# Interstate 80 in Nebraska

Interstate 80 (I-80) in the US state of Nebraska runs east from the Wyoming state border across the state to Omaha. 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.
I-80 has over 80 exits in Nebraska; according to The New York Times there are several notable tourist attractions along Nebraska's section of I-80. 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 of I-76 near the Colorado state line, I-80 is the only primary (two-digit) Interstate Highway in Nebraska.

## History

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, California, and Mormon trails. 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, and Grand Island, 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 US 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.
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. The first long segment to be opened was a 52-mile (84 km) section between Dodge Street in Omaha and the West Lincoln interchange in Lincoln on August 11, 1961. 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 October 20, 1974. This was designed to emulate the golden spike ceremonially used to complete the first transcontinental railroad in 1869.
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 $2.09 billion in 2023).

### Legacy

The beginning of the I-80 construction in Nebraska in 1957 led the Nebraska 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.
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. 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.

### Speed limits

The following are speed limits that have existed on I-80 in Nebraska since it was opened in 1957.
Rural speed limits on I-80 :
| 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 | 55 | 89 | | |
| 1987 | 65 | 105 | | |
| 1995 | 75 | 121 | | |

## Route description
### Designated sections

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. 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. 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 spaced 35–50 miles (56–80 km) apart for convenience, and one scenic overlook. The I-80 right-of-ways 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.
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 between Lincoln and Grand Island is almost entirely straight with very few curves whatsoever. From Exit 395 eastward (excluding the exchange with I-680 in Omaha), I-80 carries at least three lanes of traffic.

