124-590: The Kansas Turnpike is a 236-mile (380 km) controlled-access toll road that lies entirely within the US state of Kansas . It runs in a general southwest–northeast direction from the Oklahoma border to Kansas City . It passes through several major Kansas cities, including Wichita , Topeka , and Lawrence . The turnpike is owned and maintained by the Kansas Turnpike Authority (KTA), which
248-663: A dual highway ) in 1932 between Cologne and Bonn . It then rapidly constructed the first nationwide system of such roads. The first North American freeways (known as parkways) opened in the New York City area in the 1920s. Britain, heavily influenced by the railways, did not build its first motorway , the Preston By-pass ( M6 ), until 1958. Most technologically advanced nations feature an extensive network of freeways or motorways to provide high-capacity urban travel, or high-speed rural travel, or both. Many have
372-466: A median separates the opposite directions of traffic. This strip may be as simple as a grassy area, or may include a crash barrier such as a " Jersey barrier " or an "Ontario Tall Wall" to prevent head-on collisions . On some freeways, the two carriageways are built on different alignments; this may be done to make use of available corridors in a mountainous area or to provide narrower corridors through dense urban areas . Control of access relates to
496-646: A 24-hour period. Flash flooding along Slate Creek caused that tributary of the Arkansas River to inundate the turnpike four miles (6.4 km) 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. The Kansas Turnpike uses all-electronic tolling since July 1, 2024. Cash
620-440: A K-TAG transponder or via license plate recognition . The turnpike is self-sustaining; it derives its entire revenue from the tolls collected and requires no additional tax money for maintenance or administration. 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 and Kansas City via southeastern Kansas and US-69 . By
744-561: A class of highways with somewhat less isolation from other traffic. In countries following the Vienna convention , the motorway qualification implies that walking and parking are forbidden. A fully controlled-access highway provides an unhindered flow of traffic, with no traffic signals , intersections or property access . They are free of any at-grade crossings with other roads, railways, or pedestrian paths, which are instead carried by overpasses and underpasses . Entrances and exits to
868-707: A cloverleaf and trumpet interchange when it opened in 1937, and until the Second World War , boasted the longest illuminated stretch of roadway built. A decade later, the first section of Highway 401 was opened, based on earlier designs. It has since gone on to become the busiest highway in the world. The word freeway was first used in February 1930 by Edward M. Bassett . Bassett argued that roads should be classified into three basic types: highways, parkways , and freeways. In Bassett's zoning and property law -based system, abutting property owners have
992-498: 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 freeway. The connector road junctions K-96 at a four-ramp partial cloverleaf interchange and ends at North 127th Street East. The interchange opened c. 1994 along with the nearby piece of K-96. East of exit 53,
1116-620: A freeway, specialized pedestrian footbridges or tunnels may also be provided. These structures enable pedestrians and cyclists to cross the freeway at that point without a detour to the nearest road crossing. Access to freeways is typically provided only at grade-separated interchanges , though lower-standard right-in/right-out (left-in/left-out in countries that drive on the left) access can be used for direct connections to side roads. In many cases, sophisticated interchanges allow for smooth, uninterrupted transitions between intersecting freeways and busy arterial roads . However, sometimes it
1240-434: A larger number of guide signs than other roads, and the signs themselves are physically larger. Guide signs are often mounted on overpasses or overhead gantries so that drivers can see where each lane goes. Exit numbers are commonly derived from the exit's distance in miles or kilometers from the start of the freeway. In some areas, there are public rest areas or service areas on freeways, as well as emergency phones on
1364-499: A legal status which limits the types of vehicles that can use a highway, as well as a road design that limits the points at which they can access it. Major arterial roads will often have partial access control , meaning that side roads will intersect the main road at grade, instead of using interchanges, but driveways may not connect directly to the main road, and drivers must use intersecting roads to access adjacent land. At arterial junctions with relatively quiet side roads, traffic
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#17327726086241488-527: A milepost system but does not use milepost markers. In Europe and some other countries, motorways typically have similar characteristics such as: Two-lane freeways , often undivided, are sometimes built when traffic volumes are low or right-of-way is limited; they may be designed for easy conversion to one side of a four-lane freeway. (For example, most of the Bert T. Combs Mountain Parkway in eastern Kentucky
