K-61 is a north–south state highway in central Kansas. K-61's southern terminus is at U.S. Route 54 (US-54) and US-400 on the east side of Pratt. The northern terminus is at Interstate 135 (I-135) and US-81 south of McPherson. The highway travels mostly through rural areas; however, it does pass through South Hutchinson and Hutchinson, where it intersects K-14, K-96, and US-50. K-61 is signed as a north–south but runs in southwest to northeast direction.
K-61 was established as a state highway by 1928. Throughout the 1940s and into 1950, the highway's alignment was straightened between Pratt and Hutchinson. In 1957, K-17 was truncated to end in Hutchinson. At this time K-61 was extended over K-17's former alignment to US-81 by McPherson. By the end of 1959, K-61's alignment had been straightened from Hutchinson to McPherson. Throughout the 1960s, the alignment was changed within the city of Hutchinson. By 1969, I-35W (modern I-135) had been built and K-61 extended to it. From 2009 to 2012, a new four-lane alignment was built between Hutchinson and McPherson.
Route description All but of K-61's alignment is maintained by the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT); the section of K-61 from US-50 north to East 30th Avenue within Hutchinson is maintained by the city. The entire length of K-61 is a part of the National Highway System, which is a system of highways important to the nation's defense, economy, and mobility. KDOT tracks the traffic levels on its highways, and in 2020, they determined that, on average, the traffic ranged from 1,890 vehicles per day southwest of Turon to 10,100 vehicles per day north of Avenue A in Hutchinson. The second highest was 7,690 vehicles per day near the northern terminus. K-61 travels in a southwest–northeast direction but is signed as north–south its entire length.
Pratt to Hutchinson K-61's southern terminus is at U.S. Route 54 (US-54) and US-400 on the east edge of Pratt. The highway proceeds north as a divided highway, passing by Pratt Community Junior College, before intersecting NE 10th Street. Just past 10th, the highway transitions to two lanes and begins to curve northeast. K-61 begins to parallel a Union Pacific Railroad track and continues in a northeast direction. The highway continues through flat rural farmland to an intersection with NE 40th Avenue, which goes north to the small community of Natrona. The roadway proceeds northeast to a crossing over Silver Creek, before entering Preston. K-61 continues to NW 80th Street, where it exits the city. The roadway continues northeast through mostly flat farmland and soon enters into Reno County. K-61 continues into the county and soon enters Turon. The highway continues northeast out of the city, parallel to the railroad to a crossing over Wolf Creek, before entering Langdon.
The roadway exits the city and proceeds northeast to a junction with K-11. K-61 crosses over Skinnawah Creek, then enters Arlington. The highway crosses over the North Fork Ninnescah River before exiting the city. K-61 continues through rural farmland to a crossing over Irish Creek. The roadway proceeds northeast for a short distance and enters Partridge. K-61 exits the city and soon crosses over Red Rock Creek before reaching an incomplete interchange with US-50. Northbound K-61 can't access westbound US-50, and eastbound US-50 can't access southbound K-61. K-61 begins to overlap US-50 as they continue northeast and become a four-lane divided highway. The highway crosses Sand Creek then curves east and soon reaches half clover interchange with K-14 and K-96. K-14 and K-96 begin to overlap K-61 and US-50, as the four highways continue east. The highway enters South Hutchinson before reaching a diamond interchange, where K-14 and K-96 exit and travel south as K-61 and US-50 continue east.
Hutchinson to McPherson K-61 and US-50 reach a diamond interchange with Scott Boulevard and McNew Road before curving northeast and crossing over the Arkansas River. K-61 splits from US-50 and turns north into Hutchinson as US-50 continues east. Within the Hutchinson city limits K-61 is signed as the Ken Kennedy Freeway. K-61 crosses over several railroad tracks before reaching a partial cloverleaf interchange with Avenue A. K-61 intersects Lorraine Street and 4th Avenue, curves northeast and intersects 17th Avenue near the Hutchinson Mall, then reaches an intersection with 30th Avenue, where it transitions to a (mostly) controlled-access highway. The highway continues northward to a diamond interchange with East 56th Avenue before curving northeast. It then reaches a diamond interchange with Medora Road, which travels east to Medora. K-61 crosses the Little Arkansas River then enters into McPherson County. K-61 continues through farmland to an at-grade intersection with Arapaho Road then another with Buckskin Road.
The roadway curves north and reaches a diamond interchange with Cherokee Road and Center Street, which travels east to Inman. The highway curves back northeast and proceeds past at-grade intersections with Chisholm Road and Comanche Road before reaching Groveland. K-61 then curves northeast and continues to an at-grade intersection with Eisenhower Road and a partial interchange with K-153, where northbound K-61 exits onto northbound K-153 and southbound K-153 exits onto southbound K-61. The highway continues through farmland to a partial interchange with K-153 Spur south of McPherson, where southbound K-61 exits onto northbound K-153 Spur and southbound K-153 Spur exits onto northbound K-61. The roadway crosses over a railroad track then reaches a partial cloverleaf interchange, where it begins a wrong-way overlap with US-81 Business. K-61 curves east and crosses over Dry Turkey Creek before reaching its northern terminus at a partial interchange with Interstate 135 (I-35) and US-81.
