Northeastern New Mexico, Northern Oklahoma. 1:1,600,000. Chicago: Rand McNally and Company. OCLC 2078375 – via Rumsey Collection.
- ^ Shell Oil Company (1950). "Kansas" (Map). Shell Map of Kansas. 1:1,600,000. Chicago: Shell Oil Company. OCLC 2078375 – via Rumsey Collection.
- ^ State Highway Commission of Kansas (September 30, 1943). "Resolution for Relocation and Redesignation of Road in Cherokee and Crawford Counties". Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
- ^ State Highway Commission of Kansas (July 17, 1958). "Resolution for Relocation and Redesignation of Road in Cherokee and Crawford Counties". Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Retrieved September 16, 2019.