K-140 is a state highway in Ellsworth and Saline Counties in the U.S. state of Kansas. The highway travels through mostly rural land between the cities of Ellsworth and Salina. In addition to connecting Ellsworth and Salina, K-140 travels through the communities of Carneiro, Brookville, and Bavaria. The highway has junctions with Kansas state highwaysK-14, K-156, K-111, and K-141, as well as Interstate 135. The route was originally established as U.S. Route 40 and was redesignated K-140 after US-40 was made concurrent with I-70. K-140 is not a part of the United States National Highway System, and the entire route is paved with composite pavement. The western part of the highway is less traveled than the eastern part, with annual average daily traffic between 590 and 940 west of Brookville and between 700 and 1200 east of Brookville.
K-140 begins at a junction with K-14 north of Ellsworth. It heads due east from here to meet K-156. It then travels a farther through mostly rural land to a junction with K-111 north of Kanopolis. After the junction with K-111, K-140 continues through rural areas before it goes through the small unincorporated community of Carneiro. Just after passing through Carneiro K-140 turns more northerly, again passing through mostly rural areas. It then serves as the northern terminus of K-141 before continuing eastward into Saline County. K-140 travels a total of in Ellsworth County. Entering Saline County K-140 travels in a general east-northeast direction through rural land for until entering Brookville. After traveling through the city of Brookville, K-140 travels east then northeast to the unincorporated community of Bavaria. From there, the highway continues northeast through rural lands to its eastern terminus at Interstate 135, with the road continuing east into the city of Salina as State Street. K-140 travels a total of in Saline County. The total route length for K-140 is. The entire route is paved with composite pavement. K-140 is not a part of the United States National Highway System. The route connects to the NationalHighway System at its junctions with K-156 and Interstate 135. From the eastern city limits of Ellsworth to the end of the first of the route, K-140 has an annual average daily traffic of 781. Between miles 1 and 5, the annual average daily traffic ranges from a low of 730 to a high of 745. From mile 5 to mile 14 the annual average daily traffic drops to between 590 and 650. The amount of traffic then starts to rise as the highway crosses into Saline County, with annual average daily traffic ranging between 815 and 940 from mile 14 to the western city limits of Brookville. From Brookville to mile 30.445 the annual average daily traffic is higher, with a range between 1131 and 1200. From there to the eastern terminus at Interstate 135 traffic levels vary widely, with annual average daily traffic ranging from 700 to 1193.
History
K-140's route was established in 1925 as U.S. Route 40S. By 1936, the route had become the primary route of US-40, with the old US-40N becoming U.S. Route 24. By 1969, after the majority of Interstate 70 had been completed, US-40 was rerouted to be concurrent with the newly constructed highway, and the old route of US-40 between Ellsworth and Salina was resigned as K-140. The routing of K-140 has remained unchanged since. The K-140 route has been a paved road since at least 1932.