## Exit list

| County | Location | mi | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
| Kimball | Bushnell Precinct | 0.00 | 0.00 | | I-80 west – Cheyenne | Continuation into Wyoming |
| Kimball | Bushnell Precinct | 0.48 | 0.77 | 1 | L-53B north (State Line Road) to US 30 – Pine Bluffs | |
| Kimball | Bushnell Precinct | 8.46 | 13.62 | 8 | L-53C – Bushnell | |
| Kimball | Antelope Precinct | 20.71 | 33.33 | 20 | N-71 south – Kimball | Western end of N-71 overlap |
| Kimball | Antelope Precinct | 22.69 | 36.52 | 22 | N-71 north – Gering, Scottsbluff | Eastern end of N-71 overlap |
| Kimball | Dix | 29.76 | 47.89 | 29 | L-53A – Dix | |
| Cheyenne | Potter | 38.96 | 62.70 | 38 | L-17B – Potter | |
| Cheyenne | Potter Precinct | 48.82 | 78.57 | 48 | L-17C | |
| Cheyenne | Potter Precinct | 51.31 | 82.58 | Sidney Rest Area (eastbound); location of the Golden Link | Sidney Rest Area (eastbound); location of the Golden Link | Sidney Rest Area (eastbound); location of the Golden Link |
| Cheyenne | Sidney | 55.37 | 89.11 | 55 | N-19 (West Entrance) – Sidney | N-19 north is former I-80 Bus. east |
| Cheyenne | Sidney | 59.92 | 96.43 | 59 | L-17J to US 385 – Sidney, Bridgeport | Former I-80 Bus. west |
| Cheyenne | Sunol | 69.63 | 112.06 | 69 | L-17E – Sunol | |
| Cheyenne | Lodgepole | 76.61 | 123.29 | 76 | L-17F – Lodgepole | |
| Deuel | Chappell | 85.22 | 137.15 | 85 | L-25A to US 385 – Chappell | |
| Deuel | Swan Precinct | 95.02 | 152.92 | 95 | N-27 – Julesburg, Oshkosh | |
| Deuel | Big Springs Precinct | 101.19 | 162.85 | 101 | US 138 – Big Springs, Julesburg | |
| Deuel | Big Springs Precinct | 102.59 | 165.10 | 102 | I-76 south – Denver | Former I-80S; I-76 exit 3 |
| Deuel | Big Springs | 107.36 | 172.78 | 107 | L-25B – Big Springs | |
| Keith | Brule | 117.25 | 188.70 | 117 | L-51A – Brule | |
| Keith | Ogallala | 126.69 | 203.89 | 126 | US 26 / N-61 – Ogallala, Grant | Eastern terminus of US 26 |
| Keith | Roscoe | 133.97 | 215.60 | 133 | L-51B – Roscoe | |
| Keith | Paxton | 145.65 | 234.40 | 145 | L-51C – Paxton | |
| Lincoln | Sutherland | 158.01 | 254.29 | 158 | N-25 – Sutherland, Wallace | |
| Lincoln | Hershey | 164.51 | 264.75 | 164 | L-56C – Hershey | |
| Lincoln | North Platte | 177.16 | 285.11 | 177 | US 83 – North Platte, McCook | |
| Lincoln | North Platte | 179.19 | 288.38 | 179 | L-56G to US 30 – North Platte | |
| Lincoln | Maxwell | 190.42 | 306.45 | 190 | S-56A – Maxwell | |
| Lincoln | Brady | 198.97 | 320.21 | 199 | L-56D – Brady | |
| Dawson | Gothenburg | 211.77 | 340.81 | 211 | N-47 – Gothenburg | |
| Dawson | Cozad | 222.46 | 358.01 | 222 | N-21 – Cozad | |
| Dawson | Lexington Precinct | 231.10 | 371.92 | 231 | L-24A – Darr | |
| Dawson | Lexington | 237.19 | 381.72 | 237 | US 283 – Arapahoe, Lexington, Elwood | |
| Dawson | Overton | 248.53 | 399.97 | 248 | L-24B – Overton | |
| Buffalo | Elm Creek | 257.01 | 413.62 | 257 | US 183 – Holdrege, Elm Creek | |
| Buffalo | Odessa | 263.66 | 424.32 | 263 | L-10B – Odessa | |
| Buffalo | Kearney | 272.60 | 438.71 | 272 | N-44 – Kearney | |
| Buffalo | Kearney | 275.59 | 443.52 | 275 | N-10 north (East Entrance) – Kearney, Archway Monument | Western end of N-10 overlap |
| Buffalo | Precinct 29 | 279.89 | 450.44 | 279 | N-10 south – Minden | Eastern end of N-10 overlap |
| Buffalo | Gibbon | 285.63 | 459.68 | 285 | L-10C – Gibbon | |
| Buffalo | 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 | |
| Hall | Alda Township | 305.66 | 491.91 | 305 | L-40C – Alda | |
| Hall | Grand Island | 312.07 | 502.23 | 312 | US 34 / US 281 (Tom Osborne Expressway) – Hastings, Grand Island | |
| Hall | 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 | |
| Hamilton | Giltner | 324.14 | 521.65 | 324 | S-41B – Giltner | |
| Hamilton | Aurora | 332.15 | 534.54 | 332 | N-14 – Aurora | |
| Hamilton | Hampton | 338.12 | 544.15 | 338 | L-41D – Hampton | |
| York | Henderson | 342.11 | 550.57 | 342 | S-93A – Henderson | |
| York | Baker Precinct | 348.09 | 560.20 | 348 | L-93E – Bradshaw | |
| York | York | 353.09 | 568.24 | 353 | US 81 – Geneva, York | |
| York | Beaver Precinct | 360.11 | 579.54 | 360 | L-93B – Waco | |
| Seward | Precinct L | 366.13 | 589.23 | 366 | L-80F – Utica | |
| Seward | Beaver Crossing | 369.12 | 594.04 | 369 | L-80E – Beaver Crossing | |
| Seward | Goehner | 373.09 | 600.43 | 373 | L-80G – Goehner | |
| Seward | Precinct J | 379.08 | 610.07 | 379 | N-15 – Seward, Fairbury | |
| Seward | Milford | 382.08 | 614.90 | 382 | L-80H – Milford | |
| Seward | Pleasant Dale | 388.11 | 624.60 | 388 | N-103 – Pleasant Dale, Crete | |
| Lancaster | Lincoln | 395.59 | 636.64 | 395 | L-55K (NW 48th Street) to US 6 – Lincoln | |
| Lancaster | Lincoln | 396.36 | 637.88 | 396 | US 6 (O Street) – Lincoln | Closed; was eastbound exit and westbound left entrance only |
| Lancaster | Lincoln | 397.27 | 639.34 | 397 | US 77 south – Lincoln, Beatrice, Nebraska City | Western end of US 77 overlap |
| Lancaster | Lincoln | 399.01 | 642.14 | 399 | NW 12th Street / Cornhusker Highway / Adams Street – Lincoln Airport | |
| Lancaster | Lincoln | 401.04 | 645.41 | 401 | I-180 south / US 34 / 9th Street – Downtown | Eastbound exits signed as 401A (south/east) and 401B (west) |
| Lancaster | Lincoln | 403.48 | 649.34 | 403 | 27th Street | |
| Lancaster | 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 |
| Lancaster | Waverly | 409.74 | 659.41 | 409 | US 6 – East Lincoln, Waverly | |
| Cass | Ashland | 420.91 | 677.39 | 420 | N-63 – Ashland, Greenwood | |
| Cass | Ashland | 426.06 | 685.68 | 426 | N-66 – South Bend, Louisville, Ashland | Mahoney State Park |
| Platte River | Platte River | 427.26 | 687.61 | Bridge | Bridge | Bridge |
| Sarpy | Gretna | 432.94 | 696.75 | 432 | N-31 to US 6 – Gretna, Schramm Park, Ashland | |
| Sarpy | Richland VIII Precinct | 439.19 | 706.81 | 439 | N-370 – Bellevue, Papillion, Gretna | Werner Park (stadium), Offutt Air Force Base |
| Sarpy | Chalco | 440.63 | 709.13 | 440 | N-50 (144th Street) – Springfield, West Omaha | |
| Sarpy | La Vista | 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 |
| Douglas | Omaha | 445.05 | 716.24 | 445 | US 275 / N-92 (L Street) | Cloverleaf interchange accessible to and from C/D lanes |
| Douglas | Omaha | 445.34 | 716.71 | 445 | I Street | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance accessible to and from C/D lanes |
| Douglas | Omaha | 445.97 | 717.72 | 446 | I-680 north | |
| Douglas | Omaha | 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 |
| Douglas | Omaha | 448.29 | 721.45 | 448 | 84th Street | |
| Douglas | Omaha | 449.30 | 723.08 | 449 | 72nd Street | |
| Douglas | Omaha | 450.31 | 724.70 | 450 | 60th Street | |
| Douglas | Omaha | 451.83 | 727.15 | 451 | 42nd Street | |
| Douglas | Omaha | 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 |
| Douglas | Omaha | 453.04 | 729.10 | 453 | 24th Street | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
| Douglas | Omaha | 454.14 | 730.87 | 454 | 13th Street – Gardens, Zoo | Former US 73 / US 75 |
| Missouri River | Missouri River | 455.31 | 732.75 | Interstate 80 Bridge; Nebraska–Iowa state line | Interstate 80 Bridge; Nebraska–Iowa state line | Interstate 80 Bridge; Nebraska–Iowa state line |
| Missouri River | Missouri River | 455.31 | 732.75 | | 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

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 with US-34 for its entire length.
* I-480 is a loop route in Omaha extending from I-29 in Council Bluffs, Iowa, west toward 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, Iowa, 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.