U.S. Route 169
Encyclopedia
U.S. Route 169 currently runs for 966 miles (1,555 km) from the city of Virginia
, Minnesota
to Tulsa
, Oklahoma
at U.S. Route 64
.
. The southern terminus for US-169 is Memorial Drive. The highway connects Tulsa, Oklahoma
to the south with the Kansas
state border to the north at South Coffeyville, Oklahoma
. US-169 travels through Tulsa, Rogers
, and Nowata counties.
US-169 has undergone several widening projects that have brought US-169 to freeway and expressway
standards. The highway is two lanes between Talala, Oklahoma
and South Coffeyville except for a short four lane portion north of Nowata, Oklahoma
and ending at State Highway 28.
An Alternate US-169 passes through Nowata following the original path of US-169. The alternate route begins at the intersection of Choctaw Avenue and reconnects with US-169 south of Nowata at its intersection with Maple Street.
In January 2005, Oklahoma Department of Transportation
began a $16.8 million widening project on a mile-long stretch of US-169 (officially named 'Pearl Harbor Memorial Expressway', although this name is rarely used by Tulsans) from Interstate 244 to Interstate 44. The project widened the highway from four to six lanes, adding one lane in each direction. The project was completed in April 2006. This stretch of US-169 is traveled by approximately 106,000 vehicles per day.
and Iola
is a freeway with fully controlled access, even though there is only one lane in each direction. US-169 runs concurrently with US-59 starting about four miles (6 km) south of Garnett
and diverges northeast again immediately south of Garnett. The intersection immediately south of Garnett used to be a "braided" intersection with Stop and Yield signs. It was identified as a high crash location in 2001, and was rebuilt as a roundabout that opened in April 2006. The Kansas Department of Transportation is rebuilding or planning to rebuild several other rural intersections as roundabouts for increased safety. At Osawatomie
the road becomes a full freeway. In southern Johnson County
169 becomes an expressway
until its junction with Interstate 35 in Olathe.
From this point to the Missouri state line, US-169 alternates between freeways and surface streets. It follows Interstate 35 to Shawnee Mission Parkway in Overland Park, then travels east to Rainbow Blvd. US-169 then follows surface streets to its junction with Interstate 70 near downtown Kansas City
. US-169 and I-70 enter Missouri together just after crossing the Kansas River.
US 169 exits Interstate 70 shortly after both roads enter Missouri via the Lewis and Clark Viaduct. It crosses the Missouri River by the Broadway Bridge
and serves Kansas City Downtown Airport
. At Route 9, US 169 becomes a freeway. It remains a freeway or expressway for the rest of its route through Kansas City and its suburbs. This segment is also known as Arrowhead Trafficway, although this road neither passes nor approaches Arrowhead Stadium
.
At Smithville
US 169 reverts to a two-lane rural highway. In Saint Joseph, it forms most of the Belt Highway, a major commercial strip on the eastern edge of town. 169 angles northeastward out of Saint Joseph, passing through many rural communities before exiting Missouri north of Grant City
.
US 169 intersects Interstate 29 three times in Missouri: once in Gladstone, and twice in Saint Joseph.
. It junctions Interstate 80
near De Soto
. It becomes an expressway
at U.S. Route 20
south of Fort Dodge
. At Iowa Highway 7 on the northwest side of Fort Dodge it becomes a 2-lane highway again. This is changing, however, as a two-phase, $11 million project began in the spring of 2010 to widen the route to four lanes from Fort Dodge to Humboldt
. U.S. 169 passes through Humboldt and Algona
before it leaves Iowa north of Lakota
.
valley with the Twin Cities and the Iron Range
. Much of the route is built to expressway
or freeway standards.
, US 169 replaced Route 1 from Kansas City to St. Joseph, Route 4 from St. Joseph to Stanberry, and all of Route 29 from Stanberry to Iowa
. The part of Route 1 north of Kansas City had been Route 33 south of and Route 50 north of Grayson from 1922 to 1926.
Prior to 2008, US 169 traveled east on I-435 in Lenexa
and Overland Park, Kansas
, and then it traveled north on Metcalf Avenue.
