Beginning at US-75 and K-31 about a mile south of Lyndon. From here it heads east then reaches Quenemo, where it turns north and intersects K-268. Next it goes through Pomona. It continues east crossing the Marais des Cygnes River then turns northeastward and crosses the former route of US-59 near downtown Ottawa. As K-68 enters Ottawa, it intersects with I-35, US-59 and US-50 near the WalmartDistribution Center. Four miles west of Louisburg, K-68 intersects with US-169 and K-7, it also provides an end terminus with K-33 in Franklin County. It passes through Louisburg where it intersects with US-69. After passing Louisburg it reaches its eastern terminus at Missouri Route 2. K-68 is not included in the National Highway System. The NationalHighway System is a system of highways important to the nation's defense, economy, and mobility. K-19 does connect to the National Highway System at its western terminus at US-75, at its intersection with I-35 / US-50 / US-59, at its intersection with US-169 / K-7, and at its intersection with US-69. 2017 Annual average daily traffic on K-19 ranged from 565 near the western terminus, 685 slightly west and 2750 slightly east of the junction with K-268, 2900 near the eastern terminus, 3490 just west of the intersection with K-33, 3830 slightly east of Pomona, 4010 slightly west of Ottawa, 4110 on the eastern edge of Louisburg, 4520 slightly west of the intersection with US-169, 5740 slightly east of the intersection with I-35, 8590 slightly west of the intersection with US-69, 8820 slightly west of the intersection with I-35 and 12100 slightly east of the intersection with US-69.
History
K-68 was first designated a state highway in 1929 and went from US-73W and US-50S in Ottawa eastward to US-73E in Louisburg. By April 1936, US-50S was realigned onto K-33 from south of Ottawa to K-31 east of Waverly and K-68 was extended west on the old US-50S alignment from Ottawa to US-75 by Lyndon. At that time K-33 was also truncated to end at K-68 east of Ottawa. Sometime between April 1933 and April 1936 US-73W was renumbered to US-59 and US-73E was renumbered to US-69. In a May 26, 1937 resolution K-68 was extended further east from US-69 to the Missouri border, which was first approved in a March 29, 1937 meeting. In a March 12, 1963 resolution, a section of K-68 was realigned northwest of Paola to eliminate two curves. Then in a January 12, 1965 resolution, a section of K-68 was realigned northeast of Paola to meet the section realigned in the March 12, 1963 resolution, which eliminated the overlap with US-169. Originally US-169 and K-7 ran together through Paola then in a June 12, 1969 resolution, US-169 and K-7 was realigned to the east of Paola and K-68's junction with the two highways was moved roughly to the east. Originally US-69 through Louisburg then in an April 6, 1976 resolution, US-69 was realigned to the west of Louisburg and K-68's junction with the two highways was moved approximately to the west. US-50 Business originally overlapped K-68 in Ottawa, then in a November 6, 2000 resolution the US-50 Bus. designation was removed. On May 21, 2019, the highway was closed north of Quenemo, due to flooding from Salt Creek.
