K-13 is a 14.62-mile-long (23.53 km) state highway in the northeastern part of the US state of Kansas. It begins at U.S. Route 24 (US-24) north of Manhattan and runs north to K-16 southwest of Fostoria. K-13 serves as the only northeasterly route out of Manhattan. The majority of the highway is exclusively in Pottawatomie County, with less than a mile of it existing in Riley County. The first two miles (3.2 km) traverse Tuttle Creek State Park, and crosses the Tuttle Creek Lake dam.
K-13 was first designated as a state highway in 1927, and at that time ran from US-77 in De Graff northward to Manhattan. By 1932, K-13 was realigned to intersect US-77 further south in El Dorado. By 1933, K-13 was extended north from Manhattan to K-9 north of Barrett. In 1958, K-13 was rerouted to cross the Tuttle Creek Dam and continue northward to K-16 southwest of Fostoria. Then in 1964, K-13's southern terminus was truncated to Manhattan, and the old section along with K-213 was redesignated as K-177. In 1991, K-13 was truncated to its current southern terminus.
Route description
K-13 begins at US-24 north of Manhattan and begins travelling northward. It then curves to the northeast and begins to cross the Tuttle Creek Dam. About halfway across the dam the route enters into Pottawatomie County.[2] After crossing the dam, the highway begins to pass through small rolling hills with areas of scattered trees. The highway soon crosses Cedar Creek, then turns north and begins to parallel the creek. It continues north for two miles (3.2 km) then turns northeast at a junction with Carnahan Road (RS-1208), which goes north to Olsburg. At this point, the trees disappear and the highway begins to travel through rolling hills covered with grasslands. K-13 continues along the creek for another two miles (3.2 km) then turns north again, as it crosses Mud Creek. Just past the curve the landscape transitions to flat rural farmlands and continues northward for about 3.6 miles (5.8 km) where it intersects Bigelow Road. Just north of here the highway transitions back to small rolling hills and continues north for two miles (3.2 km) then intersects Westmoreland Road (RS-539), which goes east to Westmoreland. K-13 continues north for .5 miles (0.80 km) past here, and reaches its northern terminus at K-16 southwest of Fostoria and east of Olsburg.[3][4]
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) tracks the traffic levels on its highways, and in 2018, they determined that on average the traffic varied from 1320 vehicles per day near the northern terminus to 2550 vehicles per day near the southern terminus.[5][6] K-13 is not included in the National Highway System,[7] a system of highways important to the nation's defense, economy, and mobility.[8] K-13 does connect to the National Highway System at its southern terminus at US-24.[7]
History
K-13 was first designated as a state highway in 1927, by KDOT. At that time it began at US-77 in De Graff, and ran northeastward to Matfield Green, where it turned north. It then reached Cottonwood Falls where it began an overlap with K-57. The two routes continued north to Council Grove, where they began to overlap K-4 for a short distance. Then further north in Dwight, the overlap with K-57 ended and one with K-10 began. K-13 continued north to Alta Vista, where the overlap with K-4 ended. It then continued north and ended in Manhattan.[1] Between 1931 and 1932, K-13 was realigned to go from Matfield Green southwest to US-77 in El Dorado, which bypassed De Graff.[9][10] By 1933, K-13 was extended north from Manhattan along the west side of the Big Blue River. It then turned northeast, crossed the river, and entered Garrison. From here it went northeast before ending at K-9 north of Barrett.[10][11] By 1936, K-113 was established from K-13 west of Bigelow north to Blue Rapids.[11][12] Then on January 14, 1957, K-213 was established from where K-13 crossed the Big Blue River north to Randolph.[13]
Then in a November 19, 1958 resolution, K-13 was rerouted to cross the Tuttle Creek Dam and continue northward to end at K-16 east of Olsburg. Also at this time, K-113 was decommissioned.[14] In an April 8, 1964 resolution, K-13's southern terminus was truncated to Manhattan. At this time the section of K-13 from El Dorado to K-213, along with K-213 was redesignated as K-177.[15] In a January 1, 1991 resolution, K-13 was truncated to US-24 north of Manhattan. Also, K-177, which overlapped K-13 from Manhattan was truncated to the southeast side of Manhattan.[16]
Major junctions
| County | Location | mi[17][18] | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riley | | 0.000 | 0.000 |  US-24 (Tuttle Creek Boulevard) – Manhattan, Clay Center, Kansas State University | Southern terminus; road continues as Dam Road |
| Tuttle Creek Lake | 0.4– 1.8 | 0.64– 2.9 | Tuttle Creek Dam | ||
| Pottawatomie | | 14.617 | 23.524 |  K-16 – Blaine, Olsburg, Randolph | Northern terminus; road continues as K-16 east |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
See also
References
- ^ a b National Map Company (1927). "Kansas" (Map). Sectional paved road map. 1:1,600,000. Indianapolis: National Map Company. pp. 18–19. OCLC 4048012 – via Rumsey Collection.
- ^ Bureau of Transportation Planning (March 2010). Riley County (PDF) (Map). [c. 1: 211,200]. General Highway Map. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 16, 2020. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
- ^ Microsoft; Nokia (April 20, 2020). "Overview map of K-13" (Map). Bing Maps. Microsoft. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
- ^ Bureau of Transportation Planning (October 2011). Pottawatomie 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 October 8, 2020.
- ^ Bureau of Transportation Planning (2018). 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 May 4, 2020. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
- ^ Bureau of Transportation Planning (2018). Traffic Flow Inset Map Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). [c. 1:1,584,000]. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
- ^ a b Federal Highway Administration (May 8, 2019). National Highway System: Kansas (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
- ^ 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 20, 2020.
- ^ Rand McNally and Company (1931). "Kansas" (Map). Clason's Road Map of Kansas. 1:2,000,000. Denver: Clason Map Company. p. 87 – via Rumsey Collection.
- ^ a b State Highway Commission of Kansas (1932). Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. OCLC 1007837202. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
- ^ a b State Highway Commission of Kansas (1933). Kansas State Highway System (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
- ^ State Highway Commission of Kansas (1936). Kansas State Highway System (Map). Scale not given. Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
- ^ State Highway Commission of Kansas (January 14, 1957). "Resolution for addition to state highway system Riley County". Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
- ^ State Highway Commission of Kansas (November 19, 1958). "Resolution for relocation and redesegnation of road in Riley County, Pottawatomie County". Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Archived from the original on August 2, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
- ^ State Highway Commission of Kansas (April 8, 1964). "Resolution for renumbering of highways K-13 and K-213 from El Dorado to Randolph as K-177". Topeka: State Highway Commission of Kansas. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
- ^ Kansas Department of Transportation (January 21, 1991). "Resolution to remove a segment of highway route designated K-13 and K-177 in Riley County". Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on August 2, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
- ^ Staff (2014). "Pavement Management Information System". Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on March 13, 2016. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
- ^ Google (May 18, 2017). "Overview of K-13" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved May 18, 2017.