Area road construction projects set to begin

A number of road projects are either under way or set to begin in the next week as the Nebraska Department of Roads repairs and replaces highways throughout the area.

Weather permitting, the Union Pacific Railroad is scheduled to close the crossing on US-30 east of 5th Avenue in Sidney for reconstruction of the railway crossover. The department will close US-30 at the railway crossover for five days from 8:00 a.m. on March 27 until 5:00 p.m. on March 31.

Simon Contractors, Inc., of Cheyenne, Wyoming, has the $3,615,537 project. The city of Sidney has recommended and agreed with the contractor for different routes to detour the traffic that best meet the public demand in the city.

Following the work, weather permitting, the project from Greenwood to 23rd Street in Sidney is scheduled to begin on April 3. Work through Sidney will include removal of old asphalt and construction of new asphalt, some pedestrian concrete work, pipe culverts, guardrail and electrical work.

Traffic will be controlled by lane closures that may begin each day a half hour after sunrise to a half hour before sunset. The project is anticipated to be completed by mid-September.

East of Sidney, Interstate Highway Construction Inc., of Englewood, Colorado, and the Nebraska Department of Roads continue reconstruction of the eastbound and westbound lanes of I-80, between Nebraska Highway 27 (N-27) and the South Platte River. The eight-mile, multi-phase project begins one-half mile west of N-27 and extends eastward to the South Platte River.

As part of the reconstruction, County Road 189 in Deuel County, Nebraska, will be closing on April 3, 2017 for bridge reconstruction. The closure will extend from the south at County Road 4, northward to County Road 8. It is anticipated that the road closure will remain in place until June 30.

An I-80 reconstruction project from Exit 76, west of Lodgepole to west of Chappell in Cheyenne/Deuel counties westbound began this week.. Work will include concrete work, demolition and reconstruction of three bridges, culvert extensions and guardrail.

Koss Construction Company of Topeka, Kansas has the $39,652,961 project. The westbound lanes will be removed and replaced with new concrete pavement and concrete shoulders. Traffic will be maintained by using the eastbound lanes for head-to-head traffic through the project beginning May 1.

The ramps at Lodgepole, Exit 76, will be rebuilt and closed to traffic, with detours in place. The County Road 14F crossing under I-80 will also be closed during the summer for demolition and construction of the new bridge. The work is anticipated to be completed and open to traffic in November

To the west, an I-80 reconstruction project from Exit 22, east of Kimball to the Kimball/Cheyenne County Line is underway. Work will include concrete work, new culverts and guardrail.

The eastbound lanes will be removed and replaced with new concrete pavement and concrete shoulders. Traffic will be maintained by using the westbound lanes for head-to-head traffic through the project beginning May 1.

The ramps at Dix, Exit 29, will also be rebuilt and closed to traffic, with detours in place. Eastbound I-80 traffic will use Exit 22 at Kimball and follow signs to US-30, then east on US-30 to Dix. Westbound I-80 will use Exit 38 at Potter and follow signs to US-30, then west on US-30 to Dix. High mast lighting will also be installed at Dix.

This work is scheduled to be completed and the new eastbound lanes open to traffic by November 4. The following year, 2018, the westbound lanes will be reconstructed in the same manner with entire project being completed in 2019.

Motorists are urged to drive cautiously through highway work zones and along detours.