Prior to 1981, US 169 entered Minneapolis, Minnesota
.
, in Missouri
, and in Iowa
.
. The spur route follows an old alignment of US 169 into the city center of Smithville ending at Main Street.
in Fort Dodge, Iowa
. The route was established in 1990 along former sections of Iowa Highway 7 (Iowa 7) and U.S. Route 20. Iowa 7 had recently been truncated to its current eastern end at U.S. Route 169 and US 20 had been rerouted onto a new freeway south of Fort Dodge. Since both routes had viaduct
s over the Des Moines River
, officials in Fort Dodge wanted the Iowa Department of Transportation
to maintain the bridges. Officially, the route is Iowa Highway 926, but it is only signed as Business US 169.
Virginia, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,157 people, 4,333 households, and 2,270 families residing in the city. The population density was 486.1 people per square mile . There were 4,692 housing units at an average density of 249.1 per square mile...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
to Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
at U.S. Route 64
U.S. Route 64
U.S. Route 64 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 2,326 miles from eastern North Carolina to just southwest of the Four Corners in northeast Arizona. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 160 in Teec Nos Pos, Arizona. The highway's eastern terminus is at NC 12 and U.S. Route...
.
Oklahoma
U.S. Highway 169 is a major south–north highway spanning 75.1 miles (120.9 km) in OklahomaOklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. The southern terminus for US-169 is Memorial Drive. The highway connects Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
to the south with the Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
state border to the north at South Coffeyville, Oklahoma
South Coffeyville, Oklahoma
South Coffeyville is a town in Nowata County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 790 at the 2000 census.-Geography:South Coffeyville is located at ....
. US-169 travels through Tulsa, Rogers
Rogers
-Places:Canada*Rogers Island *Rogers PassUnited States*Rogers, Arkansas*Rogers, California*Rogers, California, alternate name of Muroc, California*Rogers, Minnesota*Rogers, Nebraska*Rogers, Ohio*Rogers, Virginia*Rogers City, Michigan...
, and Nowata counties.
US-169 has undergone several widening projects that have brought US-169 to freeway and expressway
Limited-access road
A limited-access road known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway , including limited or no access to adjacent...
standards. The highway is two lanes between Talala, Oklahoma
Talala, Oklahoma
Talala is a town in Rogers County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 270 at the 2000 census.-History:The Talala Post Office was established June 23, 1899. Talala was named for Captain John Talala of the 3rd Regiment, Indian Home Guard and a prominent Cherokee.-Geography:Talala is located at...
and South Coffeyville except for a short four lane portion north of Nowata, Oklahoma
Nowata, Oklahoma
Nowata is a city in Nowata County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 3,731 at the United States Census, 2010, a 6.0 percent decline from 3,971 at the 2000 census...
and ending at State Highway 28.
An Alternate US-169 passes through Nowata following the original path of US-169. The alternate route begins at the intersection of Choctaw Avenue and reconnects with US-169 south of Nowata at its intersection with Maple Street.
In January 2005, Oklahoma Department of Transportation
Oklahoma Department of Transportation
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is an agency of the government of Oklahoma responsible for the construction, maintenance, and regulation the use of the state's transportation infrastructure...
began a $16.8 million widening project on a mile-long stretch of US-169 (officially named 'Pearl Harbor Memorial Expressway', although this name is rarely used by Tulsans) from Interstate 244 to Interstate 44. The project widened the highway from four to six lanes, adding one lane in each direction. The project was completed in April 2006. This stretch of US-169 is traveled by approximately 106,000 vehicles per day.
Kansas
US-169 enters the state at Coffeyville as a two-lane road. A segment between ChanuteChanute, Kansas
Chanute is a city in Neosho County, Kansas, United States. Founded on January 1, 1873, it was named after railroad engineer and aviation pioneer Octave Chanute. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 9,119...
and Iola
Iola, Kansas
Iola is a city situated along the Neosho River in the northwestern part of Allen County, located in Southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 5,704. Iola is the county seat of Allen County. It is named in honor of Iola Colborn.-History:The...
is a freeway with fully controlled access, even though there is only one lane in each direction. US-169 runs concurrently with US-59 starting about four miles (6 km) south of Garnett
Garnett, Kansas
Garnett is a city in and the county seat of Anderson County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,415.-Geography:Garnett is located at...
