 U.S. Highway 26 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 US-26 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained byNDOT | ||||
| Length | 150.79 mi[1] (242.67 km) | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |  US 26 at Wyoming border | |||
| Major intersections |
| |||
| East end |   I-80 /N-61 at Ogallala | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Nebraska | |||
| Counties | Sioux,Scotts Bluff,Morrill,Garden,Keith | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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U.S. Highway 26 (US-26) is an east–west highway in westernNebraska. It enters the state fromWyoming just west ofHenry. The eastern terminus of US-26 is inOgallala at an interchange withInterstate 80 (I-80). The highway largely parallels theNorth Platte River for the majority of its route in Nebraska and as such, runs at a northwest–southeast angle. The highway also parallels the original paths of theOregon,California, andMormon trails.
US-26 enters Nebraska from Wyoming and shortly thereafter entersHenry. After passing throughMorrill, US-26 becomes a divided highway. AtMitchell, US-26 meetsNebraska Highway 29 (N‑29). Continuing southeast, US-26 entersScottsbluff. Through Scottsbluff, US-26 runs concurrent withN‑71 andN‑92 on a highway which goes through northern Scottsbluff. After N‑71 and N‑92 separate, US-26 continues toMinatare, where the divided highway ends. The highway runs due east until an intersection withLink L-62A (L-62A), when the highway turns south. US-26 passes throughBayard and, after crossing the North Platte River, meets with N‑92 again nearChimney Rock.[1][2]
US‑26 and N‑92 turn southeast towardBridgeport. At Bridgeport, N‑92 separates and US‑26 meetsUS‑385. They cross the North Platte River together and separate. US‑26 continues southeasterly on the north side of the North Platte River. AtBroadwater, US‑26 begins its third concurrency with N‑92. They run together throughLisco,Oshkosh, andLewellen. At Oshkosh, US‑26 meetsN-27. At Lewellen, US‑26 and N‑92 separate for the last time and shortly thereafter, US‑26 crosses the North Platte River again. After passing throughAsh Hollow State Historical Park, the highway passes through no communities until meetingN‑61 northwest ofOgallala. US‑26 runs concurrent with N‑61 the rest of its length in Nebraska. The two highways go south toUS‑30, then the three highways run concurrent into Ogallala. They then separate from US‑30, turn south to cross theSouth Platte River and US‑26 ends atI‑80.[1][2]
From the creation of the highway in 1926 until the 1930s, US-26 went north of the North Platte River east of Lewellen. This alignment went east toMartin, where US‑26 met N-61 and the two highways went south from there into Ogallala. WhenLake McConaughy was built in the 1930s, the current alignment was constructed.[3]
| County | Location | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux | Henry | 0.00 | 0.00 |  US 26 west /California National Historic Trail /Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail /Oregon National Historic Trail /Pony Express National Historic Trail –Torrington,Casper | Continuation intoWyoming |
| Scotts Bluff | Mitchell | 13.68 | 22.02 |   N-29 north (19th Avenue) | |
| Scottsbluff | 21.64 | 34.83 |  N-92 west –Gering | West end of N-92 overlap | |
| 22.26 | 35.82 |   N-71 north / CR 21 | West end of N-71 overlap | ||
| 25.67 | 41.31 |   N-71 south /N-92 east –Gering,Kimball | East end of N-71/N-92 overlap | ||
| Minatare | 31.91 | 51.35 |   L-79E south / CR 29 –Melbeta | ||
| Morrill | West Bayard Precinct | 41.95 | 67.51 |  L-62A east –Alliance | Former US-26N |
| Bayard | 48.89 | 78.68 | N-92 west –Gering,Scottsbluff,Scotts Bluff National Monument | West end of N-92 overlap | |
| Bridgeport | 61.42 | 98.85 |  US 385 south /N-92 east /California National Historic Trail /Pony Express National Historic Trail | East end of N-92 overlap; west end of US 385 overlap | |
| 62.42 | 100.46 | US 385 north –Alliance | East end of US 385 overlap | ||
| Broadwater | 76.49 | 123.10 | N-92 west –Sidney | West end of N-92 overlap | |
| Garden | Oshkosh | 106.05 | 170.67 |  N-27 south toUS 30 | |
| Lewellen | 118.89 | 191.33 | N-92 east –Lake McConaughy | East end of N-92 overlap | |
| Keith | Ogallala | 144.90 | 233.19 | N-61 north –Lake McConaughy | West end of N-61 overlap |
| 148.02 | 238.22 |  US 30 west –Sidney | West end of US 30 overlap | ||
| 150.01 | 241.42 | US 30 east /Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail /Oregon National Historic Trail | East end of US 30 overlap | ||
| 150.79 | 242.67 | I-80 /N-61 south –Sidney,North Platte,Grant | National eastern terminus; east end of N-61 overlap; I-80 exit 126; highway continues south as N-61 | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This section is empty. You can help byadding to it.(December 2023) |
 U.S. Highway 26 City | |
|---|---|
| Location | Scottsbluff |
 U.S. Highway 26N | |
|---|---|
| Location | Bayard–Broadwater |
| Existed | 1936–1959 |
U.S. Highway 26N (US-26N) existed from 1939 to 1959. It went east along today's L-62A, then south along today's US-385 to just north of Bridgeport and east along today's US‑26 to Broadwater. In those years, the mainline of US‑26 between Bridgeport and Broadwater went on the south side of the North Platte River, along today's N-92.[4]
 U.S. Route 26 | ||
|---|---|---|
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