Kansas: Default speed limits

Hey there, again. I have a question for people who live in Kansas or may know this otherwise:

**What is a “county or township highway” in Kansas? ** And, is it tagged any differently than any other highway?

The legislation defines a default speed limit of 55 mph for all county or township highways and 65 mph for all other highways. So, there must be some way to distinguish these.

Hi Hamburg,

Per the Statute – “all other highways” are not urban, designated multi-lane, county/township, or otherwise authorized. That pretty much only leaves State routes for the catch-all “other” category.

<“Highway” in Kansas means ANY public road>


<Kansas speed limit “philosophy”>

Hope that helps!
-Dana

(Disclaimer: I am not a attorney, do not play one on TV and did not stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night – So, nothing I say should be believed along with anything else you might find on the internet…)

Thank you for all the links, unfortunately this is not too helpful: The interesting bit in Kansas Statutes Chapter 8, Article 15, Section 58 Maximum speed limits. is point 3:

County or township highway” however is not defined anywhere. Okay, it will be a road inside a county or township, but the driver must be able to determine somehow that he is now in, not outside of a county, because he is expected by the law to reduce his speed (from 65 mph) to 55 mph. Is it even possible to be outside of a county? If yes, will there be a sign like “You are entering…” at the borders of a country?

Let me try again… my explanatory skills may be lacking.

“Highway” is defined for the Kansas Statutes as:
*(o) “Highway” means every way or place of whatever nature open to the use of the public as a matter of right for the purpose of vehicular travel. The term “highway” shall not be deemed to include a roadway or driveway upon grounds owned by private owners, colleges, universities or other institutions.
*

The entire state of Kansas is subdivided into 105 contiguous counties – there are no gaps between them. Those counties are subdivided into 1404 contiguous townships. Just as all 48 states in the continental US are contiguous. If you are anywhere in Kansas, you are inside a township that is inside a county that is inside the state.

Thus, every highway in Kansas is already in a township that is in a county – when they say “county or township highway” they mean the administrative level of the road, not the physical location.

Hope that helps a bit.

-Dana