Interstate 76 (Western)

Interstate 76 Colorado
Interstate 76 Nebraska
Wheat Ridge, CO ↔ Big Springs, NE•186.48 miles•0 Branch Routes

Overview

The western Interstate 76 links Denver, Colorado with I-80 in southwest Nebraska as part of regional route east to Omaha. The freeway varies between four and six lanes from I-70 east to the separation with U.S. 85 at Commerce City. Commuters follow the route northeast to Brighton and Lochbuie, with the remainder of I-76 serving truckers and long distance travelers headed east to Fort Morgan, Brush and Sterling.

The trumpet interchange joining the east I-76/80 near the Big Springs, Nebraska was rebuilt during a $50 million project. Work underway from September 2019 to Fall 2021 reconfigured the exchange so that I-76 west departs from the outside lanes of I-80 west. Also the I-80 mainline was realigned at grade level and a new loop ramp built from I-76 east to I-80 west.4

Mileage by State

Colorado184.00 mi
Nebraska2.48 mi

Data Sources

December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

High Priority Corridor

Interstate 76 from Denver to Fort Morgan and Brush is part of High Priority Corridor 14: Heartland Expressway.

Parallel U.S. Routes

The western Interstate 76 emerges from Denver paired with U.S. 6, and the two routes remained combined until the reaching the vicinity of Fort Morgan. Northeast of Sterling, where U.S. 6 turns east, U.S. 138 takes over as the parallel route to Big Springs, Nebraska.

History

I-76 was originally designated as Interstate 80S. It was renumbered to Interstate 76 on January 1, 1976.2 The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) previously approved the change on June 25, 1974, though the request referenced U.S. 6/50 in Grand Junction as the western extent of the renumbering. The portion west of Denver was not approved.

Interstate 80S north of Denver – 1968 Colorado Official Highway Map
The four mile section of Interstate 80S leading northeast from I-25 to U.S. 85 was constructed from January 1966 to October 11, 1968 as the cost of $5 million (NDOT, n.d.).
Northeastern Colorado – 1972
All of Interstate 76 (then I-80S) between I-25/U.S. 87 in Denver and the Nebraska state line was complete with the exception of U.S. 6 expressway segments including: Vasquez Boulevard to U.S. 85 north (upgraded by 1976), Sable Boulevard to Hudson (upgraded by 1994), and East Wiggins to west of Fort Morgan (upgraded by 1980) (CDOT, 2024).

The 3.15 mile section of I-80S in Nebraska was completed in December 1969 along with a four mile stretch in Colorado west to Julesburg.1,2 Construction on Interstate 76 in Colorado commenced in 1958, with a variety of sections from U.S. 85 to Crook in northeast Logan County opened in 1966. The western most segment of I-76 between I-25 and I-70 was the last to be completed. This stretch was built in conjunction with the reconstruction of the Mousetrap Interchange at I-25/70 from November 5, 1987 to September 15, 1993. Upgrades to Interstate standards along the Barr Lake expressway, U.S. 6 from Sable Boulevard to Hudson, were completed in 1994.3

East End Interstate 80 ‐ Big Springs, NE

Interstate 76 East at Interstate 80

I-76 east at I-80 - Deuel County, NE

Prior to the reconstruction of the exchange in 2019-21, the ramp for Interstate 80 on I-76 east was numbered Exit 102. The Nebraska exit number system for interchanges at the end of an Interstate highway generally use the milepost of the intersecting route. The state of Arkansas also uses this practice. 04/22/17

I-76 east at I-80 - Deuel County, NE I-76 east at I-80 - Deuel County, NE I-76 east at I-80 - Deuel County, NE I-76 east at I-80 - Deuel County, NE

Interstate 80 West at Interstate 76

I-80 west at I-76 - Big Springs, NE

Leading west from Big Springs, Interstate 80 advances four miles to the split with I-76 at Exit 102. An adjacent mileage sign lists Cheyenne, Wyoming at 148 miles and Denver, Colorado at 189 miles. 04/22/17

