Options along the TransAm in Kansas

[LongTallEandM]

We are cycling the TransAm west to east and will soon leave Wyoming for Colorado.  We recently encountered a rider who said she rode US hwy 50 in Kansas because the "towns are better spaced" than state hwy 96 (the official TransAm route).  Thoughts anyone?

[jamawani]

Huh?

US 50 has far more traffic. And the towns along the TransAm are used to cyclists and very welcoming.
KS 96 has, on average, about 1000 vehicles per day across western Kansas.
US 50 has at least 2000 in most places and more than 4000 near the larger communities.

https://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/CountMaps/Districts/count13.PDF

Personally, I prefer Nebraska - but if you are riding across Kansas, the TransAm is best.

[Pat Lamb]

Off the top of my head, the only places you might want to stay on 50 are the stretch between Larned and Hutchinson (which is easily done in a day, just take extra water and a lunch), and the stretch east of Newton (where the TransAm leaves 50 and goes south). 

We detoured through El Dorado to find air conditioning instead of going up to Newton, and then had a great day from El Dorado to Hutchinson in the free sweat known as rain.  The northern bypass around the north of Wichita, and KS 96, were four lane divided highway with good shoulders and light, polite motorized traffic.

As jamawami says, the towns along the TransAm are pretty well spaced for a cyclist.  You'll have towns spaced 15-25 miles apart, giving you options for short or long days.  Not at all what you've experienced in Wyoming!

[John Nelson]

I think it'd be nuts to take US50, for more reasons than I have time to list.

[LongTallEandM]

Thank you everyone for your replies.  The US 50 option through Kansas is now buried 6 ft under!