LINCOLN, Neb. - The Nebraska Department of Transportation released updates Wednesday on several major Interstate 80 construction projects spanning from Ogallala to Omaha, many of which are nearing completion as winter approaches.

Two Omaha-area projects - westbound I-80 from Q Street to Giles Road, and the N-50/I-80 ramp area - are now substantially finished. Both included bridge repairs and westbound widening work and will require only minor nighttime work in early December, weather permitting. They are the first completed projects under the Metro Area Travel Improvement Study, a long-range transportation plan developed by NDOT and the Omaha-Council Bluffs Metropolitan Area Planning Agency.

Farther west, an 8.44-mile rebuild from the Dawson County line to Odessa recently shifted traffic out of head-to-head lanes. The project, which includes ramp reconstruction at Exit 257, is expected to finish in spring 2026, though lane closures will remain for marking and remedial work.

In Keith County, a 7.24-mile I-80 rebuild between Ogallala and Roscoe is about halfway complete. Eastbound lanes are finished, while westbound replacement is scheduled for 2026. A companion project at the Ogallala westbound rest area will add a new building and expanded parking. Full completion is estimated for late fall 2026.

Between Pleasant Dale and NW 56th Street near Lincoln, NDOT continues a multi-year modernization effort to expand I-80 to six lanes, rebuild pavement and bridges, and add a median barrier. The project is in phase two of three and is expected to be completed in 2027.

NDOT Director Vicki Kramer urged motorists to use caution in work zones.

“I’d like to thank Nebraskans for their patience as we work to improve roadways across the state and the vital I-80 corridor,” Kramer said. “NDOT urges drivers to continue to be patient, and to drive carefully in work zones so we can all get home safe.”

As of Nov. 30, NDOT reports 108 crashes this year in I-80 work zones and 451 statewide. Distracted driving contributed to at least 2,740 crashes in 2024, with 1,797 recorded so far in 2025.