 Interstate 80 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 I-80 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained byNDOT | ||||
| Length | 455.32 mi[2] (732.77 km) | |||
| Existed | 1957[1]–present | |||
| NHS | Entire route | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |  I-80 atWyoming state line | |||
| Major intersections | ||||
| East end | I-80 atIowa state line | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Nebraska | |||
| Counties | Kimball,Cheyenne,Deuel,Keith,Lincoln,Dawson,Buffalo,Hall,Hamilton,York,Seward,Lancaster,Cass,Sarpy,Douglas | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
Interstate 80 (I-80) in the US state ofNebraska runs east from theWyoming state border across the state toOmaha. Construction of the stretch of I-80 spanning the state was completed on October 19, 1974. Nebraska was the first state in the nation to complete its mainline Interstate Highway System.[3]
I-80 has over 80 exits in Nebraska;[4] according toThe New York Times there are several notabletourist attractions along Nebraska's section of I-80.[5] It is the only Interstate Highway to travel from one end of Nebraska to another, as the state has no major north–south Interstate route. Except for a three-mile-long (4.8 km) portion ofI-76 near theColorado state line, I-80 is the only primary (two-digit) Interstate Highway in Nebraska.
Built along the pathway of theGreat Platte River Road, I-80 in Nebraska follows the same route as many historic trails, including theOregon,California, andMormon trails.[5] 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,Lincoln, andGrand Island, the route could vary across the state.[6] Dozens of meetings were held inGrand Island,Kearney, andNorth Platte, among other locations. The commission addressed issues of whether the highway would be north or south of thePlatte River or whether it would followUS Highway 30 (US-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.[1]
After the first contract for building the Interstate was awarded in 1957, a 6.5-mile (10.5 km) section nearGretna was the first section to be completed that year.[7] The first long segment to be opened was a 52-mile (84 km) section between Dodge Street inOmaha and the West Lincoln interchange inLincoln on August 11, 1961.[8][9] During a "Golden Link" ceremony, the last section of I-80 in Nebraska was completed when a brass connector was inserted in the roadway nearSidney on October 20, 1974.[3][10] This was designed to emulate thegolden spike ceremonially used to complete thefirst transcontinental railroad in 1869.[11]
The total length of the Nebraska section is 455.32 miles (732.77 km) long and was completed at a cost of $435 million (equivalent to $2.15 billion in 2024[12]).[3]
The beginning of the I-80 construction in Nebraska in 1957 led theNebraska Legislature to split the Department of Roads and Irrigation 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.[13]
Interstate construction led the state to focus on other highways in Nebraska, as well. Surfacedshoulders, new safety sections beyond shoulders, and other developments across the state were attributed to the influence of the Interstate.[14] 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.[15]
The following arespeed limits that have existed on I-80 in Nebraska since it was opened in 1957.[16]
| Year | Speed limit (mph) | Speed limit (km/h) | Truck speed limit (mph) | Truck limit (km/h) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 70 | 110 | ||
| 1964 | 75 | 121 | 65 | 105 |
| 1974[a] | 55 | 89 | ||
| 1987 | 65 | 105 | ||
| 1995 | 75 | 121 | ||
The entirety of theInterstate 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.[17] Several sections of I-80 in Nebraska have special designations. The I-80 intersection withUS-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 thePurple Heart.[18] A section of I-80 in Nebraska is also designated as aBlue Star Memorial Highway.
