Interstate 80 in Nebraska

Interstate 80 (I-80) in the U.S. state of Nebraska runs east from the Wyoming state border across the state to Omaha. When it completed construction of the stretch of I-80 spanning the state on October 19, 1974. Nebraska was the first state in the nation to complete its mainline Interstate Highway System.[4]

Interstate 80
I-80 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by NDOT
Length	455.31 mi[1][2] (732.75 km)
Existed	1957[3]–present
Major junctions
West end	I-80 at Wyoming state line
	I-76 near Big Springs US 26 in Ogallala US 83 in North Platte US 34 / US 281 in Grand Island US 81 near York US 77 in Lincoln I-180 / US 34 in Lincoln US 6 near Waverly I-680 in Omaha I-480 / US 75 in Omaha
East end	I-80 at Iowa state line
Location
Counties	Kimball, Cheyenne, Deuel, Keith, Lincoln, Dawson, Buffalo, Hall, Hamilton, York, Seward, Lancaster, Cass, Sarpy, Douglas
Highway system
Interstate Highway System Main Auxiliary Suffixed Business Future Nebraska State Highway System Interstate U.S. State Link Spur State Spurs Recreation ← N-79 → US 81

Nebraska has over 80 exits along Interstate 80.[5] According to The New York Times there are several notable tourist attractions along Nebraska's section of I-80.[6] It is the only Interstate Highway in the state to go from one end of the state to another, as Nebraska has no major north–south interstate route. Except for a 3-mile-long (4.8 km) portion of I-76 near the Colorado state line, I-80 is the only primary (two-digit) Interstate Highway in Nebraska.

History

Interstate 80 in May 1973

Built along the pathway of the Great Platte River Road, I-80 in Nebraska follows the same route as many historic trails, including the Oregon Trail, the California Trail, and the Mormon Trail.[6] Starting in 1957 after federal funding was allotted, Nebraskans began planning their Interstate construction. Led by the Nebraska State Highway Commission, there were hearings across the state to decide where the route was going to be. Aside from the federally mandated "control points" in Omaha and Scottsbluff, the route could vary across the state. Dozens of meetings were held in Grand Island, Kearney, and North Platte, among other locations. The commission addressed issues of whether the highway would be north or south of the Platte River or whether it would follow U.S. Highway 30. The South Platte Chamber of Commerce and various cities were very active in these sessions, and debate over where the Interstate would be constructed continued into the 1960s.[3]

I-80 in Omaha, Nebraska looking west at its interchange with I-680

After the first contract for building the Interstate was awarded in 1957, a 6.5-mile (10.5 km) section near Gretna was the first section to be completed that year.[7] The first long segment to be opened was a 50-mile (80 km) section between Dodge Street in Omaha and the West Lincoln interchange in Lincoln in 1961.[8] During a "Golden Link" ceremony, the last section of I-80 in Nebraska was completed when a brass connector was inserted in the roadway near Sidney on April 1, 1974.[4] This was designed to emulate the golden spike ceremonially used to complete the Trancontinental Railroad in 1869.[9]

The total length of the Nebraska section is 455.27 miles (732.69 km) long, and was completed at a cost of $435 million.[4]

Legacy

The beginning of the I-80 construction in Nebraska in 1957 led the Nebraska Legislature to split the Department of Roads and Irrigation in order to create three separate agencies in the state, including the Department of Motor Vehicles, Department of Water Resources and the Department of Roads, which was the first Nebraska agency solely responsible for highway planning, construction, and maintenance in Nebraska history.[10]

Interstate construction led the state to focus on other highways in Nebraska, as well. Surfaced shoulders, new safety sections beyond shoulders and other developments across the state were attributed to the influence of the Interstate.[11] The 1965 state legislature also authorized a study of the needs of every public road in Nebraska, including state highways, county roads, and city streets.[12]

Speed limits

1955 map showing the future routes of Interstates in Lincoln, including I-80 and its child route, I-180

The following are speed limits that have existed on I-80 in Nebraska since it was opened in 1957.[13]