History Establishment and early realignments K-61 was designated as a state highway by the State Highway Commission of Kansas (SHC) by 1928. At that time it began at US-54 by Cairo and travelled north through Preston. North of Preston, it turned east and soon entered Turon where it turned north. The highway continued northward and ended at US-50S (modern US-50) by Sylvia.
In a resolution on August 7, 1941, it was approved to build a new alignment of K-61 from Preston northeast to Turon. Prior to this, the highway followed Northeast 100th Avenue north from Preston to Northeast 110th Street, which it followed east to Preston. On August 20, 1941, it was approved to build a new alignment of K-61 from Turon northeast through Langdon, Arlington and Partridge to Hutchinson. Before this, K-61 proceeded north from Turon to US-50S by Sylvia. On July 26, 1946, the SHC approved bids for grading, surfacing, building of three bridges, and seeding the shoulders on the section between Turon and Langdon. In a resolution on August 28, 1946, it was approved to build a new alignment of K-61 from US-54 just east of Pratt northeast to Preston. Before this K-61 traveled directly south from Preston to US-54.
At the end of April and early May 1948, the SHC asked for bids to pave the new alignment from US-54 to southwest of Preston, and the section from Preston's east city limits northeast to Langdon's east city limits. On May 18, 1948, the SHC accepted a bid for the paving project. In the beginning of November 1948, the SHC asked for bids for grading, surfacing and bridges on a section of K-61 from slightly southwest of Arlington northeast for . On the 26th of that month, the SHC approved a bid for the project to proceed. The section from US-54 to Preston was finished by the end of 1948. On February 8, 1949, the city of Preston approved a $4,000 (equivalent to $ in dollars) bond to buy right-of-way for the section within the city. In May 1949, the SHC asked for bids for grading and surfacing from the north city limits of Preston southwest for .
In early August 1949, the SHC asked for bids to build a section from Langdon northeast . On August 26, 1949, a bid was approved by the SHC for the segment to be built. In mid-April 1950, the unfinished section between Langdon and Arlington was opened to keep the dirt packed. Construction to finish the section was started in May 1950, with it being finished by summer that year. By September 28, 1950, this last section was almost completed. It had been supposed to open a few weeks earlier but was being delayed by rain, which was causing soft spots. The section opened to traffic the next day, which completed the new diagonal route between Pratt and Hutchinson.
Extension to McPherson K-61 originally ended in Hutchinson at US-50. On February 2, 1957, it was approved to truncate K-17 to Hutchinson and to extend K-61 along the former K-17 to US-81 in McPherson. From Hutchinson, it went northeast to Medora then turned east. K-61 continued east to Buhler, where it turned north. The highway continued north to Inman where it turned east. K-61 continued east to 14th Avenue then turned north and terminated at US-81 south of McPherson. At this time the SHC began to plan on building a direct diagonal route between Hutchinson and McPherson. In mid February, the cities of McPherson, Hutchinson, and Pratt requested that K-61 and K-17 from Hutchinson to McPherson be given a Federal route number. This never happened and it remained the way the SHC planned. In mid-August 1957, the new diagonal section between Inman and Medora was opened to traffic.
On February 12, 1958, it was approved to build a new alignment of K-61 from Inman directly northeast to McPherson. At the end of March, the SHC approved bids for grading of the section and for building three bridges on the project. On July 8, 1958, the SHC asked for bids for a base and surfacing of this new section. A few weeks later, the SHC approved a bid for paving the section of K-61. The new diagonal section between McPherson and Inman was opened to traffic on August 6, 1959.
Hutchinson rerouting In 1961, K-61 entered South Hutchinson from the west on Blanchard Avenue. It then turned north onto Main Street and crossed Arkansas River into Hutchinson. The highway continued north on Main to 30th Avenue where it curved east then northeast toward McPherson. At the end of May 1961, the SHC announced a project to for grading and a bridge on a new alignment of K-61 from what is now US-50 north to Avenue G in Hutchinson. Also a project for grading and bridges on a new alignment of K-61 and US-50 from K-17 to where K-61 currently turns north off US-50. Both projects were expected to begin after July 1 that year. On June 27, 1963, the SHC asked for bids for concrete pavement on the section of K-61 and US-50 and the section of K-61 from US-50 north to G Avenue. The next month a bid was approved for the concrete paving on both projects.
By 1965, the section between US-50 and 4th Avenue had been opened. By 1967, K-61 was taken off of 30th Avenue and Main Street in Hutchinson. At this time the section between US-50 and Avenue G, and the section between 4th Avenue and 30th Avenue was four-lane. In mid May 1967, the SHC approved a bid for a project to add frontage roads at the junction with US-50 and to improve the intersections with 17th Street and 30th Street in Hutchinson. By 1971, the new four-lane section of K-61 and US-50 from K-96 west had been opened to traffic. By 1975, the entire section of K-61 from US-50 north in Hutchinson was four lanes.
Extension to I-35W