The Kansas Department of Transportation tracks the traffic levels on its highways, and in 2017, they determined that on average the traffic varied from 195 slightly northwest of Jamestown to 990 near its eastern terminus. K-28 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-28 begins at K-14 in the city of Jewell in south central Jewell County. K-14 heads north toward Mankato and south toward Beloit. K-28 heads east along Delaware Street and crosses Buffalo Creek, a tributary of the Republican River, east of the city limits. The highway crosses Spring Creek west of its junction with K-148, which heads east through the southern tier of Republic County. K-28 turns south toward Randall. The highway enters the town along Main Street, turns east onto 2nd Street, south onto Water Street, and east again at the south city limit. K-28 parallels Buffalo Creek into northwestern Cloud County.
Cloud County
The highway has three right-angle turns along section lines as it passes to the south of Jamestown Wildlife Area. K-28 crosses to the south side of Buffalo Creek after the third turn, then the highway curves southeast toward Jamestown. The highway crosses Cheyenne Creek and passes very close to but does not enter the city limits. East of Jamestown, K-28 has a grade crossing of a Kyle Railroad line and crosses Whites Creek. East of the unincorporated village of Yuma, the highway closely parallels the Kyle line and a BNSF Railway line that comes to parallel the Kyle line through Concordia, the county seat of Cloud County. K-28 does not make it to Concordia, as it curves away from the rail lines, crosses Wolf Creek, and reaches its eastern terminus at a Y-intersection with K-9, which heads east into Concordia and southwest toward Beloit.
History
K-28 is one of the original Kansas highways designated in 1927, and at that time ran from K-14 in Jewell to US-81 in Concordia. Then by 1931, it was extended north along K-14 then west along US-36 then north to the Nebraska border. In a February 10, 1937 resolution, K-28 and K-9 was realigned slightly within Concordia to eliminate two turns. In a March 24, 1954 resolution, it was realigned to the north side of Jamestown, which eliminated a few turns within the city. Until 1996, K-28 originally terminated at Nebraska Highway 78 at the Nebraska border north of Burr Oak. Then on February 8, 1996, K-28 was truncated to K-14 in Jewell and the section of K-28 from US-36 north to the Nebraska border became an extension of K-128. Until 2010, K-28 originally overlapped K-9 to end at US-81 in Concordia. Then in an April 10, 2010 resolution, the overlap was eliminated and K-28 was truncated to end at K-9 west of Concordia.
