U.S. Route 281 in Kansas

U.S. Highway 281
US-281 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by KDOT and the city of Smith Center
Length	238.24 mi[1] (383.41 km)
Existed	c. 1933–present
Major junctions
South end	US 281 at Oklahoma state line
Major intersections	US-160 in Medicine Lodge US-54 / US-400 in Pratt US-50 south of St. John US-56 / K-96 / K-156 in Great Bend I-70 / US-40 south of Russell US-24 near Osborne US-36 / K-181 near Smith Center
North end	US 281 at Nebraska state line
Location
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Counties	Barber, Pratt, Stafford, Barton, Russell, Osborne, Smith
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Special Divided Kansas State Highway System Interstate US State Spurs

U.S. Route 281 (US-281) is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from near the Mexican border north to the International Peace Garden, north of Dunseith, North Dakota, at the Canadian border, where it continues as Highway 10. In the state of Kansas, US-281 is a main north–south highway that runs from the Oklahoma border north to the Nebraska border. US-281 passes within one mile (1.6 km) to the east of the Geographic center of the contiguous United States, which its connected to via K-191 (Kansas highway) (K-191).

Between 1933 and 1936, US-281 was extended south into Kansas to US-36 south of Lebanon. Then between July 1938 and 1940, US-281 was extended south into Oklahoma.