1612-447: A motorway is understood as a public road with dual carriageways and at least two lanes each way. All entrances and exits are signposted and all interchanges are grade separated. Central barrier or median present throughout the road. No crossing is permitted, while stopping is permitted only in an emergency. Restricted access to motor vehicles, prohibited to pedestrians, animals, pedal cycles, mopeds, agricultural vehicles. The minimum speed
1736-777: A national-level or even international-level (e.g. European E route ) system of route numbering . There are several international standards that give some definitions of words such as motorways, but there is no formal definition of the English language words such as freeway , motorway , and expressway , or of the equivalent words in other languages such as autoroute , Autobahn , autostrada , autocesta, autoput , that are accepted worldwide—in most cases these words are defined by local statute or design standards or regional international treaties. Descriptions that are widely used include: One green or blue symbol (like [REDACTED] ) appears at motorway entry in countries that follow
1860-572: A new Intercity Viaduct to Kansas City, Missouri—did not go anywhere. But the fourth proposal, a toll bridge 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,
1984-600: A number of patterns. The actual pattern is determined by a number of factors including local topology, traffic density, land cost, building costs, type of road, etc. In some jurisdictions feeder/distributor lanes are common, especially for cloverleaf interchanges ; in others, such as the United Kingdom, where the roundabout interchange is common, feeder/distributor lanes are seldom seen. Motorways in Europe typically differ between exits and junctions. An exit leads out of
2108-624: A park and where intersecting streets crossed over bridges. The Southern State Parkway opened in 1927, while the Long Island Motor Parkway was closed in 1937 and replaced by the Northern State Parkway (opened 1931) and the contiguous Grand Central Parkway (opened 1936). In Germany, construction of the Bonn-Cologne Autobahn began in 1929 and was opened in 1932 by Konrad Adenauer , then
2232-549: 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 , when state legislators were given the authority to raise the speed limits on rural Interstate Highways to 65 mph (105 km/h), that this segment of the Kansas Turnpike was given
2356-511: 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
2480-503: 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 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 in the median over its entire length. On opening, there
2604-457: A private venture, was the world's first limited-access roadway. It included many modern features, including banked turns , guard rails and reinforced concrete tarmac . Traffic could turn left between the parkway and connectors, crossing oncoming traffic, so it was not a controlled-access highway (or "freeway" as later defined by the federal government's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices ). Modern controlled-access highways originated in
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#17327726086242728-609: A reduction in deaths in a range from 20% to 50% on those sections. Speed, in Europe, is considered to be one of the main contributory factors to collisions. Some countries, such as France and Switzerland, have achieved a death reduction by a better monitoring of speed. Tools used for monitoring speed might be an increase in traffic density; improved speed enforcement and stricter regulation leading to driver license withdrawal; safety cameras; penalty point; and higher fines. Some other countries use automatic time-over-distance cameras (also known as section controls ) to manage speed. Fatigue
2852-469: 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
2976-417: 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
3100-493: A separate roadway or altogether eliminates it. In some parts of the world, notably parts of the US , frontage roads form an integral part of the freeway system. These parallel surface roads provide a transition between high-speed "through" traffic and local traffic. Frequent slip-ramps provide access between the freeway and the frontage road, which in turn provides direct access to local roads and businesses. Except on some two-lane freeways (and very rarely on wider freeways),
3224-510: A similar system of express and local lanes for a maximum width of 21 lanes on a 2-mile (3.2 km) segment between Interstate 805 and California State Route 56 . In Mississauga , Ontario, Highway 401 uses collector-express lanes for a total of 18 lanes through its intersection with Highway 403 / Highway 410 and Highway 427 . These wide freeways may use separate collector and express lanes to separate through traffic from local traffic, or special high-occupancy vehicle lanes , either as
3348-510: 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
3472-409: 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,
3596-411: A special restriction on the innermost lane or a separate roadway, to encourage carpooling . These HOV lanes , or roadways open to all traffic, can be reversible lanes , providing more capacity in the direction of heavy traffic, and reversing direction before traffic switches. Sometimes a collector/distributor road , a shorter version of a local lane, shifts weaving between closely spaced interchanges to
