The Kansas Turnpike is a
controlled-access toll road
A toll road, also known as a turnpike or tollway, is a public or private road for which a fee (or ''Toll (fee), toll'') is assessed for passage. It is a form of road pricing typically implemented to help recoup the costs of road construction and ...
that lies entirely within the US state of
Kansas
Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
. It runs in a general southwest–northeast direction from the
Oklahoma
Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...
border to
Kansas City
The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...
. It passes through several major Kansas cities, including
Wichita,
Topeka
Topeka ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County, Kansas, Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeaste ...
, and
Lawrence. The turnpike is owned and maintained by the
Kansas Turnpike Authority (KTA), which is headquartered in Wichita.
The Kansas Turnpike was built from 1954 to 1956, predating the
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, or the Eisenhower Interstate System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Hi ...
. While not part of the system's early plans, the turnpike was eventually incorporated into the Interstate System in late 1956 and is designated today as four different Interstate Highway routes:
Interstate 35 (I-35), Interstate 335 (I-335),
I-470, and
I-70
Interstate 70 (I-70) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to I-695 and Maryland Route 570 (MD 570) in Woodlawn, just outside Baltimore, Maryland.
I-70 appr ...
. The turnpike also carries a piece of two
U.S. Highways:
U.S. Highway 24 (US-24) and
US-40 in Kansas City.
Because it predates the Interstate Highway System, the road is not engineered to current
Interstate Highway standards
Standards for Interstate Highways in the United States are defined by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in the publication ''A Policy on Design Standards: Interstate System''. For a certain highway t ...
and notably lacks a regulation-width median. To reduce the risk of head-on collisions, the Kansas Turnpike now has a continuous, permanent
Jersey barrier
A Jersey barrier, Jersey wall, or Jersey bump is a modular concrete or plastic barrier employed to separate lanes of traffic. It is designed to minimize vehicle damage in cases of incidental contact while still preventing vehicle crossovers resu ...
in the median over its entire length. On opening, there was no fixed speed limit on the highway; drivers were merely asked to keep to a "reasonable and proper" limit, although, shortly afterward, signs were erected in certain stretches indicating a maximum speed of . From 1970 to 1974 and again since 2011, the turnpike's speed limit has been set at ; that limit during the earlier period applied only during daytime hours.
Around 120,000 drivers use the turnpike daily. The road features numerous services, including a travel radio station and six service areas. One of these service areas is notable for the presence of a memorial to
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac (known simply as Notre Dame; ; ND) is a Private university, private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1842 by members of the Congregation of Holy Cross, a Cathol ...
football coach
Knute Rockne
Knute Kenneth Rockne (; March 4, 1888 – March 31, 1931) was an American football player and coach at the University of Notre Dame. Leading Notre Dame for 13 seasons, Rockne accumulated over 100 wins and three national championships.
Rockne is ...
, who died near the current highway's route.
Since July 1, 2024, toll collection on the Kansas Turnpike has been all-electronic, with all tolls payable with a K-TAG transponder or via
license plate recognition
Automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR; see also #Other names, other names below) is a technology that uses optical character recognition on images to read vehicle registration plates to create vehicle location data. It can use existing clos ...
. The turnpike is self-sustaining; it derives its entire revenue from the tolls collected and requires no additional tax money for maintenance or administration.
History
Early history
Early federal plans for a nationwide system of interregional highways did not include a route along or near the present turnpike, instead connecting
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...
and
Kansas City
The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...
via southeastern Kansas and
US-69. By the mid-1940s, this route had shifted to roughly the present
I-35
Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexico–Uni ...
alignment, serving
Wichita. The only major difference from the present route was between Wichita and
Emporia, where the highway ran north to
Newton before turning northeast along
US-50.
In the early 1950s,
toll road
A toll road, also known as a turnpike or tollway, is a public or private road for which a fee (or ''Toll (fee), toll'') is assessed for passage. It is a form of road pricing typically implemented to help recoup the costs of road construction and ...
s were gaining in popularity as a mechanism for funding new superhighways. This trend started with the
Pennsylvania Turnpike
The Pennsylvania Turnpike, sometimes shortened to Penna Turnpike or PA Turnpike, is a controlled-access toll road which is operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) in Pennsylvania. It runs for across the southern part of the st ...
in 1940, which was mimicked by other toll roads in
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
New York may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* ...
,
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
, several
New England
New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...
states,
West Virginia
West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...
,
Ohio
Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...
, and
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...
. In October 1951, the Highway Council of the
Kansas Chamber of Commerce researched the possibility of integrating the state into a potential cross-country turnpike system. Eastern Kansas was also included in an interstate turnpike system stretching from
Galveston, Texas
Galveston ( ) is a Gulf Coast of the United States, coastal resort town, resort city and port off the Southeast Texas coast on Galveston Island and Pelican Island (Texas), Pelican Island in the U.S. state of Texas. The community of , with a pop ...
, to
Saint Louis, Missouri
St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...
, via Kansas City, that was proposed by Oklahoma Governor
Johnston Murray
Johnston Murray (July 21, 1902 – April 16, 1974) was an American lawyer, politician, and the 14th governor of Oklahoma from 1951 to 1955. He was a member of the Democratic Party. Murray was the first Native American to be elected as governor in t ...
.
Many firms from construction industries, as well as those concerned about the state's economic development, worked to have legislation passed to allow the turnpike to be constructed. Governor
Ed Arn and Gale Moss, the State Highway Director, were two major proponents of the turnpike concept.
The turnpike idea was an attractive one because initial construction was to be financed by the private sector via sales of revenue bonds, allowing state highway funds to be used for other important projects. The new toll road would also reduce traffic, and thus maintenance costs, on existing roads. There was also a concern that if Kansas lagged behind in turnpike construction, it might be bypassed by toll roads in other states, leaving it at an economic disadvantage.
The toll concept also had the benefit of ultimately putting the financial burden on the drivers who actually used the road, instead of using tax revenue that had been collected from residents statewide.
There was some opposition to the plan from both government officials and citizens due to concerns that the toll revenue might not cover the repayments to investors, bankrupting the turnpike authority and burdening the state government with the remaining debt. There were also worries about the possibility of the turnpike requiring maintenance before the bonds had been repaid. Some critics also felt that the high speeds typical of turnpike driving were unsafe.
As right-of-way for the project was obtained, the turnpike drew additional opposition from farmers and ranchers, who objected to the turnpike bisecting their property, making it difficult to access disjointed parcels of land.
