ALL ROADS
Kansas has the fourth largest number of public roads in the nation. Public roads are
functionally classified as Interstate, other principal arterials, minor arterials, collectors or
local roads.
It is not surprising that because of the State’s extensive road system Kansas ranks
fourth among all states in the total number of bridges.
STATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM
The State Highway System comprises approximately 9,500 miles, or 7 percent, of the
more than 135,000 miles of public roads in Kansas. However, the State Highway System
and its City Connecting Links carry 53 percent of the State's total travel.
HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS
The Comprehensive Transportation Program (CTP), the largest public works program
in the State's history, was passed into law by the Kansas Legislature in 1999.
KANSAS TURNPIKE
The 238-mile Kansas Turnpike was opened to traffic in October 1956.
Travel on the Turnpike in 2004 increased slightly compared to the previous year, with
total passenger and commercial travel exceeding 1.4 billion miles. In 2004, the average
trip distance on the Turnpike for all vehicles was 43 miles, with 41 miles for passenger
vehicles and 61 miles for commercial vehicles. Passenger vehicles comprised 87
percent of the total number of vehicles and 81 percent of the total miles traveled on the
Kansas Turnpike during the year.
HIGHWAY SAFETY
Kansas recorded 912 fewer traffic accidents in 2004 than in the previous year, 74,102
compared to 75,014. Fatal accidents also decreased, from 419 in 2003 to 390 in 2004,
and the number of fatalities decreased from 469 to 459.
The results were the same as in the previous year with the greatest number of accidents
occurring between 5 and 6:00 p.m., on Fridays, and in November.