and diverges northeast again immediately south of Garnett. The intersection immediately south of Garnett used to be a "braided" intersection with Stop and Yield signs. It was identified as a high crash location in 2001, and was rebuilt as a roundabout that opened in April 2006. The Kansas Department of Transportation is rebuilding or planning to rebuild several other rural intersections as roundabouts for increased safety. At Osawatomie
Osawatomie, Kansas
Osawatomie is a city in Miami County, Kansas, United States, southwest of Kansas City. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 4,447. It derives its name from two streams nearby, the Osage and Potawatomie.-History:...
the road becomes a full freeway. In southern Johnson County
Johnson County, Kansas
Johnson County is a county located in northeast Kansas, in the central United States. The county is largely suburban, being part of the Kansas City metropolitan area, and containing many of its affluent southwestern suburbs. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 544,179. Its county...
169 becomes an expressway
Limited-access road
A limited-access road known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway , including limited or no access to adjacent...
until its junction with Interstate 35 in Olathe.
From this point to the Missouri state line, US-169 alternates between freeways and surface streets. It follows Interstate 35 to Shawnee Mission Parkway in Overland Park, then travels east to Rainbow Blvd. US-169 then follows surface streets to its junction with Interstate 70 near downtown Kansas City
Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City is the third-largest city in the state of Kansas and is the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the third largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The city is part of a consolidated city-county government known as the "Unified...
. US-169 and I-70 enter Missouri together just after crossing the Kansas River.
Missouri
Broadway Bridge (Kansas City)
The Broadway Bridge is a through arch bridge that spans the Missouri River in Kansas City, Missouri, in the United States. It first opened for traffic September 9, 1956 on U.S. Route 169. It was built at a cost of $12 million dollars...
and serves Kansas City Downtown Airport
Kansas City Downtown Airport
Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport , also known as Kansas City Downtown Airport, is a public airport located in Kansas City, Clay County, Missouri, United States. This airport is publicly owned by City of Kansas City.-History:...
. At Route 9, US 169 becomes a freeway. It remains a freeway or expressway for the rest of its route through Kansas City and its suburbs. This segment is also known as Arrowhead Trafficway, although this road neither passes nor approaches Arrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs....
.
At Smithville
Smithville, Missouri
Smithville is a city in Clay and Platte counties in the U.S. state of Missouri, along the Little Platte River. The population was 5,514 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Smithville is located at , primarily in Clay County....
US 169 reverts to a two-lane rural highway. In Saint Joseph, it forms most of the Belt Highway, a major commercial strip on the eastern edge of town. 169 angles northeastward out of Saint Joseph, passing through many rural communities before exiting Missouri north of Grant City
Grant City, Missouri
Grant City is a city in Worth County in the U.S. state of Missouri. The population was 926 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a town. It is the county seat of Worth County.-Geography:Grant City is located at...
.
US 169 intersects Interstate 29 three times in Missouri: once in Gladstone, and twice in Saint Joseph.
Iowa
U.S. 169 enters Iowa just south of ReddingRedding, Iowa
Redding is a city in Ringgold County, Iowa, United States. The population was 78 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Redding is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
. It junctions Interstate 80
Interstate 80
Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...
near De Soto
De Soto, Iowa
De Soto is a city in Dallas County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,009 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:De Soto is located at ....
. It becomes an expressway
Limited-access road
A limited-access road known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway , including limited or no access to adjacent...
at U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20 is an east–west United States highway. As the "0" in its route number implies, US 20 is a coast-to-coast route. Spanning , it is the longest road in the United States, and the route sparsely parallels Interstate 90...
south of Fort Dodge
Fort Dodge, Iowa
Fort Dodge is a city and county seat of Webster County, Iowa, United States, along the Des Moines River. The population was 25,206 in the 2010 census, an increase from 25,136 in the 2000 census. Fort Dodge is a major commercial center for North Central and Northwest Iowa. It is located on U.S...