The Kansas Chamber of Commerce held "turnpike clinics" in several locations across Kansas in 1952, reporting an overwhelmingly positive reception from the public.
The Kansas Turnpike Act, defining a turnpike from Oklahoma to Kansas City, became effective April 7, 1953.
It created the KTA, with Gale Moss selected as its first chairman. With a budget of only $25,000 (equivalent to $ in ), the KTA's first office was a former barbershop in the
Kansas State Capitol
The Kansas State Capitol, known also as the Kansas Statehouse, is the building housing the executive and legislative branches of government for the U.S. state of Kansas. Located in the city of Topeka, which has served as the capital of Kansas si ...
.
Given
Oklahoma
Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...
's plans to build a turnpike north from Oklahoma City to the Kansas state line, and taking into account traffic flow maps prepared by the highway department, a preliminary route was chosen connecting the proposed Oklahoma turnpike to Kansas City via Wichita and Topeka. A second route extending from Topeka to
Salina and further west to the Colorado state line (the modern-day I-70 corridor) was also studied. Over 173,000 drivers were surveyed to determine how many of them would be willing to use the two proposed routes in order to establish their profitability. While the western Kansas route was determined not to be feasible, the Oklahoma–Kansas City route was projected to generate a total revenue of $9 million in 1957 (equivalent to $ in ). After considering a number of different alignments, including one bypassing Topeka via the present route of I-35, the state decided on an "airline" route between Wichita and Topeka. From Wichita south, the turnpike was to parallel
US-81, continuing into Oklahoma; the
interchange with
US-166 at
South Haven was included to provide an outlet if Oklahoma lagged in its construction. The turnpike was to parallel
US-40 from Topeka to Kansas City. The Kansas City end was set at 18th Street and Muncie Boulevard, which was to be extended and upgraded to a freeway (the Muncie Expressway) to the Intercity Viaduct by the state.
After a ruling from the
state supreme court
In the United States, a state supreme court (known by other names in some states) is the highest court in the state judiciary of a U.S. state. On matters of state law, the judgment of a state supreme court is considered final and binding in ...
that found that the KTA could issue bonds and oversee the construction and administration of the turnpike, the turnpike authority sold $160 million (equivalent to $ in ) in revenue bonds in September 1954. KTA bonds were quickly bought by investors, who were attracted by the Kansas Turnpike's low construction costs—only one-third of that of turnpikes in other states—and projections showing that enough tolls would be collected to pay off investors after 19 years.
Ground was broken on December 31, 1954, at the
Kansas River
The Kansas River, also known as the Kaw, is a meandering river in northeastern Kansas in the United States. It is potentially the southwestern most part of the Missouri River drainage, which is sometimes in turn the northwesternmost portion of ...
bridge
A bridge is a structure built to Span (engineering), span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or railway) without blocking the path underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, whi ...
near
Lawrence. Construction of the entire length of the turnpike was scheduled to take place all at once, with the turnpike partitioned into 14 parts, and the overall length also divided into 43 smaller portions. The KTA sent out letters en masse to the affected landowners, offering a price and referring appeals to the local district court, which typically valued the land at a lesser amount; this methodology was not without criticism.
During the construction period, the state highway department suffered a "
brain drain" as many staffers resigned to take up KTA jobs, which paid better salaries (Chairman Moss's KTA salary was three times that of his salary as director of highways) and offered more exciting challenges.
In June 1956, the
Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956
The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, also known as the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act, was enacted on June 29, 1956, when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the bill into law. With an original authorization of $25 billion (e ...
was signed into law, granting funding to the nationwide
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, or the Eisenhower Interstate System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Hi ...
. Without its Oklahoma link, the Kansas Turnpike was in danger of being bypassed by the Interstate System entirely. However, at the end of 1956, the
Bureau of Public Roads
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two programs, the Federal-aid Highway Program a ...
and the state of Kansas agreed to route I-35 along the turnpike south of Emporia and I-70 along the piece east of Topeka. The state insisted on a separate Emporia–Kansas City alignment, and the mileage that would have been used to build I-35 from Wichita to Emporia via Newton was instead used for I-35W (now
I-135) from Wichita via Newton to Salina.
[
After almost 22 months of construction, the road was opened for a day of free travel on October 20, 1956, between 6:00 am and 2:00 pm.] An estimated 12,000 to 15,000 cars traveled on the turnpike. Many of those motorists traveled to Lawrence for a football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
game between the University of Kansas
The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States. Two branch campuses are in the Kansas City metropolitan area on the Kansas side: the university's medical school and hospital ...
and University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma, United States. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two territories became the ...
. Official opening ceremonies were held at interchanges in each of the three major cities on October 25. The Kansas City celebration included Gene Autry
Orvon Grover "Gene" Autry (September 29, 1907 – October 2, 1998), nicknamed the Singing Cowboy, was an American actor, musician, singer, composer, rodeo performer, and baseball team owner, who largely gained fame by singing in a Crooner ...
jumping his horse through a large paper map of the turnpike. John Masefield
John Edward Masefield (; 1 June 1878 – 12 May 1967) was an English poet and writer. He was Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, Poet Laureate from 1930 until his death in 1967, during which time he lived at Burcot, Oxfordshire, near Abingdon ...
, the British Poet Laureate, wrote a tribute to commemorate the occasion.[ On the first day after the official opening, 7,197 vehicles traveled the turnpike, with 81 toll collectors and 50 maintenance workers on duty.] The turnpike originally had 14 interchanges; by 2012, there were 22.
Southern terminus
Despite Oklahoma's role in instigating the construction of the Kansas Turnpike, its plans for a connecting turnpike fell through. The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) had not performed a traffic study, as the KTA had, to prove that the proposed Oklahoma turnpike would be profitable. Oklahoma also suffered from a poorer credit rating
A credit rating is an evaluation of the credit risk of a prospective debtor (an individual, a business, company or a government). It is the practice of predicting or forecasting the ability of a supposed debtor to pay back the debt or default. The ...
than did Kansas. Additionally, by this time, many states' turnpike authorities were competing in the bond markets for investor dollars. All of these issues combined made it difficult for OTA to issue bonds for its toll road. When funding had been obtained, political issues stalled the proposed toll road further.