3720-433: 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 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
3844-460: 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. 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
Kansas Turnpike - Misplaced Pages Continue
3968-460: 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
4092-753: Is compatible with the SunPass system in Florida as of February 2023, but not currently on roads maintained by the Central Florida Expressway Authority . 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 system in the eastern United States. Prior to 2024, the turnpike used a ticket-based collection system . When entering
4216-735: Is controlled mainly by two-way stop signs which do not impose significant interruptions on traffic using the main highway. Roundabouts are often used at busier intersections in Europe because they help minimize interruptions in flow, while traffic signals that create greater interference with traffic are still preferred in North America. There may be occasional interchanges with other major arterial roads. Examples include US 23 between SR 15 's eastern terminus and Delaware, Ohio , along with SR 15 between its eastern terminus and I-75 , US 30 , SR 29 / US 33 , and US 35 in western and central Ohio. This type of road
4340-626: Is headquartered in Wichita. The Kansas Turnpike was built from 1954 to 1956, predating the Interstate Highway System . 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 . The turnpike also carries
4464-655: Is necessary to exit onto a surface road to transfer from one freeway to another. One example in the United States (notorious for the resulting congestion) is the connection from Interstate 70 to the Pennsylvania Turnpike ( Interstate 70 and Interstate 76 ) through the town of Breezewood, Pennsylvania . Speed limits are generally higher on freeways and are occasionally nonexistent (as on much of Germany's Autobahn network). Because higher speeds reduce decision time, freeways are usually equipped with
4588-478: Is no longer accepted. Tolls are instead paid using K-TAG (or compatible transponder) or via license plate recognition , which sends a bill to the vehicle's registered owner. As of 2024, 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
4712-450: Is not lower than 50 km/h [31 mph] and the maximum speed is not higher than 130 km/h [81 mph] (except Germany where no speed limit is defined). Motorways are designed to carry heavy traffic at high speed with the lowest possible number of accidents. They are also designed to collect long-distance traffic from other roads, so that conflicts between long-distance traffic and local traffic are avoided. According to
4836-599: 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 c. 1985 . It was reconstructed in 2011 to serve the Kansas Star Casino with roundabouts on each side of the flyover. The east roundabout directs traffic to K-53. The west roundabout directs traffic to
4960-431: Is provided with separate carriageways for the two directions of traffic). Principal arterials may cross through urban areas, serving suburban movements. The traffic is characterized by high speeds and full or partial access control (interchanges or junctions controlled by traffic lights). Other roads leading to a principal arterial are connected to it through side collector roads. In this view, CARE's definition stands that
5084-407: Is sometimes called an expressway . Freeways are usually limited to motor vehicles of a minimum power or weight; signs may prohibit cyclists , pedestrians and equestrians and impose a minimum speed. It is possible for non-motorized traffic to use facilities within the same right-of-way, such as sidewalks constructed along freeway-standard bridges and multi-use paths next to freeways such as
Kansas Turnpike - Misplaced Pages Continue
5208-480: Is specially sign-posted as a motorway and is reserved for specific categories of road motor vehicles." Urban motorways are also included in this definition. However, the respective national definitions and the type of roads covered may present slight differences in different EU countries. The first version of modern controlled-access highways evolved during the first half of the 20th century. The Long Island Motor Parkway on Long Island , New York , opened in 1908 as
5332-545: Is the result of several changes, including infrastructure safety and road user behavior (speed or seat belt use), while other matters such as vehicle safety and mobility patterns have an impact that has not been quantified. Motorways are the safest roads by design. While accounting for more than one quarter of all kilometres driven, they contributed only 8% of the total number of European road deaths in 2006. Germany's Federal Highway Research Institute provided International Road Traffic and Accident Database (IRTAD) statistics for
5456-408: Is two lanes, but work has begun to make all of it four-lane.) These are often called Super two roads. Several such roads are infamous for a high rate of lethal crashes; an outcome because they were designed for short sight distances (sufficient for freeways without oncoming traffic, but insufficient for the years in service as two-lane road with oncoming traffic). An example of such a "Highway to Hell"