Rural speed limits on I-80

Year	Speed limit (mph)	Speed limit (km/h)	Truck speed limit (mph)	Truck limit (km/h)
1960	70	115
1964	75	120	65	105
1974[lower-alpha 1]	55	90
1987	65	105
1995	75	120

Route description

Designated sections

The Great Platte River Road Archway Monument in Kearney, which spans Interstate 80

The entirety of the Interstate Highway System was named the "Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways" in 1990, and the first signage in Nebraska was posted in 1993.[14] Several sections of I-80 in Nebraska have special designations. The I-80 intersection with US-34 has been designated a "Purple Heart Memorial Highway", and South 108th Street bridge over I-80 in Omaha has been designated the "Purple Heart Bridge", both in honor of all recipients of the Purple Heart.[15] A section of I-80 in Nebraska is also designated as a Blue Star Memorial Highway.

Details

In Nebraska, I-80 has 82 interchanges, 442 bridges on or over the roadway, 25 rest areas, and one scenic overlook, each spaced 35–50 miles (56–80 km) apart for convenience. The I-80 rights-of-way in Nebraska feature 28 types of grasses and forbs, 31 types of shrubs, 12 varieties of coniferous trees, and 39 types of deciduous trees are planted on the median of I-80 in Nebraska. There are also 570 informational and directional signs along the way.[16] Mile markers with the interstate shield are posted every ¹⁄₂ mile (0.80 km) from mile 103.0 to mile 312.0, and every ¹⁄₅ mile (0.32 km) from mile 312.0 easterly. Most of the route is straight plains, and a stretch between Lincoln and Grand Island is almost entirely straight with very few curves whatsoever.

