Current and historic US Highway endpoints
in Liberal, KS

Photo credits: me

US 83 was among the original 1926 routes, but it served only the Dakotas. In 1930 a separate southern segment of US 83 was commissioned - the south end of this segment was in Liberal. Of course today's bypass hadn't been built - at the time, US 83 traffic was directed straight into downtown Liberal via Kansas Avenue. The photo below shows the historic terminus:

me, Nov. 2001

US 83 ended at the light ahead (which is Pancake Boulevard, or US 54). That lasted only for one year: in 1931 US 83 was extended ahead, all the way to the southern tip of Texas. In 1938, the US 270 designation was extended through Liberal, co-signed with US 83. But in 1982, that designation was truncated to its junction with US 54 in Liberal. After that, straight ahead was the west beginning of US 270.

The photo below is looking the opposite direction (north on Kansas):

me, Nov. 2001

From 1930-1931 the south beginning of US 83 was straight ahead... and then from 1982 to about 2000, US 270 ended here. It was about 2000 when the Liberal bypass was opened to traffic. US 83 and US 270 traffic was routed onto it. US 270 continues to end at its junction with US 54, but this point is now a mile or two east of the terminus shown above. The shot below is looking north on US 83/US 270, at US 54 (or Pancake):

me, Nov. 2001

The US 270 designation ends here, but US 83 continues north via the bypass. (US 54 runs at a severe diagonal compared to the rest of the city; that's why they used diagonal arrows on these sign assemblies.) The photo below is looking the opposite direction (south on the bypass). US 83 continues ahead, and eastbound US 270 begins ahead:

me, Nov. 2001

Below we're looking southwest on Pancake (great name for a road in one of the flattest parts of the country). The signs show how US 83 runs either way, but US 270 is only to the south:

me, Nov. 2001