K-170 is a state highway in the U.S. State of Kansas. K-170's western terminus is at K-99 about north of Emporia and the eastern terminus is at K-31 on the west side of Osage City, a mile south of the K-31 intersection with U.S. Route 56. K-170 provides access, via county roads, to Lyons County State Fishing Lake. The highway that became K-170 was first designated in 1931 as K-70, from K-11 and K-22 to Reading. K-11 was renumbered to K-99 and K-22 was decommissioned in 1938. Then in 1946, the highway was extended to end in Osage City. In 1957, K-70 was renumbered to K-170 to avoid a numbering confusion with Interstate 70.
Route description
K-170 is signed as east-west its entire length, even though the section from West 301st Street to K-31 runs directly north-south. K-170 begins at an intersection with K-99 and begins traveling east. After roughly it enters into Reading. It travels approximately through Reading then crosses into Osage County at the east city limits. Soon after crossing the county line it crosses the BNSF Railroad. About after crossing the railroad it crosses Marias des Cygnes River. About past here it crosses Cherry Creek. Roughly past Cherry Creek it crosses Little Cable Creek then Cable Creek about later. After crossing Cable Creek it intersects West 301st Street also known as Rural Secondary 1960, which leads to the Eisenhower State Park. At this point K-170 curves north and travels approximately then crosses Mute Creek. From this point it continues north roughly and enters Osage City then crosses the BNSF Railroad again. It continues for about then ends at K-31 in Osage City. The Kansas Department of Transportation tracks the traffic levels on its highways, and in 2017, they determined that on average the traffic varied from 430 vehicles east of Reading to 1150 vehicles south of the terminus of K-31. K-170 is not included in the National Highway System. The NationalHighway System is a system of highways important to the nation's defense, economy, and mobility.
K-170 was commissioned as K-70 by 1931, starting from K-11 and K-22 and ending at Reading. The K-22 designation was removed and K-11 was renumbered to K-99 between January and July of 1938. In a December 12, 1945 resolution, it was approved to extend K-70 from the Lyon-Osage County line east then north to Osage City as soon as Osage County had brought the road up to state highway standards. Then in an October 23, 1946 resolution, it was extended, as the county had finished required projects. On October 31, 1957, K-70 was renumbered to K-170 to avoid a numbering confusion with I-70.