5580-656: The Bonner Springs interchange, exit numbers change to match the mileage of I-70 east from the Colorado border, which is also used on I-70 west of the turnpike. This results in discontinuous exit numbers on I-70. The first 127 miles (204 km) of the highway, between its southern terminus at the Oklahoma border and Emporia, Kansas , are designated as I-35 . 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
5704-629: The Dartford Crossing (the furthest downstream public crossing of the River Thames ) or where it was not economic to build a motorway alongside the existing road such as the former Cumberland Gap . The A1 is a good example of piece-wise upgrading to motorway standard—as of January 2013, the 639-kilometre-long (397 mi) route had five stretches of motorway (designated as A1(M)), reducing to four stretches in March 2018 with completion of
5828-813: The Suncoast Trail along the Suncoast Parkway in Florida . In some US jurisdictions, especially where freeways replace existing roads, non-motorized access on freeways is permitted. Different states of the United States have different laws. Cycling on freeways in Arizona may be prohibited only where there is an alternative route judged equal or better for cycling. Wyoming , the second least densely populated state, allows cycling on all freeways. Oregon allows bicycles except on specific urban freeways in Portland and Medford . In countries such as
5952-480: The Topeka area. Here, the roadway has an interchange that serves I-470 and US 75 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 , US 40 , and K-4 at exits 182 and 183. The remainder of the turnpike runs on I-70 from Topeka to
6076-538: The United Kingdom new motorways require an Act of Parliament to ensure restricted right of way. Since upgrading an existing road (the "King's Highway") to a full motorway will result in extinguishing the right of access of certain groups such as pedestrians, cyclists and slow-moving traffic, many controlled access roads are not full motorways. In some cases motorways are linked by short stretches of road where alternative rights of way are not practicable such as
6200-424: The United Kingdom , do not distinguish between the two, but others make a distinction; for example, Germany uses the words Kreuz ("cross") or Dreieck ("triangle") for the former and Ausfahrt ("exit") for the latter. In all cases one road crosses the other via a bridge or a tunnel, as opposed to an at-grade crossing . The inter-connecting roads, or slip-roads , which link the two roads, can follow any one of
6324-493: 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
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#17327726086246448-490: The shoulder at regular intervals. In the United States, mileposts usually start at the southern or westernmost point on the freeway (either its terminus or the state line). California , Ohio and Nevada use postmile systems in which the markers indicate mileage through the state's individual counties. However, Nevada and Ohio also use the standard milepost system concurrently with their respective postmile systems. California numbers its exits off its freeways according to
6572-501: The A1(M) through North Yorkshire . The most frequent way freeways are laid out is by building them from the ground up after obstructions such as forestry or buildings are cleared away. Sometimes they deplete farmland, but other methods have been developed for economic, social and even environmental reasons. Full freeways are sometimes made by converting at-grade expressways or by replacing at-grade intersections with overpasses; however, in
6696-599: 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
6820-728: The Intercity Viaduct by the state. After a ruling from the state supreme court 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 $ 1.33 billion in 2023) 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
6944-502: 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 gantries located on
7068-437: 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. The Kansas Turnpike is 236 miles (380 km) long. As of 2014,
7192-454: The Kansas Turnpike has 22 interchanges and two barrier toll plazas . Many of the interchanges are designed as trumpet interchanges with a connector road to the crossroad, for easy placement of a single toll plaza on the connector. Exit numbers were originally sequential 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
7316-568: The Kansas Turnpike to US-77 /North Main Street via a trumpet ramp. It opened c. 1986 . 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 , 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
7440-557: 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
7564-638: 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,
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#17327726086247688-409: The US, any at-grade intersection that ends a freeway often remains an at-grade intersection. Often, when there is a two-lane undivided freeway or expressway, it is converted by constructing a parallel twin corridor, and leaving a median between the two travel directions. The median-side travel lane of the old two-way corridor becomes a passing lane. Other techniques involve building a new carriageway on
