U.S. 81 passes through east central Kansas along a 230.78 mile long course from Oklahoma near South Haven to Nebraska north of Republic. 95.31 miles of U.S. 81 runs concurrent with Interstate 135 from Wichita to Salina.
Paralleling the Kansas Turnpike (I-35) to the west, U.S. 81 travels 56.49 miles north from the state line to Wellington, Haysville and the South Area of Wichita. North from I-70/135 outside Salina, U.S. 81 extends 18 miles to Limestone Road near the Ottawa County seat of Minneapolis and 79.02 miles overall to Concordia, Republic and the Nebraska line south of Belleville.
U.S. 81 Kansas Guides
North
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) realigned U.S. 81 almost entirely onto Interstate 135 in 1979. The application approved by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) on October 13, 1979 read
US 81 is being moved to I 135 as it follows the same general corridor.This included the freeway extending north from I-70/135 to what was K-93 outside Minneapolis.
Broadway (old U.S. 81) spans the Arkansas River on the John Mack Bridge southeast of Herman Hill Park in Wichita, Kansas. Part of U.S. 81 until 1979, the rainbow arch bridge along S Broadway opened to traffic in 1931. 10/31/16
Coinciding with the relocation of U.S. 81 onto I-135 were requests to AASHTO for the establishment of Alternate routes for U.S. 81 at McPherson and Lindsborg. AASHTO recommended approval for both as Business Routes on October 13, 1979. The 7.35 mile long loop at McPherson runs west on K-61, north on 14th Avenue and Main Street to Downtown and east back to I-135/U.S. 81 along U.S. 56 (Kansas Avenue).
U.S. 81 Business to Lindsborg followed Smoky Valley Road west from Exit 72 to 14th Avenue north into the city. U.S. 81 Business then overlapped with K-4 back to I-135/U.S. 81 at Exit 78 by Bridgeport. The 8.5 mile long loop was eventually eliminated with approval by AASHTO on October 15, 2011:
The elimination of this business route is being done to fulfill an agreement between KDOT and the local public authorities in exchange for procuring other highway system improvement projects. A portion of the business route will revert to a State Numbered Route, and the remainder will be removed from the highway system in Kansas.
U.S. 81 Bypass was designated alongside Interstate 235 around Wichita by a resolution passed by the State Highway Commission of Kansas on August 23, 1961. The application to the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) approved on October 7, 1961 read
This by-pass route will be completed about Oct. 1, 1961. Four lanes of traffic with full interstate standards will be provided throughout. The present route of US 81 through Wichita is extremely congested. However, since Wichita is the chief interest of US 81 traffic in this area, it is believed the main route should remain unchanged and by-pass markings place on the new highway. Through trips, those interchanging with US 54 to the west and trips destined to the west edge of Wichita will benefit greatly from this marking.KDOT eventually removed the bannered route from I-235 with concurrence from AASHTO on June 27, 1985.
North
S Broadway (old U.S. 81) crosses the Arkansas River over the John Mack Bridge north to the South City neighborhood in Wichita.
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A nondescript girder span built in 1995 carries the northbound roadway for S Broadway across the Arkansas River.
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The John Mack Bridge southbound is a rainbow arch bridge with eight spans.
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Pawnee Street intersects S Broadway between the South City and South Central neighborhoods in Wichita.
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South
S Broadway proceeds south from Herman Hill Park and the South City neighborhood in Wichita to the John Mack Bridge.
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Built in 1931, the John Mack Bridge is an eight span, rainbow arch bridge.1
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The southbound John Mack Bridge is 800 feet in length with a 26.2 foot wide deck.1
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31st Street S stems west from S Broadway (old U.S. 81) to the Southwest neighborhood in Wichita.
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S Broadway rises through an S-curve to span a Union Pacific Railroad line.
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The four lane bridge over the Union Pacific Railroad was completed in 2013.
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S Broadway intersects MacArthur Road at the South Area neighborhood in Wichita.
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S Broadway continues from MacArthur Road below the south end of Interstate 235.
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U.S. 81 dog legs west from I-135 along 47th Street S to rejoin its former alignment along S Broadway.
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- Broadway Bridge. BridgeReports.com.
Photo Credits:
10/31/16 by AARoads and JP Nasiatka
Connect with:
Interstate 70
Interstate 135
Interstate 235
U.S. 24
U.S. 54
U.S. 400
Page Updated 10-27-2021.