Exit list

County	Location	mi[1]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Kimball	​	0.00	0.00		I-80 west	Continuation into Wyoming
	​	0.48	0.77	1	L-53B north (State Line Road) to US 30 – Pine Bluffs
	Bushnell	8.46	13.62	8	L-53C – Bushnell
	​	20.71	33.33	20	N-71 south – Kimball	Western end of N-71 overlap
	​	22.69	36.52	22	N-71 north – Gering, Scottsbluff	Eastern end of N-71 overlap
	Dix	29.76	47.89	29	L-53A – Dix
Cheyenne	Potter	38.96	62.70	38	L-17B – Potter
	​	48.82	78.57	48	L-17C
	​	51.31	82.58	Sidney Rest Area (eastbound); location of the Golden Link[17]
	Sidney	55.37	89.11	55	N-19 (West Entrance) – Sidney	N-19 north is former I-80 Bus. east
		59.92	96.43	59	L-17J to US 385 – Sidney, Bridgeport	Former I-80 Bus. west
	Sunol	69.63	112.06	69	L-17E – Sunol
	Lodgepole	76.61	123.29	76	L-17F – Lodgepole
Deuel	Chappell	85.22	137.15	85	L-25A to US 385 – Chappell
	​	95.02	152.92	95	N-27 – Julesburg, Oshkosh
	​	101.19	162.85	101	US 138 – Big Springs, Julesburg
	​	102.59	165.10	102	I-76 south – Denver	Left exit westbound, left entrance eastbound
	Big Springs	107.36	172.78	107	L-25B – Big Springs
Keith	Brule	117.25	188.70	117	L-51A – Brule
	Ogallala	126.69	203.89	126	US 26 / N-61 – Ogallala, Grant	Eastern terminus of US 26
	Roscoe	133.97	215.60	133	L-51B – Roscoe
	Paxton	145.65	234.40	145	L-51C – Paxton
Lincoln	Sutherland	158.01	254.29	158	N-25 – Sutherland, Wallace
	Hershey	164.51	264.75	164	L-56C – Hershey
	North Platte	177.16	285.11	177	US 83 – North Platte, McCook
		179.19	288.38	179	L-56G to US 30 – North Platte
	Maxwell	190.42	306.45	190	S-56A – Maxwell
	Brady	198.97	320.21	199	L-56D – Brady
Dawson	Gothenburg	211.77	340.81	211	N-47 – Gothenburg
	Cozad	222.46	358.01	222	N-21 – Cozad
	​	231.10	371.92	231	L-24A – Darr
	Lexington	237.19	381.72	237	US 283 – Arapahoe, Lexington, Elwood
	Overton	248.53	399.97	248	L-24B – Overton
Buffalo	Elm Creek	257.01	413.62	257	US 183 – Holdrege, Elm Creek
	Odessa	263.66	424.32	263	L-10B – Odessa
	Kearney	272.60	438.71	272	N-44 – Kearney, Archway Monument
		275.59	443.52	275	N-10 north (East Entrance) – Kearney	Western end of N-10 overlap
	​	279.89	450.44	279	N-10 south – Minden	Eastern end of N-10 overlap
	Gibbon	285.63	459.68	285	L-10C – Gibbon
	Shelton	291.36	468.90	291	L-10D – Shelton, Kenesaw
Hall	Wood River	300.10	482.96	300	N-11 north / S-40D south – Wood River
	​	305.66	491.91	305	L-40C – Alda
	Grand Island	312.07	502.23	312	US 34 / US 281 (Tom Osborne Expressway) – Hastings, Grand Island
		314.11	505.51	314	Locust Street – Grand Island
Hamilton	​	318.14	512.00	318	N-2 – Phillips, Grand Island
	Giltner	324.14	521.65	324	S-41B – Giltner
	Aurora	332.15	534.54	332	N-14 – Aurora
	Hampton	338.12	544.15	338	L-41D – Hampton
York	Henderson	342.11	550.57	342	S-93A – Henderson
	​	348.09	560.20	348	L-93E – Bradshaw
	York	353.09	568.24	353	US 81 – Geneva, York
	​	360.11	579.54	360	L-93B – Waco
Seward	​	366.13	589.23	366	L-80F – Utica
	Beaver Crossing	369.12	594.04	369	L-80E – Beaver Crossing
	Goehner	373.09	600.43	373	L-80G – Goehner
	​	379.08	610.07	379	N-15 – Seward, Fairbury
	Milford	382.08	614.90	382	L-80H – Milford
	​	388.11	624.60	388	N-103 – Crete
Lancaster	Lincoln	395.59	636.64	395	L-55K (NW 48th Street) to US 6 – Lincoln
		396.36	637.88	396	US 6 (O Street) – Lincoln	Closed; was eastbound exit and westbound left entrance only[18]
		397.27	639.34	397	US 77 south – Lincoln, Beatrice	Western end of US 77 overlap
		399.01	642.14	399	NW 12th Street / Cornhusker Highway / Adams Street – Lincoln Airport
		401.04	645.41	401	I-180 south / US 34 / 9th Street – Downtown	Eastbound exits signed as 401A (south/east) and 401B (west)
		403.48	649.34	403	27th Street
	​	405.75	652.99	405	US 77 north / L-55X south (56th Street) – Lincoln, Fremont, Wahoo	Eastern end of US 77 overlap; L-55X is former US 77 south
	Waverly	409.74	659.41	409	US 6 – East Lincoln, Waverly
Cass	Ashland	420.91	677.39	420	N-63 – Ashland, Greenwood
		426.06	685.68	426	N-66 – South Bend, Louisville, Ashland	Mahoney State Park
Platte River		427.26	687.61	Bridge
Sarpy	​	432.94	696.75	432	N-31 to US 6 – Gretna, Ashland
	​	439.19	706.81	439	N-370 – Bellevue, Papillion, Gretna	Werner Park (stadium), Offutt Air Force Base
	Chalco	440.63	709.13	440	N-50 (144th Street) – Springfield, West Omaha
		442.89	712.76	442	Giles Road / Harrison Street
Douglas	Omaha	444.56	715.45	445	Q Street	Westbound exit only; access from C/D lanes originating at West Center Rd. exit
		445.05	716.24		US 275 / N-92 (L Street)	Cloverleaf interchange accessible to and from C/D lanes
		445.34	716.71		I Street	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance accessible to and from C/D lanes
		445.97	717.72	446	I-680 north
		446.63	718.78	445	West Center Road	No eastbound exit; C/D lanes provide access to I-L-Q St. exits
		448.29	721.45	448	84th Street
		449.30	723.08	449	72nd Street
		450.31	724.70	450	60th Street
		451.83	727.15	451	42nd Street
		452.85	728.79	452	I-480 / US 75 north (Gerald R. Ford Expressway) – Downtown, Eppley Airfield US 75 south (Kennedy Freeway) – Bellevue	Exits to southbound US 75 also include direct exit ramp onto F Street
		453.04	729.10	453	24th Street	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		454.14	730.87	454	13th Street – Gardens, Zoo	Former US 73 / US 75
Missouri River		455.31	732.75	Interstate 80 Bridge; Nebraska–Iowa state line
					I-80 east – Council Bluffs, Des Moines	Continuation into Iowa
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Closed/former       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access