7812-484: The United States, allow for limited exceptions: some movable bridges , for instance the Interstate Bridge on Interstate 5 between Oregon and Washington , do require drivers to stop for ship traffic. The crossing of freeways by other routes is typically achieved with grade separation either in the form of underpasses or overpasses . In addition to sidewalks (pavements) attached to roads that cross
7936-712: The Vienna Convention. Exits are marked with another symbol: [REDACTED] . The definitions of "motorway" from the OECD and PIARC are almost identical. In the European Union , for statistical and safety purposes, some distinction might be made between motorway and expressway . For instance a principal arterial might be considered as: Roads serving long distance and mainly interurban movements. Includes motorways (urban or rural) and expressways (road which does not serve properties bordering on it and which
8060-448: The area, with a gauge at Plymouth reporting 7.1 inches (18 cm) 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 four feet (1.2 m) 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
8184-416: 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
8308-793: The bridge. The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge / Dartford tunnel at London Orbital is an example of this. London Orbital or the M25 is a motorway surrounding London , but at the last River Thames crossing before its mouth, motorway rules do not apply. (At this crossing the London Orbital is labeled A282 instead.) A few of the more common types of junction are shown below: There are many differences between countries in their geography, economy, traffic growth, highway system size, degree of urbanization and motorization, etc.; all of which need to be taken into consideration when comparisons are made. According to some EU papers, safety progress on motorways
8432-623: 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 . 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 . It
8556-492: The common European definition, a motorway is defined as "a road, specially designed and built for motor traffic, which does not serve properties bordering on it, and which: (a) is provided, except at special points or temporarily, with separate carriageways for the two directions of traffic, separated from each other, either by a dividing strip not intended for traffic, or exceptionally by other means; (b) does not cross at level with any road, railway or tramway track, or footpath; (c)
8680-632: 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 (KDOT), and the city of Emporia, was completed in 2008. 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
8804-517: The early 1920s in response to the rapidly increasing use of the automobile , the demand for faster movement between cities and as a consequence of improvements in paving processes, techniques and materials. These original high-speed roads were referred to as " dual highways " and have been modernized and are still in use today. Italy was the first country in the world to build controlled-access highways reserved for fast traffic and for motor vehicles only. The Autostrada dei Laghi ("Lakes Motorway"),
8928-535: 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
9052-485: The first built in the world, connecting Milan to Lake Como and Lake Maggiore , and now parts of the A8 and A9 motorways, was devised by Piero Puricelli and was inaugurated in 1924. This motorway, called autostrada , contained only one lane in each direction and no interchanges. The Bronx River Parkway was the first road in North America to utilize a median strip to separate the opposing lanes, to be constructed through
9176-412: The first half of the 20th century. Italy was the first country in the world to build controlled-access highways reserved for fast traffic and for motor vehicles only. Italy opened its first autostrada in 1924, A8 , connecting Milan to Varese . Germany began to build its first controlled-access autobahn without speed limits (30 kilometres [19 mi] on what is now A555 , then referred to as
9300-494: The floodwater. The median barrier then gave way, sweeping the stalled cars across the southbound lanes and down the creek as far as 1.5 miles (2.4 km) 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 registered over 10 inches (25 cm) of rainfall in
9424-590: The following day. No injuries were reported. The fire caused $ 2 million (equivalent to $ 3.24 million in 2023) 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 11 miles (18 km) southwest of Emporia (turnpike milepost 116). A thunderstorm that evening dropped large amounts of rain in
9548-409: 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
9672-504: The highway are provided at interchanges by slip roads (ramps), which allow for speed changes between the highway and arterials and collector roads . On the controlled-access highway, opposing directions of travel are generally separated by a median strip or central reservation containing a traffic barrier or grass. Elimination of conflicts with other directions of traffic dramatically improves safety, while increasing traffic capacity and speed. Controlled-access highways evolved during
