K-249, also known as Southwest Boulevard,[a] is a 0.680-mile-long (1.094 km) north–south state highway located entirely within Greenwood County in the U.S. state of Kansas. K-249's southern terminus is at K-99 just outside the City of Madison, and the northern terminus is at K-58 in Madison.[2] K-249 was originally a section of K-99 before it was realigned to the west of the city.[3]
Route description
K-249's southern terminus is at an intersection with K-99 just south of Madison. The highway travels north along the Madison city line as Southwest Boulevard.[a] The highway reaches an intersection with McCurry Street, where it enters the city. K-249 continues north past an intersection with Elm Street before curving slightly northeast. The highway curves back north and reaches its northern terminus at K-58, known as 4th Street and West Lincoln Street.[2][4][5]
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) tracks the traffic levels on its highways. On K-249 in 2020, they determined that on average the traffic was 570 vehicles per day on K-249.[6] The entire length of K-249 is two-lanes and maintained by KDOT.[7] K-249 is not included in the National Highway System.[8] The National Highway System is a system of highways important to the nation's defense, economy, and mobility.[9]
History
In December 1961, the Kansas State Highway Commission, now known as KDOT, announced a project to reroute K-99 to the west of Madison. The project was needed to bring K-99 above the 25-year flood level and eliminate several curves. The section of K-99 and K-57 from Madison Avenue north out of the city would be abandoned, and instead K-57 would follow Madison Avenue west to the new alignment of K-99. The section of K-99 from Madison south to the new alignment would be assigned a new route number.[10] In Mid July 1964, bids were taken for the new bypass.[11]
The highway was first designated as K-249 in a resolution approved on June 12, 1963. This resolution was updated in a resolution approved on February 11, 1964.[3][12] In late August 1964, work began on the new bypass route.[13] The roughly $1 million (equivalent to $7.38 million in 2023 dollars)[14] bypass opened to traffic on November 3, 1965.[15] In a resolution approved on September 20, 2004, by Secretary of Transportation Deb Miller, K-57's eastern terminus was truncated to end at K-4 in Dwight. The former section from K-99 east to east to US-169 was renumbered, making K-249's northern terminus K-58.[16]
^ abKansas Department of Transportation (2011). 2011 Greenwood County Map(PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
^Bureau of Transportation Planning (August 2004). City of Madison(PDF) (Map). Scale not given. KDOT City Maps. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
^Bureau of Transportation Planning (2021). Traffic Flow Map Kansas State Highway System(PDF) (Map). [c. 1:1,584,000]. Topeka: Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
^Natzke, Stefan; Neathery, Mike; Adderly, Kevin (September 26, 2012). "What is the National Highway System?". National Highway System. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