With no counterpart to the south, the Kansas Turnpike ended at the state line, at an at-grade intersection
An intersection or an at-grade junction is a junction where two or more roads converge, diverge, meet or cross at the same height, as opposed to an interchange, which uses bridges or tunnels to separate different roads. Major intersections ar ...
with E0010 Road. Just across the state line was an oat field, into which many inattentive motorists crashed. This abrupt end became nationally famous after Wyoming Governor Milward L. Simpson and his wife crashed in mid-1957. The oat farmer plowed the field to provide a safer landing, and the KTA was persuaded to install a huge wooden barrier at the end of the highway. However, within a day, three more drivers had crashed and destroyed the barrier, so the KTA closed the turnpike south of the South Haven interchange. The KTA provided the state of Oklahoma with financial aid to construct its portion of a temporary road leading to the interchange.[ The lack of continuity in the highway was one of the primary reasons that the road did not generate much revenue in the years following the opening; another reason was a lack of education on the part of motorists as to the concept of a toll road.]
Although Oklahoma's plans to construct a toll road from the southern end of the Kansas Turnpike at the state line to Oklahoma City did not materialize, a year and a half after the opening of the turnpike, a connection to US 177 at Braman was put into service on April 22, 1958.[ Eventually, I-35 was completed south to ]Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...
.
Later history
While the initial turnpike was still being built, the KTA authorized four feasibility studies
A feasibility study is an assessment of the practicality of a project or system. A feasibility study aims to objectively and rationally uncover the strengths and weaknesses of an existing business or proposed venture, opportunities and threats pr ...
in October 1954. Three of them—a spur to Leavenworth and Saint Joseph, Missouri
St. Joseph is a city in and county seat of Buchanan County, Missouri, Buchanan County, Missouri, United States. A small portion of the city extends north into Andrew County, Missouri, Andrew County. Located on the Missouri River, it is the princ ...
; a spur from Wichita to Hutchinson, Great Bend, and Hays; and a new Intercity Viaduct to Kansas City, Missouri—did not go anywhere. But the fourth proposal, a toll bridge
A toll bridge is a bridge where a monetary charge (or '' toll'') is required to pass over. Generally the private or public owner, builder and maintainer of the bridge uses the toll to recoup their investment, in much the same way as a toll road ...
on 18th Street in Kansas City, was pushed through, and the KTA agreed to build the turnpike in early 1956. The 18th Street Expressway, running south from the turnpike's east end over the Kansas River, opened in 1959, improving access to northeast Johnson County.[
As the turnpike did not use any state tax revenue for maintenance, the pavement began to deteriorate rapidly, and crews faced difficulty keeping up with the snow in winter conditions in a winter storm during 1960. In the early 1960s, many senior positions in the KTA were cut, and, thanks to this and other austerity measures, such as targeting maintenance to save costs in the future, the turnpike slowly became profitable.] By 1966, it was clear that the turnpike had not been built to the higher standards of the Interstate Highway System; the roadway had developed ruts and other issues due to deferred maintenance. To temporarily fix the problem, a layer of asphalt oil and a layer of sand and asphalt was used to fill in the ruts, and graded rock coated with asphalt was used to seal the road. Since the road had been originally constructed at the same time, and not built in segments over a period of time, similar maintenance issues appeared along the whole length of the road at the same time. Bridges and pavement were repaired on a rotating basis, to stagger the cost of needed repairs. The bridge over the Kansas River was widened and replaced after 1973. As economic conditions improved for the Authority, equipment was slowly replaced, and workers were given pay increases, both of which were badly needed.
The East Topeka interchange was completely rebuilt in the late 1990s, with a goal of rerouting I-70 and improving access to the turnpike. The design was completed in 1997, and the project was finished in 2001 at a cost of $98.6 million in 1999 (equivalent to $ in ).
On the evening of April 6, 2002, a grease fire
Fire classification is a system of categorizing fires with regard to the type(s) of combustion, combustible material(s) involved, and the form(s) of suitable extinguishing agent(s). Classes are often assigned letter designations, which can diffe ...
broke out in the Hardee's
Hardee's Restaurants LLC is an American Fast food restaurant, fast-food restaurant chain operated by CKE Restaurants, CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc. ("CKE") with locations primarily in the Southern and Midwestern United States. The company has ...
restaurant at the Belle Plaine service plaza. Exacerbated by heavy winds, the fire destroyed the building, which also contained a travel information center. Four fire departments responded to the scene. The assistant fire chief and fire chief of the Wellington Fire Department gave conflicting statements on whether the unavailability of the Wellington water tower, which had been emptied while it was being repainted, had hampered efforts to extinguish the blaze. The fire burned for three hours, with hot spots still smoldering the following day. No injuries were reported. The fire caused $2 million (equivalent to $ in ) in damages. The service plaza was rebuilt, with a reopening celebration occurring on July 24, 2003.
A 390-year flood event took place on the night of August 30, 2003, at the Kansas Turnpike's crossing of Jacobs Creek, a tributary of the Cottonwood River southwest of Emporia (turnpike milepost 116). A thunderstorm that evening dropped large amounts of rain in the area, with a gauge at Plymouth
Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...
reporting of rainfall in a 24-hour period. The culvert carrying Jacobs Creek under the turnpike quickly exceeded its capacity, and water rose onto the turnpike. A pool of water deep formed on the northbound lanes; the concrete median barrier initially prevented most of the water from crossing to the southbound lanes. Seven cars, all headed northbound, stalled in the floodwater. The median barrier then gave way, sweeping the stalled cars across the southbound lanes and down the creek as far as from the highway. Six people died in the flood.
Another flooding event, this one a 100-year flood, caused a portion of the Kansas Turnpike to close in 2019. In the early morning hours of May 8, rain gauges in Rose Hill Rose Hill may refer to:
People
* Rose Hill (actress) (1914–2003), British actress
* Rose Hill (athlete) (born 1956), British wheelchair athlete
Film
* ''Rose Hill'' (film), a 1997 movie
Places Australia
* Rose Hill, New South Wales
* Rose ...
registered over of rainfall in a 24-hour period. Flash flooding along Slate Creek caused that tributary of the Arkansas River to inundate the turnpike south of the Wellington exit. As a result, just after midnight, the KTA made the decision to close the turnpike between Wellington and the Oklahoma state line. The turnpike reopened on May 10.
Tolls
The Kansas Turnpike uses all-electronic tolling since July 1, 2024. Cash is no longer accepted. Tolls are instead paid using K-TAG (or compatible transponder) or via license plate recognition
Automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR; see also #Other names, other names below) is a technology that uses optical character recognition on images to read vehicle registration plates to create vehicle location data. It can use existing clos ...
