From the Oklahoma state line, K-15 runs north for 8 miles (13 km) before turning west for 4 miles (6.4 km) and overlapping US-166. It then returns to a due north course for 9 miles (14 km) to Dexter. Then, it heads west for 3 miles (4.8 km) where it again overlaps, this time with US-160.
K-15 concurrent with I-135 and US-81
At Winfield, K-15 follows US-77 west to Udall and then turns north then cuts through Mulvane. It then continues traveling north through Derby, finally joining I-135 and US-81 in Wichita. K-15 is a multilane divided highway beginning immediately southeast of Mulvane at its intersection with K-53. K-15 follows this four-lane alignment through both Mulvane and Derby until merging with I-135 in south Wichita.
K-15 follows the I-135 alignment to US-50, where it exits after less than a mile onto Kansas Avenue (old US-81) in Newton. It goes through Newton and North Newton then continues north to US-56 in Marion County. It overlaps US-56 east for 6 miles (9.7 km) then continues north through Durham before crossing K-4. It keeps heading towards Abilene, where it crosses I-70, and continues north to K-18.
K-15 overlaps K-18 another 4 miles (6.4 km) before returning north and crossing US-24 at Clay Center. K-9 joins K-15 for 12 miles (19 km), then departs. K-15 overlaps US-36 for 6 miles (9.7 km) before returning north to end at the Nebraska border, becoming N-15.
The entire section within Winfield is maintained by the city.[4] The entire 1.630 miles (2.623 km) section of K-15 within Mulvane is maintained by the city.[5] The entire 2.118 miles (3.409 km) section within Derby is maintained by the city.[6] The section of K-15 in Wichita from the south city limit to I-135 is maintained by the city.[7] The section of K-15 in Newton from US-50 to the north city limit is maintained by the city.[8] The entire 2.758 miles (4.439 km) section within Abilene is maintained by the city.[9] The entire 1.910 miles (3.074 km) section within Clay Center is maintained by the city.[10]
History
K-15 once split into two routes near Washington. The K-15W fork is the present-day routing of K-15, while K-15E was redesignated as part of K-148. Before 1988, the section of K-148 from the K-9/K-15 intersection to the Nebraska border was designated as K-15E and the section of K-15 from the K-9/K-148 intersection northward was designated as K-15W. Then in a May 2, 1988 resolution, K-148 was extended over the former K-15E and K-15W was renumbered to K-15.[11] K-15 was the only state route in Kansas to fork in this manner.[3]
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