U.S. 69 Crawford County Corridor
(UPDATE 8/9/23)
In response to feedback from communities and residents along U.S. 69 in Crawford County, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is stopping any further progress on developing the western alignment of the Crawford County Corridor (also known as the Pittsburg Bypass). This includes stopping design work and planned construction of the U.S. 160 improvements (Phase 3) of the Crawford County Corridor. That project would have extended U.S. 160 to the west along 590th Avenue.
Discussions about improving the U.S. 69 corridor have been happening for decades. The project would expand an 18-mile corridor of U.S. 69 to a four-lane freeway, starting at the Cherokee-Crawford county line and continuing north of the City of Arma.
While there have been ongoing conversations through KDOT’s Local Consult process and individual project meetings, until this spring, KDOT had not had a dedicated conversation with communities along the corridor about the project in more than 10 years
Later this year, KDOT will start a new corridor study to re-evaluate the current highway and identify the current and future needs of the communities along U.S. 69 in Crawford County. The study will include an updated traffic and safety analysis to help determine viable options to improve the Crawford County Corridor.
To help inform the study, KDOT will establish a stakeholder group composed of representatives of the cities, county and businesses along the corridor to hear a variety of perspectives on the priorities in the region. The study will include a robust public outreach effort and multiple opportunities for public input. It will take 12-18 months to complete the new study.
Discussions about improving the U.S. 69 Crawford County Corridor (also known as the U.S. 69 Pittsburg Bypass) have been going on for decades. The project would expand an 18-mile corridor of U.S. 69 to a four-lane freeway, starting at the Cherokee-Crawford County line and continuing to north of the City of Arma.
Over time, KDOT has done preliminary engineering and environmental reviews, working with cities and counties along the U.S. 69 corridor. While there have been ongoing conversations through KDOT’s Local Consult process and individual project meetings, KDOT has not had a dedicated conversation with communities along the corridor about the project in more than 10 years.
Recently, KDOT received a $13 million federal earmark to fund a small phase of the U.S. 69 Pittsburg Bypass. That phase, as originally designed, would extend U.S. 160 to the west along what is now 590th Avenue for two miles, expanding the current two-lane county road into a four-lane highway. The current cost estimate for that phase is $15 million. The entire U.S. 69 Crawford County Corridor project is estimated to cost more than $400 million (in 2023 dollars) and no money, aside from the federal earmark, has been identified for construction.
Because it has been so long since KDOT has had a dedicated conversation about the project, and the agency understands that community needs and visions change, KDOT is re-engaging with cities and counties along the corridor to get input before moving forward.
During the month of May 2023, KDOT is meeting with the following cities and counties during regularly scheduled council/commission meetings to discuss the U.S 69 Crawford County Corridor.
- • May 1 – City of Frontenac – 6:30 p.m.
- • May 5 – Crawford County – 10 a.m.
- • May 9 – City of Pittsburg – 5:30 p.m.
- • May 15 – City of Arma – 6:30 p.m.
- • May 22 – Cherokee County – 10 a.m.
As updates are available, they will be posted to this web page.
If you have questions or comments about the U.S. 69 Crawford County Corridor, please email: engagement@ksdotike.org
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