K-55's western terminus closely follows the Meridian Highway and the South West Trail.

It was first designated a state highway by 1927, and at that time ran from US-81 in Belle Plaine southeast to K-12 in Oxford.

The highway travels east through flat rural farmland and after roughly 0.4 miles (0.64 km) passes under I-35, also known as the Kansas Turnpike, with no connection.

K-55 continues east to an at-grade crossing with a BNSF Railway track as it enters the city of Belle Plaine.

[4] The roadway enters the city of Udall and has an at-grade crossing with a BNSF Railway track.

[5][6][7] The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) tracks the traffic levels on its highways, and in 2018, they determined that on average the traffic varied from 805 vehicles per day near the eastern terminus to 2,050 vehicles per day just east of Belle Plaine.

[12][13][14] In November 1930, it was announced that work would begin spring of 1931, to reconstruct the road from Belle Plaine east to the Cowley County line.

[16][17][18] In late-March 1932, a bid was approved for grading, culvert, and bridge projects on K-55 east of Belle Plaine.