, which sends a bill to the vehicle's registered owner. , motorists driving two-axle vehicles (such as cars and motorcycles) pay 4.8¢ per mile driven if using a K-TAG, for a total of $11.36 to drive the entire length of the turnpike from the Oklahoma state line to Kansas City. Motorists using license plate recognition to pay their toll pay double the K-TAG rate, currently 9.6¢ per mile for a two-axle vehicle (or $22.72 for the entire length). Vehicles with more than two axles, such as semi-trucks, pay higher tolls; five-axle vehicles are charged 13.8¢ per mile with K-TAG or 27.6¢ per mile with license plate tolling and nine-axle vehicles pay 33.4¢ per mile with K-TAG or 66.8¢ per mile with license plate tolling.
Flat-rate tolls are collected at 21 open road tolling
Open road tolling (ORT), also called all-electronic tolling, cashless tolling, or free-flow tolling, is the collection of tolls on toll roads without the use of tollbooths. An electronic toll collection system is usually used instead. The major ...
gantries located on the turnpike. Each gantry is assigned to a segment of turnpike, usually between two adjacent interchanges. Motorists passing each gantry pay the per-mile fare for the distance of that segment. The total fare for any given trip may be calculated by adding the tolls charged at each gantry along one's route.
The Kansas Turnpike is completely self-sustaining and operated on a cash surplus of nearly $600 million (equivalent to $ in ) at end of fiscal year 2017. All costs are paid for by the tolls collected; no tax money is used for construction, maintenance, or administration. The KTA estimates that 120,000 drivers use the turnpike each day.
K-TAG
K-TAG is the electronic toll collection
Electronic toll collection (ETC) is a wireless system to automatically collect the usage fee or Road pricing, toll charged to vehicles using toll roads, HOV lanes, toll bridges, and toll tunnels. It is a faster alternative which is replacing Tol ...
system operated by the Kansas Turnpike. The system makes use of transponder stickers, which are affixed to the vehicle's windshield. Each account may receive up to two free K-TAG stickers. External bumper mounted transponders are alternatively available for purchase, intended for motorcycles and vehicles with specialty windshields that preclude proper functioning of the sticker tag. Accounts are free to open and require no monthly service fees, but do require a credit card or bank account on file, from which accrued tolls are automatically billed each month. K-TAG was introduced in 1995; the system was internally designed and is internally run instead of being contracted to another company, saving additional overhead costs.
, K-TAG is compatible with NationalPass, used in several other states; PikePass, in neighboring Oklahoma
Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...
; ExpressToll, in neighboring Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...
; and TxTag, EZ TAG, and TollTag in Texas
Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
. It is compatible with the SunPass system in Florida
Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
, but not currently on roads maintained by the Central Florida Expressway Authority
The Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) is a highway authority responsible for construction, maintenance and operation of toll roads in five counties in the Greater Orlando area (specifically Lake County, FL, Lake, Orange County, FL, Ora ...
. K-TAG is also compatible with the BestPass and PrePass commercial toll transponders, but it is not compatible with any additional systems, including the E-ZPass
E-ZPass Interagency Group (E-ZPass Group trade name and E-ZPass product brand) is an electronic toll collection system used on toll roads, toll bridges, and toll tunnels in the eastern half of the United States. The group itself is composed of ...
system in the eastern United States.
Tolling History
Prior to 2024, the turnpike used a ticket-based collection system. When entering the turnpike, either at one of the termini or at an interchange, a driver was issued a ticket which indicated the toll plaza at which they entered. When leaving the turnpike, this ticket was used to determine the amount of the toll. If a motorist presented a ticket at the same toll plaza it was issued from, the KTA charged a "per-minute" fare if the trip was more than 15 minutes. If the ticket was lost, or if the trip took over 18 hours to complete, the driver was charged the highest possible toll for that exit.
Exit 53A in Wichita, which opened in 2021, was the first cashless interchange on the turnpike system. The turnpike had a toll gantry on the exit ramp in lieu of a traditional toll plaza. Until the remainder of the turnpike went cashless in 2024, this interchange operated as a special cashless interchange within an otherwise cash-based ticketed system. Drivers without a K-TAG were asked to pay their toll online at the standard cash rates. If the toll was not paid after 10 days, a bill was mailed to the vehicle's registered owner at a slightly higher "video rate". If the mailed bill fell delinquent, the highest "violation rate" was charged along with late fees.
In July 2023, the KTA announced that all existing toll booths would be replaced with cashless tolling gantries by the following year. At these toll gantries, a vehicle without K-TAG would have a picture taken of its license plate, and a bill for the toll would be mailed to its owner. In early 2024, the date for the conversion to cashless tolling was officially set to July 1, 2024.
Route description
The Kansas Turnpike is long. , the Kansas Turnpike has 22 interchanges and two barrier toll plaza
A toll road, also known as a turnpike or tollway, is a public or private road for which a fee (or '' toll'') is assessed for passage. It is a form of road pricing typically implemented to help recoup the costs of road construction and maintenan ...
s. Many of the interchanges are designed as trumpet interchange
In the field of road transport, an interchange (American English) or a grade-separated junction (British English) is a road junction that uses grade separations to allow for the movement of traffic between two or more roadways or highways, usi ...
s with a connector road to the crossroad, for easy placement of a single toll plaza on the connector.
Exit numbers were originally sequential
In mathematics, a sequence is an enumerated collection of objects in which repetitions are allowed and order matters. Like a set, it contains members (also called ''elements'', or ''terms''). The number of elements (possibly infinite) is call ...
but are assigned today by mileage from south to east, the same numbering system used by the majority of US states for their Interstate Highways as well. After passing the Bonner Springs interchange, exit numbers change to match the mileage of I-70
Interstate 70 (I-70) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to I-695 and Maryland Route 570 (MD 570) in Woodlawn, just outside Baltimore, Maryland.
I-70 appr ...
east from the Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...
border, which is also used on I-70 west of the turnpike. This results in discontinuous exit numbers on I-70.
Oklahoma state line to Emporia
The first of the highway, between its southern terminus at the Oklahoma
Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...
border and Emporia, Kansas
Emporia is a city in and the county seat of Lyon County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 24,139. Emporia lies between Topeka, Kansas, Topeka and Wichita, Kansas, Wichita ...
, are designated as I-35
Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexico–Uni ...
. The Kansas Turnpike is the only tolled section on this Interstate. The turnpike runs due north and south between its southern terminus and Wichita. This stretch of the highway runs parallel to US-81, which lies to the west of the turnpike.