9796-401: 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 four miles (6.4 km) in Kansas. The southernmost interchange on
9920-399: 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
10044-604: The interchange had to pass under the bridge and thus through the toll plaza. The new configuration was built c. 1988 . The freeway takes a brief jog to the northeast before crossing over a Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail line southeast of Riverdale . In the median 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
10168-493: 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
10292-469: The mayor of Cologne . The German Autobahn became the first nationwide highway system. In Canada , the first precursor with semi-controlled access was The Middle Road between Hamilton and Toronto , which featured a median divider between opposing traffic flow, as well as the nation's first cloverleaf interchange . This highway developed into the Queen Elizabeth Way , which featured
10416-436: The mid-1940s, this route had shifted to roughly the present I-35 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 roads were gaining in popularity as a mechanism for funding new superhighways. This trend started with the Pennsylvania Turnpike in 1940, which
10540-400: The motorway system, whilst a junction is a crossing between motorways or a split/merge of two motorways. The motorway rules end at exits, but not at junctions. However, on some bridges, motorways, without changing appearance, temporarily end between the two exits closest to the bridge (or tunnel), and continue as dual carriageways . This is in order to give slower vehicles a possibility to use
10664-507: The opening of the turnpike, a five-mile (8.0 km) connection to US 177 at Braman was put into service on April 22, 1958. Eventually, I-35 was completed south to Oklahoma City . While the initial turnpike was still being built, the KTA authorized four feasibility studies in October ;1954. Three of them—a spur to Leavenworth and Saint Joseph, Missouri ; a spur from Wichita to Hutchinson , Great Bend , and Hays ; and
10788-439: The other. Other methods involve constructing a service drive that shortens the long driveways (typically by less than 100 metres (330 ft)). An interchange or a junction is a highway layout that permits traffic from one controlled-access highway to access another and vice versa, whereas an access point is a highway layout where traffic from a distributor or local road can join a controlled-access highway. Some countries, such as
10912-419: 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
11036-418: The proposed toll road further. With no counterpart to the south, the Kansas Turnpike ended at the state line, at an at-grade intersection 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
11160-478: 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 $ 227,437 in 2023), the KTA's first office was a former barbershop in the Kansas State Capitol . Given Oklahoma 's plans to build a turnpike north from Oklahoma City to
11284-477: The rate is higher than the risk on urban roads. Speeds are higher on rural roads and autobahns than urban roads, increasing the severity potential of a crash. According to ETSC, German motorways without a speed limit, but with a 130 km/h (81 mph) speed recommendation, are 25% more deadly than motorways with a speed limit. Germany also introduced some 130 km/h (81 mph) speed limits on various motorway sections that were not limited. This generated
11408-601: 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
11532-643: The rights of light , air and access to highways, but not parkways and freeways; the latter two are distinguished in that the purpose of a parkway is recreation, while the purpose of a freeway is movement. Thus, as originally conceived, a freeway is simply a strip of public land devoted to movement to which abutting property owners do not have rights of light, air or access. Freeways, by definition, have no at-grade intersections with other roads, railroads or multi-use trails . Therefore, no traffic signals are needed and through traffic on freeways does not normally need to stop at traffic signals. Some countries, such as
11656-419: The service area, the highway proceeds northeast to exit 71 ( El Dorado ), 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
11780-432: The side of a divided highway that has a lot of private access on one side and sometimes has long driveways on the other side since an easement for widening comes into place, especially in rural areas. When a third carriageway is added, sometimes it can shift a directional carriageway by 20–60 metres (50–200 ft) (or maybe more depending on land availability) as a way to retain private access on one side that favors over
11904-426: The southeast and runs roughly parallel to US 40. A series of curves takes the turnpike farther east as it reaches exit 197 ( Lecompton ), 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 south of
12028-632: 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. As of 2024, K-TAG is compatible with NationalPass , used in several other states; PikePass , in neighboring Oklahoma ; ExpressToll, in neighboring Colorado ; and TxTag , EZ TAG , and TollTag in Texas . It
