K-126 (Kansas highway)

K-126 begins at an intersection with US-400 and heads northward; south of this intersection, the roadway continues as Northwest 100th Street. The highway passes the small city of McCune on its eastern limit, then meanders slightly to the northwest before turning north again. It continues in this direction for about and then curves due east. Afterward, K-126 crosses Lightning Creek and continues east through mostly open farmlands and pastures toward Pittsburg. Approximately east of Lightning Creek, the route intersects K-7, then crosses the BNSF Railway. K-126 continues east past the railway through flat, open plains. It then enters a lightly wooded area scattered with several small ponds and crosses Second Cow Creek en route to Pittsburg. Just inside the city limits of Pittsburg, K-126 crosses First Cow Creek. East of the creek is a four-lane highway that carries the US-69 and US-160 designations. K-126 intersects this road, then continues eastward into the city; the route is known as 4th Street inside the city limits. It serves a residential area in the western section of the city, then passes a library and enters the downtown section. Here, it meets U.S. Route 69 Business (Broadway Street), then continues farther east. K-126 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-126 does connect to the National Highway System at its junction with US-69 and US-160. All but of K-126's alignment is maintained by KDOT. The entire section within Pittsburg is maintained by the city. == History ==

Early roads Before state highways were numbered in Kansas there were Auto trails, which were an informal network of marked routes that existed in the United States and Canada in the early part of the 20th century. The former Jefferson Highway and Kansas City–Fort Scott–Miami–Tulsa Short Line cross K-148 near the location of the K-7 intersection. The highway crosses the former Ozark Trails in Pittsburg. Establishment and realignments In an October 11, 1940 resolution, the section from Pittsburg east to the Missouri state line was designated as K-104. In a September 17, 1942 meeting, it was approved to realign US-160 from south of McCune directly east to US-69 and then north through Pittsburg along US-69 and to extend K-104 west from Pittsburg along the old US-160. In a December 15, 1953 resolution, K-126 was realigned near the Missouri state line to eliminate two sharp curves. In a November 23, 1955 resolution, was extended slightly west to meet a new alignment of US-69 and US-160. Then in 1958, US-160 was finally realigned east along K-103 from south of McCune to K-7 then continued east along K-104 to US-69 and at that time K-126 was extended along the old US-160 through McCune to end at the new US-160 south of McCune. In a December 1, 1994 resolution, K-126's western terminus was co-designated as US-400 when US-400 was created. This overlap lasted roughly four years then in a December 3, 1998 resolution, US-160 was realigned onto K-96 from Oswego eastward. Until 2003, K-57 originally overlapped US-69 through Pittsburg then in a May 14, 2003 resolution, K-57 was truncated to US-169 in Colony and the overlap was eliminated. == Major intersections ==