K-65 is a west-east state highway located entirely within Bourbon County in eastern Kansas. K-65's western terminus is at K-3 in Franklin Township north of Bronson and the eastern terminus is at K-31 in Mapleton in Timber Hill Township. When K-65 was first established in 1932 it was K-69, but was renumbered to avoid confusion with U.S. Route 69.
Route description
K-65 is maintained by the Kansas Department of Transportation, and is a two-lane road its entire length. K-65 begins at K-3 roughly north of Bronson and begins traveling east. After approximately it intersects Rural Secondary 2212 in Xenia. From Xenia it continues east for about and crosses the Little Osage River, a tributary of the Osage River. After crossing the river goes another roughly then curves north. After curving northward it travels approximately and crosses Opossum Creek, a tributary of the Little Osage River. At this point it curves back east and shortly crosses Baker Brook, a tributary of Opossum Creek. Approximately after crossing Baker Brook, K-65 enters into Mapleton. It travels about through Mapleton and then intersects K-31. K-52 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. 2017 Annual average daily traffic on K-65 ranged from 125 near the western terminus to 160 near the eastern terminus. The majority of the route is paved with partial design bituminous pavement except the portion within Mapleton which is full design bituminous pavement.
History
The route that K-65 follows was established as a state highway in 1932 as K-69. It was renumbered to K-65 sometime between April 1933 and 1936 to avoid confusion when US-69 was extended into Kansas. Before 1957, K-65 originally turned north in Xenia and ended at K-31 in Osage. Then in a October 9, 1957 resolution K-31 was rerouted further east on K-52 from Blue Mound, bypassing Osage, then left K-52 and went directly south to Mapleton. At this time K-65 was extended east on a new alignment from Xenia to Mapleton.
