K-33 (Kansas highway)


K-33 is a north-south state highway in the U.S. state of Kansas. It is a two-lane expressway, linking K-68 in rural Franklin County to U.S. Route 56 in Douglas County, just north of Wellsville. It provides an important link between US-56 and K-68 to Interstate 35 in Wellsville.

Route description

K-33 begins at an intersection with K-68 east of Ottawa in Franklin County and heads north on a two-lane road through rolling plains. Approximately north of this intersection, the route curves to the east momentarily before curving back to the north. Here, the highway intersects I-35 and US-50 at a diamond interchange. North of this interchange, K-33 enters the city of Wellsville. In Wellsville, the highway crosses the BNSF Railway. Continuing north, K-33 leaves Wellsville and Franklin County, and enters Douglas County. About after crossing the county line, the highway ends at an intersection with US-56 east of Baldwin City.
K-33 is not included in the National Highway System. The National Highway System is a system of highways important to the nation's defense, economy, and mobility. K-33 does connect to the National Highway System at I-35/US-50 and at its northern terminus. 2017 Annual average daily traffic on K-33 ranged from 1410 near the northern and southern terminus to 4870 between I-35/US-50 and Wellsville.

History

K-33 was first designated a state highway in 1927 and went from US-73W and US-50S in Ottawa east then north to Wellsville, then northeastward to US-50 in Edgerton. By 1931 K-33's western terminus was extended southeastward to end at US-50S west of Waverly. By April 1936, US-50S was realigned onto K-33 from south of Ottawa to K-31 east of Waverly and K-68 was extended west on the old US-50S alignment from Ottawa to US-75 by Lyndon. At that time K-33 was truncated to end at US-50S and US-73W in Ottawa. Sometime between April 1933 and April 1936 US-73W was renumbered to US-59. On June 27, 1956, the AASHO Route Numbering Committee approved US-56 to be created. US-56 was routed over US-50 from Kansas City westward to US-59 then followed US-50N, which was eliminated. Also at this time US-50S was renumbered to US-50. By 1963 the section of I-35 from Ottawa to Kansas City was built and US-50 had been realigned to overlap I-35. By 1969, the overlap with K-68 was eliminated and K-33 was truncated to its current southern terminus.

Major intersections