 State Highway 61 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Nebraska Highway 61 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained byNDOT | ||||
| Length | 234.82 mi[1] (377.91 km) | |||
| Existed | 1926[2]–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end |  K-161 south ofBenkelman | |||
| Major intersections | ||||
| North end |  SD 73 north ofMerriman | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Nebraska | |||
| Counties | Dundy,Chase,Perkins,Keith,Arthur,Grant,Cherry | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
Nebraska Highway 61 (N-61) is a 234.82-mile (377.91 km)state highway in westernNebraska, United States. The southern terminus of N-61 is at theKansas border south ofBenkelman, where the highway continues south asK-161. The northern terminus is at theSouth Dakota border north ofMerriman, where the highway continues north asSouth Dakota Highway 73.
Nebraska Highway 61 begins at the Kansas border south of Benkelman. It goes north through farmland for one mile (1.6 km), then intersectsU.S. Highway 34, with which it overlaps through Benkelman. It goes north from Benkelman toEnders Reservoir State Recreation Area, where it intersectsU.S. Highway 6. They overlap north, then west intoImperial. At Imperial, Highway 61 turns north and continues north until an intersection withNebraska Highway 23, where Highway 61 and Highway 23 turn west to go toGrant. At Grant, Highway 61 goes north and continues north untilInterstate 80 atOgallala. At I-80, an overlap withU.S. Highway 26 begins and they go north across theSouth Platte River and intersectU.S. Highway 30.[1][3]
Nebraska Highway 61, U.S. 26 and U.S. 30 then go west out of Ogallala, then Highway 61 and U.S. 26 turn north. Three miles later, U.S. 26 goes west while Highway 61 goes east. Highway 61 then turns north to cross theNorth Platte River viaKingsley Dam at the eastern end ofLake McConaughy. It then intersectsNebraska Highway 92 and the two highways overlap as they enter theSand Hills untilArthur. After Arthur, Highway 61 goes north untilNebraska Highway 2. They overlap going west intoHyannis, then Highway 61 continues north untilMerriman. At Merriman, Highway 61 intersectsU.S. Highway 20 and overlap in town. Highway 61 continues north from Merriman past theBowring Ranch State Historical Park and ends at the South Dakota border.[1][3]
| County | Location | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dundy | | 0.00 | 0.00 |  K-161 south –Bird City, KS | Continuation into Kansas |
| | 1.32 | 2.12 |   US 34 west –Haigler | South end of US 34 overlap | |
| Benkelman | 4.30 | 6.92 |  US 34 east –Stratton,McCook | North end of US 34 overlap | |
| Chase | Enders | 30.35 | 48.84 |  US 6 east –Wauneta,McCook | South end of US 6 overlap |
| Imperial | 39.92 | 64.25 | US 6 west –Holyoke, CO | North end of US 6 overlap | |
| Perkins | Grant | 63.80 | 102.68 |  N-23 east –Madrid | South end of N-23 overlap |
| 66.89 | 107.65 | N-23 west (A Street) –Venango | North end of N-23 overlap | ||
| Keith | Ogallala | 86.12 | 138.60 |   US 26 begin /I-80 –North Platte,Sidney | South end of US 26 overlap, I-80 exit 126 |
| 86.90 | 139.85 |  US 30 east (1st Street) | South end of US 30 overlap | ||
| 88.89 | 143.05 | US 30 west (Lincoln Highway) –Sidney | North end of US 30 overlap | ||
| 92.01 | 148.08 | US 26 west –Scottsbluff | North end of US 26 overlap | ||
| Lemoyne | 103.23 | 166.13 |  N-92 west –Scottsbluff | South end of N-92 overlap | |
| Arthur | Arthur | 128.68 | 207.09 | N-92 east –Tryon | North end of N-92 overlap |
| Grant | Hyannis | 160.58 | 258.43 |  N-2 east –Mullen | South end of N-2 overlap |
| 162.29 | 261.18 | N-2 west (Railroad Street) –Alliance | North end of N-2 overlap | ||
| Cherry | Merriman | 229.26 | 368.96 |  US 20 west –Gordon,Chadron | South end of US 20 overlap |
| 229.29 | 369.01 | US 20 east –Valentine | North end of US 20 overlap | ||
| | 234.82 | 377.91 |  SD 73 north –Martin, SD | Continuation into South Dakota | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| |||||
