KsStoryIhistory1940s

Kansas Interstate History

Kansas Interstates have a long and rich history. Click on the links below to view milestones in each decade.

1940's | 1950's | 1960's | 1970's | 1980's | 1990's | 2000-2005

1940s

1945
June 5 - the State Highway Commission named routes to be considered as Interstates. Included were:

US-24
US-40
US-50
US-81
US-69
US-75 from Topeka to the Nebraska state line

1946
May 22 - the State Highway Commission asked that Interstate routes include:

Route 1 - from Kansas-Colorado line via Goodland, Hays, Ellsworth, Salina, Junction City, Topeka to Kansas City
Route 2 - from Oklahoma state line via Wichita, Newton, Emporia, Ottawa to Kansas City
Route 3 - the US-66 route in southeast Kansas

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To request an alternative accessible format of a KDOT publication, please contact Division of Communications :
Eisenhower Building - 700 SW Harrison, 2nd Floor West, Topeka, KS, 66603-3745, or (785) 296-3585 (Voice)/Hearing Impaired - 711.