The Kansas Turnpike begins at the Oklahoma state line north of Braman, Oklahoma. This is also the point at which I-35 crosses from Kay County to Sumner County. The turnpike proceeds due north from the state line, with no interchanges for its first in Kansas. The southernmost interchange on the turnpike is exit 4 ( South Haven), which serves US-166. US-166 heads east to Arkansas City and west to US-81 at South Haven. This interchange is a four-ramp folded diamond with ramps in the southeast and northwest quadrants. It has no toll plazas, as it lies south of the southern barrier toll. Northbound traffic must exit at US-166 to avoid paying a toll. Initially, the interchange provided only a southbound exit and northbound entrance, forcing drivers who did not wish to pay a toll to leave I-35 in Oklahoma. By 1976, the other two ramps had been added.
From exit 4, the turnpike continues on a due north course, crossing Slate Creek, before coming to the Southern Terminal barrier toll plaza, where tickets are issued for all northbound traffic, and fares are collected from southbound traffic. The next interchange north of the toll plaza is exit 19 (Wellington
Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...
), serving US-160, which heads west to Wellington, the county seat of Sumner County, and east to Winfield, the seat of adjoining Cowley County. It is the first of many trumpet interchanges serving the surface road via a connector road with a toll plaza. When the turnpike first opened, the US-160 interchange was a reverse diamond
Diamond is a Allotropes of carbon, solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Diamond is tasteless, odourless, strong, brittle solid, colourless in pure form, a poor conductor of e ...
with four loop ramps, so that all traffic using the interchange had to pass under the bridge and thus through the toll plaza. The new configuration was built .
The freeway takes a brief jog to the northeast before crossing over a Burlington Northern Santa Fe
BNSF Railway is the largest freight railroad in the United States. One of six North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 36,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and over 8,000 locomotives. It has three Transcontinental railroad, transcontine ...
rail line southeast of Riverdale. In the median
The median of a set of numbers is the value separating the higher half from the lower half of a Sample (statistics), data sample, a statistical population, population, or a probability distribution. For a data set, it may be thought of as the “ ...
at mile 26 is the Belle Plaine Service Area. North of the service plaza, the highway bridges the Ninnescah River and then K-55/East 90th Avenue North. No interchange is present to allow turnpike travelers to connect to the K-55.
The turnpike's next interchange is exit 33 ( Mulvane), which connects to K-53/East 119th Street South via a trumpet ramp, just east of the west end of K-53 at US-81. The interchange was built . It was reconstructed in 2011 to serve the Kansas Star Casino
The Kansas Star Casino is a casino and hotel in western Mulvane, Kansas, United States, owned and managed by Boyd Gaming. It is located on the west side of the I-35 ( Kansas Turnpike).
The resort includes the Kansas Star Arena, a multipurpose ...
with roundabouts
A roundabout, a rotary and a traffic circle are types of circular intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction around a central island, and priority is typically given to traffic already in the junct ...
on each side of the flyover. The east roundabout directs traffic to K-53. The west roundabout directs traffic to the casino. There is now a toll booth on the casino side of the intersection as well as the one on the entrance to K-53. This interchange straddles the Sumner– Sedgwick county line.
In southern Sedgwick County, the Kansas Turnpike enters the Wichita metropolitan area
The Wichita, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget, is an area consisting of four counties in south central Kansas, its only principal city is Wichita, Kansas, Wichita and its only c ...
. Exit 39 ( Haysville) serves two of Wichita's southern suburbs. This exit is a diamond interchange with a connector road (South Mead Drive) to East 71st Street South, which runs west to US-81 and Haysville and east to Derby
Derby ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area on the River Derwent, Derbyshire, River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original co ...
. It was built . Now in Wichita proper, the highway reaches exit 42 (South Wichita), which is the south end of I-135. I-135 heads north through Wichita, the largest city in Kansas, toward Salina; US-81 joins at the first interchange and I-235 begins at the second. The interchange is a simple trumpet with I-135, and opened in 1956 with the turnpike, but the connector ended at 47th Street (now US-81) until .
After passing exit 42, the turnpike curves away from US-81, turning northeast toward El Dorado and Emporia. It crosses the Arkansas River
The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's source basin lies in Colorado, specifically ...
between exits 42 and 45. Exit 45 (Wichita) is a trumpet connection to K-15/Southeast Boulevard and Turnpike Drive in southern Wichita. It opened in 1956 as one of the original interchanges. As the highway continues northeast through Wichita, it comes to exit 50 (East Wichita), a double-trumpet connection to the parallel Kellogg Avenue, which carries US-54 and US-400. It is one of the original 1956 interchanges. Exit 53, the final Wichita exit, is a trumpet connection to the K-96
K96 or K-96 may refer to:
*K-96 (Kansas highway)
K-96 is a state highway in central and southern Kansas. Its western terminus is at the Colorado state line east of Towner, Colorado, where it continues as Colorado State Highway 96; its easte ...
freeway. The connector road junctions K-96 at a four-ramp partial cloverleaf
A partial cloverleaf interchange or parclo is a modification of a cloverleaf interchange.
The design has been well received, and has since become one of the most popular freeway-to-arterial road, arterial Interchange (road), interchange designs ...
interchange and ends at North 127th Street East. The interchange opened along with the nearby piece of K-96.
East of exit 53, the turnpike passes into Butler County. Exit 57 (Andover
Andover may refer to:
Places Australia
*Andover, Tasmania
Canada
* Andover Parish, New Brunswick
* Perth-Andover, New Brunswick
United Kingdom
* Andover, Hampshire, England
** RAF Andover, a former Royal Air Force station
United States
* Andov ...
) connects to East 21st Street northeast of downtown Andover, an eastern suburb of Wichita. The turnpike uses a diamond interchange with the connector road (Southwest Cross Road) to East 21st Street. This interchange opened . The turnpike then crosses the Whitewater River southwest of the Towanda Service Area in the median at mile 65. From the service area, the highway proceeds northeast to exit 71 (El Dorado
El Dorado () is a mythical city of gold supposedly located somewhere in South America. The king of this city was said to be so rich that he would cover himself from head to foot in gold dust – either daily or on certain ceremonial occasions � ...
), a trumpet connection to K-254 just east of its junction with K-196. The connector originally directly intersected K-254, but it now ends between K-254/West Central Avenue and West 6th Avenue at Boyer Road just north of K-254. Exit 71 opened with the original turnpike in 1956. North of El Dorado, exit 76 (El Dorado) connects the Kansas Turnpike to US-77/North Main Street via a trumpet ramp. It opened .
