| State: | KS |
| Type: | KS |
| Route: | 249 |
| Map Custom: | yes |
| Map Notes: | K-249 highlighted in red |
| Established: | 1963 |
| Alternate Name: | Southwest Boulevard |
| Length Mi: | 0.680 |
| Direction A: | South |
| Terminus A: | by Madison |
| Direction B: | North |
| Terminus B: | in Madison |
| Counties: | Greenwood |
| Previous Type: | KS |
| Previous Route: | 248 |
| Next Type: | KS |
| Next Route: | 251 |
K-249, also known as Southwest Boulevard, is a 0.68adj=midNaNadj=mid north - south state highway located entirely within Greenwood County in the U.S. state of Kansas. K-249's southern terminus is at K-99 just outside the City of Madison, and the northern terminus is at K-58 in Madison.[1] K-249 was originally a section of K-99 before it was realigned to the west of the city.[2]
K-249's southern terminus is at an intersection with K-99 just south of Madison. The highway travels north along the Madison city line as Southwest Boulevard. The highway reaches an intersection with McCurry Street, where it enters the city. K-249 continues north past an intersection with Elm Street before curving slightly northeast. The highway curves back north and reaches its northern terminus at K-58, known as 4th Street and West Lincoln Street.[1] [3]
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) tracks the traffic levels on its highways. On K-249 in 2020, they determined that on average the traffic was 570 vehicles per day on K-249.[4] The entire length of K-249 is two-lanes and maintained by KDOT.[5] K-249 is not included in the National Highway System.[6] The National Highway System is a system of highways important to the nation's defense, economy, and mobility.[7]
In December 1961, the Kansas State Highway Commission, now known as KDOT, announced a project to reroute K-99 to the west of Madison. The project was needed to bring K-99 above the 25-year flood level and eliminate several curves. The section of K-99 and K-57 from Madison Avenue north out of the city would be abandoned, and instead K-57 would follow Madison Avenue west to the new alignment of K-99. The section of K-99 from Madison south to the new alignment would be assigned a new route number.[8] In Mid July 1964, bids were taken for the new bypass.[9]
The highway was first designated as K-249 in a resolution approved on June 12, 1963. This resolution was updated in a resolution approved on February 11, 1964.[2] [10] In late August 1964, work began on the new bypass route.[11] The roughly $1 million (equivalent to $ in dollars) bypass opened to traffic on November 3, 1965.[12] In a resolution approved on September 20, 2004, by Secretary of Transportation Deb Miller, K-57's eastern terminus was truncated to end at K-4 in Dwight. The former section from K-99 east to east to US-169 was renumbered, making K-249's northern terminus K-58.[13]