Auxiliary routes

Interstate 80 has three auxiliary routes in Nebraska. One is a loop around the city of Omaha, one is a loop through the city of Omaha, and the other is a spur into Lincoln.

• I-180 is a spur into downtown Lincoln, co-signed with US-34 for its entire length.
• I-480 is a loop route in Omaha extending from I-29 in Council Bluffs west towards I-80. It serves as the inner of two loops in Omaha. It is cosigned with US-75 for approximately 2.5 miles (4.0 km) and with US-6 for less than one mile (1.6 km) as it crosses the Missouri River into Iowa.
• I-680 is a loop around the northwest of Omaha. It serves as the outer of the two Omaha loops. The section from I-80 in Omaha to I-29 in Crescent was originally designated as I-280, but because it extended into Iowa, and because it conflicted with I-280 in the Quad Cities area of Iowa, the route was renumbered I-680.

See also

• History of Nebraska
• Transportation in Omaha, Nebraska

Notes

1. National speed limit, effective March 3, 1974

References

Footnotes

1. "Nebraska Highway Reference Log Book" (PDF). Nebraska Department of Roads. 2015. pp. 202–223. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
2. Staff (October 31, 2002). "Table 1: Main Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways as of October 31, 2002". Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. OCLC 47914009.
3. Koster, George E. (1997). A Story of Highway Development in Nebraska (PDF) (Revised ed.). Lincoln: Nebraska Department of Roads. p. 64. OCLC 38025727. Retrieved September 23, 2007.
4. Staff. "Interstate Construction in Nebraska". Nebraska Department of Roads. Retrieved September 23, 2007.
5. Geelhart, Chris (July 11, 2006). "Highways 61-100". Nebraska Highways Page. Self-published. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
6. Winckler, Suzanne (July 22, 1990). "I-80's Exits to History in Nebraska". The New York Times. Retrieved September 23, 2007.
7. Koster (1997), p. 66.
8. Nebraska Interstate 80 Lincoln–Omaha (PDF). Nebraska Department of Roads. August 11, 1961. Retrieved September 23, 2007.
9. Koster (1997), p. 87.
10. Koster (1997), p. 67.
11. Koster (1997), p. 73.
12. Koster (1997), p. 75.
13. Koster (1997), p. 94.
14. Koster (1997), p. 100.
15. Staff. "Purple Heart Trail". Nebraska Department of Roads. Retrieved September 23, 2007.
16. Staff. Today's I-80 in Nebraska. Nebraska Department of Roads. Retrieved December 20, 2013.
17. WanderingRaleighite. "The Golden Link Historical Marker/Historic Landmark in Sidney, Cheyenne, NE, US". Landmarks Visited Catalog. Self-published. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
18. "Nebraska 511 Traveler Information". Nebraska Department of Roads. Retrieved January 22, 2016.

Works cited

• Frazier, Ian (1989). Great Plains. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux. ISBN 9780374217235.
• Mattes, Merrill J. (1969). The Great Platte River Road. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. OCLC 92978.
• Nebraska State Historical Society (1989). Historic Places: The National Register for Nebraska. Lincoln: Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. OCLC 19216708.

External links

• Nebraska Department of Roads
• 1963 photos of construction in Omaha.
• I-80 Nebraska. An official promotional website for nine counties in central and western Nebraska.