After passing through El Dorado, the Kansas Turnpike crosses the northernmost arms of El Dorado Lake. This marks the turnpike's entry into the Flint Hills
The Flint Hills, historically known as Bluestem Pastures or Blue Stem Hills, are a region of hills and prairies that lie mostly in eastern Kansas. It is named for the abundant residual flint eroded from the bedrock that lies near or at the surfa ...
, a band of hills in eastern Kansas. The turnpike does not leave this region completely until it reaches Topeka. As the highway continues northeast past El Dorado Lake, it runs roughly parallel to the Walnut River to the west, which feeds the reservoir, and K-177 to the east. Northwest of the town of Cassoday, K-177 finally crosses the turnpike, with exit 92 (Cassoday), a diamond interchange, providing a connector to the state highway. The interchange was not present when the turnpike opened in 1956 but was built soon after as an east-facing folded diamond with two separate toll plazas. The present configuration was built c. 1995. Near this interchange, the turnpike crosses the Walnut River.
Northeast of the Cassoday interchange, the Kansas Turnpike enters Chase County. In the median at mile 97, just north of the county line, is the Matfield Green Service Area. Approximately northeast of the service area, an interchange provides access to a set of cattle pens southeast of Bazaar
A bazaar or souk is a marketplace consisting of multiple small Market stall, stalls or shops, especially in the Middle East, the Balkans, Central Asia, North Africa and South Asia. They are traditionally located in vaulted or covered streets th ...
. Other than these two service exits, there are no interchanges within Chase County; upon leaving it, the turnpike passes into Lyon County.
The next interchange along the turnpike is exit 127 (Emporia). At this trumpet interchange, I-35
Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexico–Uni ...
leaves the turnpike to head east through Emporia, the county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
of Lyon County, on its way northeast to Kansas City
The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...
via Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...
. The interchange, as opened in 1956 with the original turnpike, connected directly to US-50 at Overlander Street; a different configuration opened along with the connecting piece of I-35. In 2005, the KTA approved reconstruction of the Emporia interchange to improve connections to US-50, I-35, and the city of Emporia, resulting in the present configuration. This project, funded by the KTA, the Kansas Department of Transportation
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KSDOT) is a state government organization in charge of maintaining public roadways of the U.S. state of Kansas.
Funding issues
Since 2012, over $2 billion has been diverted from its coffers to the Kans ...
(KDOT), and the city of Emporia, was completed in 2008.
Emporia to Topeka
After the split with I-35, the Kansas Turnpike continues northeast as I-335. However, its exits are numbered as if I-35 had continued along it. This highway exists entirely as a part of the Kansas Turnpike. In fact, until 1987, this stretch of the turnpike was designated solely as the Kansas Turnpike without an Interstate number. It was only after a change in the National Maximum Speed Law
The National Maximum Speed Limit (NMSL) was a provision of the federal government of the United States 1974 Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act that effectively prohibited speed limits higher than . The limit was increased to in 1987. I ...
, when state legislators were given the authority to raise the speed limits on rural Interstate Highways to , that this segment of the Kansas Turnpike was given the I-335 designation so that it could fall under the new law.
Northeast of Emporia, the Emporia Service Area is in the median at mile 132. The turnpike continues northeast through the northern reaches of the Flint Hills, coming to an interchange with US 56 near Admire. This interchange, exit 147, is the only interchange along the I-335 section of the turnpike other than the two end junctions. It is a trumpet connection to US 56, which heads west to Council Grove and east to Osage City, and was one of the original 1956 interchanges.
From the Admire exit, the Kansas Turnpike continues northeast, passing through the southeast corner of Wabaunsee County and the northwestern part of Osage County. The turnpike enters Shawnee County and continues through rural land before it heads into the Topeka
Topeka ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County, Kansas, Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeaste ...
area. Here, the roadway has an interchange that serves I-470 and US 75
U.S. Route 75 is a north–south U.S. Highway that runs in the central United States. The highway's northern terminus is located at the Canadian border near Noyes, Minnesota, at a now-closed border crossing. From this point, the highway ...
at exit 177. At this point, I-335 ends and I-470 joins the turnpike as it passes through suburban development in the southeastern part of Topeka. In the eastern portion of the city, the highway reaches an interchange with I-70
Interstate 70 (I-70) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to I-695 and Maryland Route 570 (MD 570) in Woodlawn, just outside Baltimore, Maryland.
I-70 appr ...
, US 40
U.S. Route 40 or U.S. Highway 40 (US 40), also known as the Main Street of America (a nickname shared with U.S. Route 66), is a major east–west United States Highway traveling across the United States from the Mountain States to the Mid- ...
, and K-4 at exits 182 and 183.
Topeka to Kansas City
The remainder of the turnpike runs on I-70 from Topeka to the turnpike's eastern terminus in Kansas City. This is one of only two tolled sections of I-70. The turnpike continues east along I-70 and crosses Tecumseh Creek. The Topeka Service Area is located on the north side of the road east of here at mile 188. It is accessed by ramps on the right side of the highway in both directions. Just east of the service area, the turnpike enters Douglas County while passing over US 40 without an interchange. The route then curves to the southeast and runs roughly parallel to US 40. A series of curves takes the turnpike farther east as it reaches exit 197 (Lecompton
Lecompton (pronounced ) is a city in Douglas County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 588. Lecompton, located on the Kansas River, was the ''de jure'' territorial capital of Kansas from 1855 to 18 ...
), a folded diamond interchange with the western terminus of K-10. After this, the highway continues farther east and enters the city of Lawrence, where it shares a diamond interchange with McDonald Drive at exit 202 (West Lawrence). McDonald Drive leads to US 59
U.S. Route 59 (US 59) is a north–south U.S. highway (though it was signed east–west in parts of Texas). A latecomer to the U.S. Highway System, US 59 is now a border-to-border route, part of the NAFTA Corridor Highway System. It par ...
south of the turnpike. East of here, the highway bends east-northeasterly, crosses the Kansas River, and then intersects US 40 and US 59, which run concurrently, at exit 204 (East Lawrence).
