K-177 (Kansas highway)


K-177 is a south-north state highway in central Kansas. It runs from U.S. Route 54 near El Dorado northward to US-24 in Manhattan, passing through the Flint Hills. It is part of the Flint Hills Scenic Byway and the Prairie Parkway.

Route description

From its beginnings east of El Dorado, K-177 heads northward to provide access to El Dorado Lake. It then approaches the Kansas Turnpike and runs parallel to it before having a junction with it. It then passes through Matfield Green and Bazaar before reaching Cottonwood Falls, Strong City, and US-50.
Flint Hills Scenic Byway is a portion of K-177 located in the Flint Hills region of the state, stretching from Interstate 35 at Cassoday in the south to US-56 at Council Grove in the north. Along the byway there are rolling hills and some of the only tallgrass prairie left in North America. It is a National Scenic Byway.
North of Strong City, K-177 passes through the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. In Council Grove, it meets US-56. It has a brief concurrency with K-4 near Alta Vista before having an interchange with Interstate 70. Nine miles north of I-70, it ends at US-24 in Manhattan.
From I-70 to US-24, K-177 is named the Coach Bill Snyder Highway, in honor of the long-time Kansas State University football coach.
K-177 is two lanes from US-54 to I-70 and a four-lane expressway from I-70 to US-24.

History

K-177 was signed as K-13 until 1965. It previously ended at US-77 before El Dorado Lake was completed.
Approved in early 2019, it was approved to reconstruct of K-177, from north of Council Grove to I-70. The project will increase the width of the roadway from to and will move certain sections to new alignments. The $25 million project is expected to be completed in 2020.
In September 2019, KDOT approved several projects along K-177 in Chase County. Three bridges will be replaced, including a $2.3 million bridge connecting K-177 to US-50 just west of Strong City, a $1.9 million bridge over Fox Creek, a $1.3 million bridge over a Fox Creek drainage area and a $436,000 bridge over Bloody Creek southeast of Cottonwood Falls.

Junction list