I-80 west at I-76 - Big Springs, NE I-80 west at I-76 - Deuel County, NE I-80 west at I-76 - Deuel County, NE I-80 west at I-76 - Deuel County, NE

Interstate 80 East at Interstate 76

I-80 east at I-76 - Deuel County, NE

Continuing beyond the underpass at U.S. 138 and the Union Pacific Railroad, I-80 advances one mile east over the South Platte River to Interstate 76 west. 04/22/17

I-80 east at I-76 - Deuel County, NE I-80 east at I-76 - Deuel County, NE I-80 east at I-76 - Deuel County, NE

East End – Past Views

Past Views Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)

Interstate 76 at Interstate 80

I-80 west at I-76 - 2005

Button copy signs along Interstate 80 west at the split with I-76 were replaced by 2006. 09/05/05

I-80 west at I-76 - 2005 I-76 east at I-80 - 2006 I-80 west at I-76 - 2005 I-80 west at I-76 - 2005 I-80 west at I-76 - 2005

West End Interstate 70 ‐ Wheat Ridge, CO

Interstate 76 West at Interstate 70

I-76 west at SH 121 - Arvada, CO

Just prior to the merge with Interstate 70, a distributor roadway (Exit 1A) departs from I-76 west and I-70 at Exit 269A to SH 121 (Wadsworth Boulevard) in Arvada. 04/23/17

I-76 west at SH 121 - Arvada, CO I-76 west at I-70 - Arvada, CO

Interstate 70 East at Interstate 76

I-70 east at I-76 - Wheat Ridge, CO

Heading east from SH 391 (Kipling Street) along the Wheat Ridge city line, Interstate 70 approaches back to back ramps for SH 121 (Wadsworth Boulevard) to Arvada and I-76 east to I-25 north and Commerce City. 04/23/17

I-70 east at I-76 - Wheat Ridge, CO I-70 east at I-76 - Wheat Ridge, CO I-70 east at I-76 - Wheat Ridge, CO I-70 east at I-76 - Arvada, CO

West End – Past Views

Past Views Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)

Interstate 70 East at Interstate 76

I-70 east at I-76 - 2002

The initial guide sign for Interstate 76 (Exit 269B) on I-70 east references the connection at Exit 5 for I-25 north to Fort Collins. Subsequent signs omit I-25. Photo by Bruce Telfeyan (07/12/02).

I-70 east at I-76 - 2002 I-70 east at I-76 - 2016 I-70 east at I-76 - 2002 I-70 east at I-76 - 2002 I-70 east at I-76 - 2001

Historic West End Interstate 25 ‐ Commerce City, CO

Past Views Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)

Interstate 76 at Interstate 25

I-76 west at I-25 - 2001

Interstate 76 west at the directional cloverleaf interchange (Exit 5A) with I-25 south. Prior to September 1993 all traffic on I-76 was required to exit onto I-25. Completion of the I-270 western extension nearby eliminated the northbound ramp for I-25. Photo by Dale Sanderson (04/01).

I-76 west at I-25 - 2001 I-25 north at I-76 - 2001 I-25 south at I-76 - 1978

References

  1. Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT). (n.d.). 50 Years of Interstate - Nebraska and the Nation. Retrieved from https://dot.nebraska.gov/media/1214/interstate-history-bk.pdf
  2. Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). (2004). Interstate 76 - 50th Anniversary of the Interstate System. Retrieved from https://www.codot.gov/about/CDOTHistory/50th-anniversary/interstate-76.html
  3. Salek, M. Interstate 76. Colorado Highways. Retrieved from http://www.mesalek.com/colo/i76.html
  4. Department of Transportation set to begin $50 million rebuild of 80-76 interchange. (2019, August 24). The North Platte Telegraph.
Updated February 5, 2020