The Kansas Turnpike then leaves Lawrence and bends to the northeast before leaving Douglas County and entering Leavenworth. It overpasses Mud Creek before passing under K-32. Northeast of here at mile 209, the Lawrence Service Area is in the median. Afterward, the turnpike has a diamond interchange with 222nd Street, which is signed as Leavenworth County Road 1, at exit 212 ( Tonganoxie/ Eudora). The highway then travels northeast and passes through it eastern terminal toll booth. This is the final toll booth on the route traveling east, and all vehicles must pay their final toll before continuing. The turnpike then enters Bonner Springs. It crosses Wolf Creek before leaving Leavenworth County and entering Wyandotte County. In Bonner Springs, the turnpike intersects K-7, westbound US 24, westbound US 40, and the southern terminus of US 73
U.S. Route 73 (US 73) is a north–south United States highway that runs for from northeast Kansas to southeast Nebraska. The highway's southern terminus is Bonner Springs, Kansas at I-70. Its northern terminus is near Dawson, Nebraska a ...
at exit 224 (Bonner Springs, formerly exit 223) with a trumpet interchange. This is the first free exit eastbound. The mileposts on the route switch to match those of I-70 after this interchange.
US 24 and US 40 run concurrently with I-70 and the Kansas Turnpike as it heads east toward Kansas City. Exit 410 on the turnpike is a diamond interchange with North 110th Street. This interchange is located just south of the Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway (formerly known as Kansas International Speedway in initial planning and construction stages) is a tri-oval Oval track racing#Intermediate, intermediate speedway in Kansas City, Kansas. The track, since its inaugural season of ...
. Just east of here, the route intersects I-435
Interstate 435 (I-435) is an Interstate Highway beltway that encircles much of the Kansas City metropolitan area within the states of Kansas and Missouri in the United States.
Route description
I-435, a loop route of I-35, is long and i ...
at exit 411. This exit uses a cloverleaf interchange with one directional ramp and collector–distributor roads to avoid issues with traffic exiting immediately north of the turnpike. After this interchange, the highway enters Kansas City.
The turnpike's first exit in the city is exit 414, a diamond interchange with North 78th Street. Next, the highway curves slightly to the northeast and intersects the Turner Diagonal at exit 415, an interchange consisting of a half-cloverleaf interchange for the western ramps and a Y-interchange for the eastern ramps that intersects the Turner Diagonal at a trumpet interchange north of the turnpike. East of here, the route has a diamond interchange with North 57th Street at exit 417. Directly east of North 57th Street, the turnpike crosses Brenner Heights Creek. After this, the turnpike continues due east to a fully directional interchange with I-635 at exit 418.
After this interchange, the freeway bends in a southeastern direction and reaches its final exit, exit 420. This exit is a cloverleaf interchange with US 69, which is also known as the 18th Street Expressway. At this interchange, US 69 turns east to overlap I-70, US 40, and US 24, and the highways continue east of exit 420 toward Kansas City, Missouri.
Design
Because the Kansas Turnpike was built before the Interstate Highway System, it is not engineered to current Interstate Highway standards
Standards for Interstate Highways in the United States are defined by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in the publication ''A Policy on Design Standards: Interstate System''. For a certain highway t ...
; however, as with all other toll roads that predated the Interstate Highway System, the highway was grandfathered to Interstate standards. The turnpike was originally constructed with lanes only wide. Notably, the turnpike was built without a median
The median of a set of numbers is the value separating the higher half from the lower half of a Sample (statistics), data sample, a statistical population, population, or a probability distribution. For a data set, it may be thought of as the “ ...
. When it opened, the central reservation was a depressed median. Starting in 1985, Jersey barrier
A Jersey barrier, Jersey wall, or Jersey bump is a modular concrete or plastic barrier employed to separate lanes of traffic. It is designed to minimize vehicle damage in cases of incidental contact while still preventing vehicle crossovers resu ...
s were installed along its entire length.
Kansas Turnpike milepost
A milestone is a numbered marker placed on a route such as a road, railway, railway line, canal or border, boundary. They can indicate the distance to towns, cities, and other places or landmarks like Mileage sign, mileage signs; or they c ...
s are continuous along the entire length of the turnpike. Originally, milepost numbering began with 0 at the junction of the 18th Street Expressway and counted up as one traveled west then south, with milepost 236 appearing at the southern terminus. Then, in 1973, the KTA completely reversed the numbering, and now milemarkers begin at the point where I-35 enters Kansas at the southern border. These numbers are continued along the other three Interstates that make up the turnpike, rather than numbering each Interstate individually, leading to discontinuous numbering on I-70—the exit numbers on tolled I-70 are much lower than those on free I-70.
The majority of the Kansas Turnpike, from the Oklahoma state line to Topeka, was constructed with asphalt
Asphalt most often refers to:
* Bitumen, also known as "liquid asphalt cement" or simply "asphalt", a viscous form of petroleum mainly used as a binder in asphalt concrete
* Asphalt concrete, a mixture of bitumen with coarse and fine aggregates, u ...
. The from Topeka to Kansas City was built with Portland cement
Portland cement is the most common type of cement in general use around the world as a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar (masonry), mortar, stucco, and non-specialty grout. It was developed from other types of hydraulic lime in England in th ...
concrete. Curves along the turnpike are limited to 3° and grades limited to 3%. Early reports said that curves were designed to accommodate speeds of . When built, the turnpike was designed to allow axle loads. Minimum sight distances were kept at . The right-of-way featured fenced edges to prevent cattle from entering the roadway and to discourage toll evasion.
Speed limits
When the turnpike was originally opened, it had no posted speed limit. However, "drivers ould Ould is an English surname as well as an element of many Arabic names. In Arabic contexts it is a transliteration of the word wikt:ولد, ولد, meaning "son".
Notable people with this surname include:
English surname
* Edward Ould (1852–190 ...
be 'hailed down' if they exceed d". In 1970, the speed limit was reduced to during the day and at night; authorities cited accidents caused by excess speed.[ ] Nationwide, the speed limit was reduced to on January 2, 1974; Kansas delayed implementing the reduction until the deadline on March 2, 1974.
When Congress allowed states to increase their speed limits to , Kansas increased the speed limit on most of the turnpike; the Emporia–Topeka segment did not have an Interstate designation to allow for an increase there. Other sections through urban areas remained at the lower limits as well. KDOT requested an Interstate designation for the Emporia–Topeka segment of the turnpike by May 1987, which they received on October 23, 1987, when that section was given the I-335 designation to allow for a speed limit. Later, in November 1995, Congress repealed the National Maximum Speed Limit; Kansas initially left its limits alone after the repeal. Legislation that raised the speed limits to took effect on March 22, 1996.
