Traveling 439.16 miles across Kansas, the majority of U.S. 40 runs concurrent with Interstate 70. Business routes for U.S. 40 are designated from I-70 in WaKeeney for 2.19 miles between Exits 127 and 128 and Junction City for 2.87 miles between Exit 296 and 299.
The first of two independent sections of U.S. 40 extends 71.04 miles east from Colorado to Sharon Springs, Winona and Oakley, where it combines with Interstate 70. This includes a 3.02 mile long overlap with U.S. 83 as it bypasses Oakley.
U.S. 40 does not separate with I-70 again until the Topeka East Interchange joining the Kansas Turnpike with I-470 and K-4. U.S. 40 branches 0.69 miles north along K-4, a freeway spur to U.S. 24 near Grantville. The route turns east and parallels the Kansas Turnpike from Tecumseh 17.15 miles to K-10 (S Lawrence Trafficway) near Kanwaka.
Circumventing Lawrence and the former alignment along W 6th Street, U.S. 40 joins K-10 (S Lawrence Trafficway) southeast 6.55 miles to U.S. 59 (Iowa Street). U.S. 40 then turns north along U.S. 59 for 6.88 miles to the University of Kansas and Downtown Lawrence.
U.S. 24/40 overlap from U.S. 59 on the north side of Lawrence 23.08 miles east to U.S. 73/K-7 at Prairie-Piper in Kansas City. U.S. 24-40-73 combine with K-7 south 1.59 miles from State Avenue to I-70 (Kansas Turnpike). U.S. 73 ends there while U.S. 24/40 join Interstate 70 east for the remaining 16.28 miles to the Missouri state line in Kansas City.
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) submitted applications to the American Association of State Highway and Transporation Officials (AASHTO) for the establishment of Alternate routes for U.S. 40 at Russell, WaKeeney and Grand Junction. AASHTO considered the three on October 13, 1979 and recommended approval for each as a business route subject to state concurrence. U.S. 40 Business at Russell was subsequently turned back to local maintenance in 2013.
U.S. 40 was realigned in Topeka due to construction of the East Topeka Interchange along the Kansas Turnpike. The overlap with Interstate 70 east was extended from SE Deer Creek Trafficway to K-4, with U.S. 40 removed from S 6th Avenue. AASHTO approved the change on December 15, 2002.
Within Kansas City, U.S. 24/40 were relocated southward from State Avenue onto Interstate 70 east from K-7 to the Turner Diagonal. The application submitted to AASHTO on August 28, 2008 explained:
to eliminate the closely parallel routing of US-40 on State Avenue to other US and Interstate routes through Kansas City. US-40 is currently parallel with, and only about 1 mile away from I-70.
The realignment of U.S. 40 across Lawrence was approved by AASHTO on October 18, 2013. The reason for the change was
To meet the transportation needs of the city and state for access management, commercial development, and planned growth including future transportation projects.
East
U.S. 40/K-4 separate from Interstate 70 east along a freeway around the east side of Topeka.
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U.S. 40/K-4 overlap 0.69 miles north from the East Topeka Interchange with the Kansas Turnpike to SE 6th Street.
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K-4 reduces to two lanes along the freeway spur north to U.S. 24. U.S. 40 lines 6th Street east from a folded diamond interchange with K-4 to Tecumseh.
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U.S. 40 parallels the Kansas Turnpike east from K-4 to K-10 (S Lawrence Trafficway) at Lawrence.
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SE 6th Avenue west to Deer Creek Trafficway was part of U.S. 40 until 2002.
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East
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U.S. 40 passes below the Kansas Turnpike just east of the Topeka Service Area.
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Continuing southeast into Douglas County, U.S. 40 reaches the unincorporated community of Big Springs.
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Mile marker 370 for U.S. 40 stands just east of E 100 Road at Big Springs.
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Douglas County Road 1023 loops 5.7 miles northeast from U.S. 40 to the city of Lecompton.
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An implied overlap with U.S. 40 east connects CR 1023 on E 175 Road with the south branch on E 200 Road in a half mile.
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CR 1023 stems 2.5 miles south from U.S. 40 to CR 442 near the community of Stull.
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CR 1029 runs 1.6 miles south from U.S. 40 to CR 442 (N 1600 Road) en route to Clinton Lake.
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CR 1029 north leads to the historic city of Lecompton.
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Lecompton Road extends north from CR 1029 and the Kansas River to Perry in Jefferson County.
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CR 442 (N 1600 Road) converges with U.S. 40 east at the community of Kanwaka.
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Continuing east from Kanwaka township, U.S. 40 meets K-10 (S Lawrence Trafficway) at a diamond interchange.
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U.S. 40 was realigned southward off W 6th Street along K-10 (S Lawrence Trafficway) to U.S. 59 (Iowa Street) in 2013.
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K-10 (S Lawrence Trafficway) leads 1.87 miles north to Interstate 70 (Kansas Turnpike).
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West
U.S. 24/40 continue 0.72 miles west from a six-ramp parclo interchange with U.S. 73/K-7 to the Leavenworth County line.
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U.S. 24/40 intersect N 142nd Street at the Leavenworth County line and southeastern corner of the Basehor city limits.
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U.S. 24/40 (Chieftain Road) curve south in the city of Tonganoxie ahead of the east end of K-16 (4th Street). Measuring 114.46 mile in length, K-16 runs northwest to McLouth and Oskaloosa and west to U.S. 77 at Randolph in Riley County.
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K-32 concludes west of Linwood at U.S. 24/40 on the outskirts of Lawrence.
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U.S. 24/40 advance west past Lawrence Municipal Airport (LWM) to CR 9 at E 1500 Road.
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CR 9 (E 1500 Road) leads south to N 7th Street in the city of Lawrence.
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U.S. 24/40 part ways at U.S. 59 west of CR 9. U.S. 40 combines with U.S. 59 south to Downtown Lawrence and the University of Kansas.
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U.S. 24 turns north alongside U.S. 59 to Midland and Williamstown.
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Connect with:
Interstate 70
Interstate 135
Interstate 435
Interstate 635
Interstate 470
U.S. 24
U.S. 73
U.S. 81
Highway 7
Highway 10
Page Updated 10-26-2021.