In Nebraska, I-80 has 82 interchanges, 442 bridges on or over the roadway, 25 rest areas spaced 35–50 miles (56–80 km) apart for convenience, and onescenic overlook. The I-80right-of-ways in Nebraska feature 28 types ofgrasses andforbs, 31 types ofshrubs, 12 varieties ofconiferous trees, and 39 types ofdeciduous trees are planted on themedian of I-80 in Nebraska. There are also 570 informational and directional signs along the way.[19]
Milemarkers with the Interstate shield are posted every 0.5 miles (0.80 km) from mile 103 to mile 312 and every 0.2 miles (0.32 km) from mile 312 easterly. Most of the route is straight plains, and a stretch betweenLincoln andGrand Island is almost entirely straight with very few curves whatsoever. From Exit 395 eastward (excluding the exchange withI-680 in Omaha), I-80 carries at least three lanes of traffic.[citation needed]
| County | Location | mi[20] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kimball | Bushnell Precinct | 0.00 | 0.00 |  I-80 west –Cheyenne | Continuation intoWyoming | |
| 0.48 | 0.77 | 1 |     L-53B north (State Line Road) toUS 30 –Pine Bluffs | FormerI-80 BL west | ||
| 8.46 | 13.62 | 8 |  L-53C –Bushnell | |||
| Antelope Precinct | 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 | |
| Potter Precinct | 48.82 | 78.57 | 48 |  L-17C | ||
| 51.31 | 82.58 | Sidney Rest Area (eastbound); location of the Golden Link[21] | ||||
| Sidney | 55.37 | 89.11 | 55 |  N-19 (West Entrance) –Sidney | FormerI-80 BL east | |
| 59.92 | 96.43 | 59 |   L-17J toUS 385 –Sidney,Bridgeport | FormerI-80 BL 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 toUS 385 –Chappell | |
| Swan Precinct | 95.02 | 152.92 | 95 |  N-27 –Julesburg,Oshkosh | ||
| Big Springs Precinct | 101.19 | 162.85 | 101 |  US 138 –Big Springs,Julesburg | ||
| 102.59 | 165.10 | 102 |  I-76 west –Denver | FormerI-80S west; I-76 exit 3 | ||
| 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 toUS 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 | ||
| Lexington Precinct | 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 | ||
| 275.59 | 443.52 | 275 |  N-10 north (East Entrance) –Kearney,Archway Monument | Western end of N-10 overlap | ||
| Precinct 29 | 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 | |
| Alda Township | 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 | Precinct 5–Precinct 2 line | 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 | |
| Baker Precinct | 348.09 | 560.20 | 348 |  L-93E –Bradshaw | ||
| York | 353.09 | 568.24 | 353 |  US 81 –Geneva,York | ||
| Beaver Precinct | 360.11 | 579.54 | 360 |  L-93B –Waco | ||
| Seward | Precinct L | 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 | ||
| Precinct J | 379.08 | 610.07 | 379 |  N-15 –Seward,Fairbury | ||
| Milford | 382.08 | 614.90 | 382 |  L-80H –Milford | ||
| Pleasant Dale | 388.11 | 624.60 | 388 |  N-103 –Pleasant Dale,Crete | ||
| Lancaster | Lincoln | 395.59 | 636.64 | 395 |   L-55K (NW 48th Street) toUS 6 –Lincoln | |
| 396.36 | 637.88 | 396 | US 6 (O Street) –Lincoln | Closed; was eastbound exit and westbound left entrance only[22] | ||
| 397.27 | 639.34 | 397 |  US 77 south –Lincoln,Beatrice,Nebraska City | 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 | |||
| North Bluff Precinct | 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 | Gretna | 432.94 | 696.75 | 432 |  N-31 toUS 6 –Gretna,Schramm Park,Ashland | |
| Richland VIII Precinct | 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 | ||
| La Vista | 442.89 | 712.76 | 442 | Giles Road / Harrison Street | ||
| Douglas | Omaha | 444.56 | 715.45 | 445 | Q Street | Westbound exit only; access fromC/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; I-680 exit 1; 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 AirfieldUS 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 | FormerUS 73 /US 75 | ||
| Missouri River | 455.31 | 732.75 | Interstate 80 Bridge; Nebraska–Iowa state line | |||
 I-80 east –Council Bluffs,Des Moines | Continuation intoIowa | |||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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I-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, cosigned withUS-34 for its entire length.I-480 is a loop route in Omaha extending fromI-29 inCouncil Bluffs, Iowa, west toward I-80. It serves as the inner of two loops in Omaha. It is cosigned withUS-75 for approximately 2.5 miles (4.0 km) and withUS-6 for less than one mile (1.6 km) as it crosses theMissouri 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 inCrescent, Iowa, was originally designated as I-280, but, because it extended into Iowa and because it conflicted withI-280 in theQuad Cities area of Iowa, the route was renumbered I-680.
 Interstate 80 | ||
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