U.S. Route 26 in Nebraska

U.S. Highway 26
Route information
Maintained by NDOR
Length:	150.82 mi[1] (242.72 km)
Major junctions
West end:	US 26 at Wyoming border
	N-71 at Scottsbluff US 385 at Bridgeport N-27 at Oshkosh N-61 at Ogallala US 30 at Ogallala
East end:	I-80 / N-61 at Ogallala
Location
Counties:	Sioux, Scotts Bluff, Morrill, Garden, Keith
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Bannered Divided Replaced Nebraska Highways Link Spur Recreation ← N-25 N-27 →

U.S. Highway 26 (US‑26) is an east–west highway in western Nebraska. It enters the state from Wyoming just west of Henry. The eastern terminus of US‑26 is in Ogallala at an interchange with Interstate 80 (Nebraska) (I-80). The highway largely parallels the North 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 the Oregon Trail, the California Trail and the Mormon Pioneer Trail.

Route description

US‑26 enters Nebraska from Wyoming, and shortly thereafter enters Henry. After passing through Morrill, US‑26 becomes a divided highway. At Mitchell, US‑26 meets Nebraska Highway 29 (N‑29). Continuing southeast, US‑26 enters Scottsbluff. Through Scottsbluff, US‑26 runs concurrent with N‑71 and N‑92 on a highway which goes through northern Scottsbluff. After N‑71 and N‑92 separate, US‑26 continues to Minatare, Nebraska, where the divided highway ends. The highway runs due east until an intersection with Nebraska Link 62A (L-62A), when the highway turns south. US‑26 passes through Bayard and, after crossing the North Platte River meets with N‑92 again near Chimney Rock.^[1][2]

US‑26 and N‑92 turn southeast towards Bridgeport. At Bridgeport, N‑92 separates and US‑26 meets US‑385. They cross the North Platte River together, and separate. US‑26 continues southeasterly on the north side of the North Platte River. At Broadwater, US‑26 begins its third concurrency with N‑92. They run together through Lisco, Oshkosh, and Lewellen. At Oshkosh, US‑26 meets Nebraska Highway 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 through Ash Hollow State Historical Park, the highway passes through no communities until meeting N‑61 northwest of Ogallala. US‑26 runs concurrent with N‑61 the rest of its length in Nebraska. The two highways go south to US‑30, then the three highways run concurrent into Ogallala. They then separate from US‑30, turn south to cross the South Platte River and US‑26 ends at I‑80.^[1][2]

History

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 to Martin, where US‑26 met N-61 and the two highways went south from there into Ogallala. When Lake McConaughy was built in the 1930s, the current alignment was constructed.^[3]

Major intersections

County	Location	mi[1]	km	Destinations	Notes
Sioux	Henry	0.00	0.00	US 26 west – Torrington, Casper	Wyoming border
Scotts Bluff	Mitchell	13.67	22.00	N-29 north (19th Avenue)
	Scottsbluff	21.63	34.81	N-92 west	West end of N-92 overlap
		22.25	35.81	N-71 north (County Road 21)	West end of N-71 overlap
		25.66	41.30	N-71 south / N-92 east	East end of N-71/N-92 overlap
	Minatare	31.90	51.34	L-79E south (County Road 29)
Morrill	​	41.94	67.50	L-62A east	Former US-26N
	Bayard	48.88	78.66	N-92 west	West end of N-92 overlap
	Bridgeport	61.42	98.85	US 385 south / N-92 east (M Street)	East end of N-92 overlap; west end of US 385 overlap
		62.42	100.46	US 385 north	East end of US 385 overlap
	Broadwater	76.49	123.10	N-92 west	West end of N-92 overlap
Garden	Oshkosh	106.05	170.67	N-27 south
	Lewellen	118.89	191.33	N-92 east	East end of N-92 overlap
Keith	Ogallala	144.90	233.19	N-61 north	West end of N-61 overlap
		148.02	238.22	US 30 west	West end of US 30 overlap
		150.01	241.42	US 30 east (East 1st Street)	South end of US 30 overlap
		150.79	242.67	I-80 (Exit 126) / N-61 south (Big Mac Road)	East end of N-61 overlap
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus

Related route

Between 1936 and 1959, there was a U.S. Highway 26N. 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 Nebraska Highway 92.^[4]

References

Route map: Bing / Google

U.S. Route 26
Previous state: Wyoming	Nebraska	Next state: Terminus