K-55 (Kansas highway)
K-55 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by KDOT | ||||
| Length | 12.049 mi (19.391 km) | |||
| Existed | 1927–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end | US-81 west of Belle Plaine | |||
| East end | K-15 in Udall | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Kansas | |||
| Counties | Sumner, Cowley | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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K-55 is a 12.049-mile-long (19.391 km) west–east state highway in the U.S. state of Kansas. The highway's western terminus is at U.S. Route 81 (US-81) roughly 11 miles (18 km) north of Wellington and the eastern terminus is at K-15 in Udall. It passes through the city of Belle Plaine.
The road's westbound terminus is a triangle-type intersection. Just before the western terminus, the road passes under the Kansas Turnpike, although there is no intersection. Turnpike access is available at K-53 to the north and US-160 to the south near Wellington.
Before state highways were numbered in Kansas there were auto trails. K-55's western terminus closely follows the Meridian Highway and the South West Trail. It was first designated a state highway by 1927, and at that time ran from US-81 in Belle Plaine southeast to K-12 in Oxford. A year later, it had been realigned to travel east from US-81 to K-15 west of Udall. By 1945, a new alignment of K-15 had been completed, at which time K-55 was extended east to the new alignment. The entire length of K-55 was paved by 1948.