On July 1, 2011, the speed limit on most of the Kansas Turnpike was raised once again to as part of a set of speed limit increases affecting several rural Interstates and U.S. Highways throughout Kansas. The minimum speed is .
Services
The KTA provides a number of services to help motorists and provide incentives for using the turnpike. KTA broadcasts a travel radio station at 1610 AM from Wellington
Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...
, Wichita, El Dorado
El Dorado () is a mythical city of gold supposedly located somewhere in South America. The king of this city was said to be so rich that he would cover himself from head to foot in gold dust – either daily or on certain ceremonial occasions � ...
, Cassoday, Emporia, Admire, East Topeka, and West Lawrence. Law enforcement is provided by a separate Turnpike Division of the Kansas Highway Patrol. Motorists needing assistance can use a roadside assistance hotline by dialing *KTA
(*582
) on a mobile phone
A mobile phone or cell phone is a portable telephone that allows users to make and receive calls over a radio frequency link while moving within a designated telephone service area, unlike fixed-location phones ( landline phones). This rad ...
. Statewide weather and traffic conditions can be accessed by dialing 511
. The KTA also provides weather and traffic information on their website. The original service areas were spaced apart.
There are six service areas located along the highway:
*The Belle Plaine Service Area (mile 26) opened on July 24, 2003, replacing a previous structure at the site that had been destroyed by a grease fire. It contains a 24-hour gas station and convenience store
A convenience store, convenience shop, bakkal, bodega, corner store, corner shop, superette or mini-mart is a small retail store that stocks a range of everyday items such as convenience food, groceries, beverages, tobacco products, lotter ...
(Love's
Love's Travel Stops, doing business as Love's (or stylized as Loves), is an American family-owned and -operated chain of more than 650 truck stops in 42 states in the United States. The company is privately owned and headquartered in Oklahoma ...
), a fast food restaurant (McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation, doing business as McDonald's, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain. As of 2024, it is the second largest by number of locations in the world, behind only the Chinese ch ...
), a weather kiosk, a Kansas Travel Information Center, and a gift shop.
*The Towanda Service Area (mile 65, six miles south of El Dorado
El Dorado () is a mythical city of gold supposedly located somewhere in South America. The king of this city was said to be so rich that he would cover himself from head to foot in gold dust – either daily or on certain ceremonial occasions � ...
) provides a 24-hour gas station and convenience store and a weather kiosk.
*The Matfield Green Service Area (mile 97) shares the design of the Towanda service area, and also provides a 24-hour gas station and convenience store, and a weather kiosk. The service area at Matfield Green also contains a memorial to Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne
Knute Kenneth Rockne (; March 4, 1888 – March 31, 1931) was an American football player and coach at the University of Notre Dame. Leading Notre Dame for 13 seasons, Rockne accumulated over 100 wins and three national championships.
Rockne is ...
, who died in a 1931 plane crash near Bazaar
A bazaar or souk is a marketplace consisting of multiple small Market stall, stalls or shops, especially in the Middle East, the Balkans, Central Asia, North Africa and South Asia. They are traditionally located in vaulted or covered streets th ...
, a few miles north of the service area.
*The Emporia Service Area (mile 132), like the two service areas to the south, includes a 24-hour gas station and convenience store and two fast food restaurants. Additionally, the facility provides an outdoor exercise area and playground
A playground, playpark, or play area is a place designed to provide an environment for children that facilitates play, typically outdoors. While a playground is usually designed for children, some are designed for other age groups, or people wi ...
for children.
*The Topeka
Topeka ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County, Kansas, Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeaste ...
Service Area (mile 188) opened in May 2002. This service plaza features a gift shop and a 24-hour gas station and Love's
Love's Travel Stops, doing business as Love's (or stylized as Loves), is an American family-owned and -operated chain of more than 650 truck stops in 42 states in the United States. The company is privately owned and headquartered in Oklahoma ...
convenience store. Previously, five restaurants (including Hardee's
Hardee's Restaurants LLC is an American Fast food restaurant, fast-food restaurant chain operated by CKE Restaurants, CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc. ("CKE") with locations primarily in the Southern and Midwestern United States. The company has ...
, Taco Bell
Taco Bell Corp. is an American multinational chain of fast food restaurants founded in 1962 by Glen Bell (1923–2010) in Downey, California. Taco Bell is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. The restaurants serve a variety of Mexican-inspired ...
, Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut, LLC is an American multinational pizza restaurant chain and international franchise founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas, by brothers Dan and Frank Carney. The chain, headquartered in Plano, Texas, operates 19,866 restaurants worldw ...
and Dunkin Donuts) operated in the plaza, but all closed on April 14, 2023. A McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation, doing business as McDonald's, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain. As of 2024, it is the second largest by number of locations in the world, behind only the Chinese ch ...
opened in that space in September 2023. Godfather's Pizza
Godfather's Pizza is an American privately owned restaurant chain headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, that operates fast casual Italian franchises and pizza express locations.
History
Godfather's Pizza was founded in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1973. Wi ...
has also opened an outlet, with individual-sized pizzas and breadsticks available. Prior to this plaza's opening, a service area was in the median between exits 182 and 183. It closed in May 2002 when the present Topeka Service Area opened.
*The Lawrence Service Area (mile 209) consists of a 24-hour gas station and Love's convenience store, in addition to a 24-hour McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation, doing business as McDonald's, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain. As of 2024, it is the second largest by number of locations in the world, behind only the Chinese ch ...
.
Exit list
See also
*
*
Footnotes
References
External links
Kansas Turnpike Authority
* Kansas Highway Maps
Current
Historic
, KDOT
Kansas Turnpike Authority Annual Reports
(KGI Library)
Publications by Kansas Turnpike Authority in KGI Online Library
Driven By Vision
(Short history of Kansas Turnpike at KGI Online Library)]
{{3di, 35
Freeways in the United States
Interstate 35
Interstate 70
Toll roads in Kansas
Tolled sections of Interstate Highways
Transportation in Sumner County, Kansas
Transportation in Sedgwick County, Kansas
Transportation in Butler County, Kansas
Transportation in Chase County, Kansas
Transportation in Lyon County, Kansas
Transportation in Wabaunsee County, Kansas
Transportation in Osage County, Kansas
Transportation in Shawnee County, Kansas
Transportation in Douglas County, Kansas
Transportation in Leavenworth County, Kansas
Transportation in Wyandotte County, Kansas
1956 establishments in Kansas