K-61 (Kansas highway)

K-61
K-61 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by KDOT and the city of Hutchinson
Length	83.358 mi[3] (134.152 km)
Existed	c. 1928[1][2]–present
Major junctions
South end	US-54 / US-400 in Pratt
Major intersections	US-50 by Partridge K-14 / K-96 in South Hutchinson US-50 in Hutchinson
North end	I-135 / US-81 / US 81 Bus. south of McPherson
Location
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Counties	Pratt, Reno, McPherson
Highway system
Kansas State Highway System Interstate US State Spurs
← K-60 → K-62

K-61 is a 83.358-mile-long (134.152 km) north–south state highway in central Kansas. K-61's southern terminus is at U.S. Route 54 (US-54) and US-400 on the east side of Pratt. The northern terminus is at Interstate 135 (I-135) and US-81 south of McPherson. The highway travels mostly through rural areas; however, it does pass through South Hutchinson and Hutchinson, where it intersects K-14, K-96, and US-50. K-61 is signed as a north–south but runs in southwest to northeast direction.

K-61 was established as a state highway by 1928. Throughout the 1940s and into 1950, the highway's alignment was straightened between Pratt and Hutchinson. In 1957, K-17 was truncated to end in Hutchinson. At this time K-61 was extended over K-17's former alignment to US-81 by McPherson. By the end of 1959, K-61's alignment had been straightened from Hutchinson to McPherson. Throughout the 1960s, the alignment was changed within the city of Hutchinson. By 1969, I-35W (modern I-135) had been built and K-61 extended to it. From 2009 to 2012, a new four-lane alignment was built between Hutchinson and McPherson.