. At Iowa Highway 7 on the northwest side of Fort Dodge it becomes a 2-lane highway again. This is changing, however, as a two-phase, $11 million project began in the spring of 2010 to widen the route to four lanes from Fort Dodge to Humboldt
Humboldt, Iowa
Humboldt is a city in Humboldt County, Iowa, United States. The population was 4,690 at the 2010 census, gaining 238 people since the 2000 census.- History :...
. U.S. 169 passes through Humboldt and Algona
Algona, Iowa
Algona is a city in and the county seat of Kossuth County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,741 at the 2000 census. Ambrose A. Call State Park is located two miles southwest of the city.-History:...
before it leaves Iowa north of Lakota
Lakota, Iowa
Lakota is a city in Kossuth County, Iowa, United States. The population was 255 at the 2000 census. Prior to 1920, the town was known as Germania.-Geography:Lakota is located at ....
.
Minnesota
U.S. 169 is a major north–south route in Minnesota, connecting the Minnesota RiverMinnesota River
The Minnesota River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 332 miles long, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It drains a watershed of nearly , in Minnesota and about in South Dakota and Iowa....
valley with the Twin Cities and the Iron Range
Iron Range
The Iron Range is a region that makes up the northeastern section of Minnesota in the United States. "The Range", as it is known by locals, is a region with multiple distinct bands of iron ore...
. Much of the route is built to expressway
Limited-access road
A limited-access road known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway , including limited or no access to adjacent...
or freeway standards.
History
In MissouriMissouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, US 169 replaced Route 1 from Kansas City to St. Joseph, Route 4 from St. Joseph to Stanberry, and all of Route 29 from Stanberry to Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. The part of Route 1 north of Kansas City had been Route 33 south of and Route 50 north of Grayson from 1922 to 1926.
Prior to 2008, US 169 traveled east on I-435 in Lenexa
Lenexa, Kansas
Lenexa is a city in the central part of Johnson County, located in northeast Kansas, in the central United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 48,190. As a satellite city of Kansas City, Kansas, Lenexa is included in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area...
and Overland Park, Kansas
Overland Park, Kansas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 149,080 people, 59,703 households, and 39,702 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,627.0 people per square mile . There were 62,586 housing units at an average density of 1,102.9 per square mile...
, and then it traveled north on Metcalf Avenue.
Prior to 1981, US 169 entered Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
.
Bannered routes
Three bannered routes of U.S. Route 169 exist, one each in OklahomaOklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, in Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, and in Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
.
Smithville spur
U.S. Route 169 Spur is a 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) long route in Smithville, MissouriSmithville, Missouri
Smithville is a city in Clay and Platte counties in the U.S. state of Missouri, along the Little Platte River. The population was 5,514 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Smithville is located at , primarily in Clay County....
. The spur route follows an old alignment of US 169 into the city center of Smithville ending at Main Street.
Fort Dodge business loop
U.S. Route 169 Business is a 3 miles (4.8 km) long business routeBusiness route
A business route in the United States and Canada is a short special route connected to a parent numbered highway at its beginning, then routed through the central business district of a nearby city or town, and finally reconnecting with the same parent numbered highway again at its...
in Fort Dodge, Iowa
Fort Dodge, Iowa
Fort Dodge is a city and county seat of Webster County, Iowa, United States, along the Des Moines River. The population was 25,206 in the 2010 census, an increase from 25,136 in the 2000 census. Fort Dodge is a major commercial center for North Central and Northwest Iowa. It is located on U.S...
. The route was established in 1990 along former sections of Iowa Highway 7 (Iowa 7) and U.S. Route 20. Iowa 7 had recently been truncated to its current eastern end at U.S. Route 169 and US 20 had been rerouted onto a new freeway south of Fort Dodge. Since both routes had viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
s over the Des Moines River
Des Moines River
The Des Moines River is a tributary river of the Mississippi River, approximately long to its farther headwaters, in the upper Midwestern United States...
, officials in Fort Dodge wanted the Iowa Department of Transportation
Iowa Department of Transportation
In the U.S. state of Iowa, the Iowa Department of Transportation is the state government organization responsible for the organization, construction, and maintenance of the primary highway system...
to maintain the bridges. Officially, the route is Iowa Highway 926, but it is only signed as Business US 169.