Construction to begin on I-80 west of Sidney
![Interstate 80 looking west from Brownson exit. Photo Courtesy: Nebraska DOT](https://PANHANDLENCN.images.worldnow.com/images/22149288_G.png?auto=webp&disable=upscale&height=560&fit=bounds&lastEditedDate=1644262383000)
SIDNEY, NE — Work on a stretch of Interstate 80 in the panhandle is set to start next week.
The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) announced Monday culvert work on I-80 from mile marker 47 to 54 will begin Monday, Feb. 14. Full construction is slated to start April 1.
Work will include full reconstruction of all four lanes, bridge widening, culvert extension, rest area reconstruction, exit ramp reconstruction and guardrail replacement. Anticipated completion is in September 2024.
The eastbound lanes will be reconstructed in 2022 and the westbound lanes will be done in 2023. Traffic will be reduced to two lanes head-to-head during construction but reopened to four lanes during the winter months.
The eastbound Brownson exit will close during 2022 construction and a detour will be setup. Drivers will exit I-80 eastbound at Potter and be directed to go east on Highway 30 to get back to I-80. The westbound on and off ramps will remain open for westbound traffic to exit to L-17C.
During construction, County Road 99 will be closed and detoured to allow for the bridge work to be performed. County Road 99 will be open to normal two-way traffic from the third Sunday in July to the second Sunday in August.
The eastbound rest area will be closed during the construction to allow for the removal of the rest area and the reconstruction of a new parking lot and allow for grading for the new rest area to be built under a separate project.