12152-483: The toll plaza is exit 19 ( Wellington ), 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 with four loop ramps, so that all traffic using
12276-575: 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 is the electronic toll collection 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
12400-474: The turnpike curves away from US-81, turning northeast toward El Dorado and Emporia. It crosses the Arkansas River 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),
12524-400: 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 football coach Knute Rockne , 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
12648-737: The turnpike intersects K-7 , westbound US 24 , westbound US 40, and the southern terminus of US 73 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. Controlled-access highway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway , motorway , and expressway . Other similar terms include throughway or thruway and parkway . Some of these may be limited-access highways , although this term can also refer to
12772-414: 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
12896-556: The turnpike passes into Butler County . Exit 57 ( Andover ) 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 c. 1985 . It crosses the Whitewater River southwest of the Towanda Service Area in the median at mile 65. From
13020-460: The turnpike passes into Lyon County . The next interchange along the turnpike is exit 127 (Emporia). At this trumpet interchange, I-35 leaves the turnpike to head east through Emporia, the county seat of Lyon County, on its way northeast to Kansas City via Ottawa . The interchange, as opened in 1956 with the original turnpike, connected directly to US-50 at Overlander Street; a different configuration opened c. 1966 along with
13144-467: 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
13268-478: 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
13392-401: 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
13516-518: 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 $ 734 million in 2023) at end of fiscal year 2017. All costs are paid for by
13640-405: 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,
13764-550: The turnpike. Many of those motorists traveled to Lawrence for a football game between the University of Kansas and University of Oklahoma . Official opening ceremonies were held at interchanges in each of the three major cities on October 25. The Kansas City celebration included Gene Autry jumping his horse through a large paper map of the turnpike. John Masefield , the British Poet Laureate , wrote
13888-541: 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 $ 74.7 million in 2023). 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,
14012-406: The year 2010, comparing overall fatality rates with motorway rates (regardless of traffic intensity): The German autobahn network illustrates the safety trade-offs of controlled access highways. The injury crash rate is very low on autobahns, while 22 people died per 1,000 injury crashes—although autobahns have a lower rate than the 29 deaths per 1,000 injury accidents on conventional rural roads,
14136-443: Was European route E4 from Gävle to Axmartavlan , Sweden. The high rate of crashes with severe personal injuries on that (and similar) roads did not cease until a median crash barrier was installed, transforming the fatal crashes into non-fatal crashes. Otherwise, freeways typically have at least two lanes in each direction; some busy ones can have as many as 16 or more lanes in total. In San Diego, California , Interstate 5 has
14260-507: Was broken on December 31, 1954, at the Kansas River bridge 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
14384-490: Was built c. 1989 . 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 c. 1961 . After passing exit 42,
14508-778: 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 13.7 miles (22.0 km) northeast of the service area, an interchange provides access to a set of cattle pens southeast of Bazaar . Other than these two service exits, there are no interchanges within Chase County; upon leaving it,
14632-534: 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 $ 170 million in 2023). On the evening of April 6, 2002, a grease fire broke out in the Hardee's restaurant at the Belle Plaine service plaza. Exacerbated by heavy winds,
14756-402: 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
14880-645: Was mimicked by other toll roads in New York , New Jersey , several New England states, West Virginia , Ohio , and Colorado . 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 , to Saint Louis, Missouri , via Kansas City, that
15004-456: 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 80 mph (130 km/h). From 1970 to 1974 and again since 2011, the turnpike's speed limit has been set at 75 mph (121 km/h); that limit during the earlier period applied only during daytime hours. Around 120,000 drivers use
15128-493: Was proposed by Oklahoma Governor Johnston Murray . 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
15252-452: Was signed into law, granting funding to the nationwide Interstate Highway System . 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 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
15376-428: 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
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