Nebraska Highway 2

{{Infobox road

|state=NE

|type=NE

|route=2

|map={{maplink-road|from=Nebraska Highway 2.map}}

|map_custom=yes

|map_notes=N-2 highlighted in red

|length_mi=422.75

|length_ref={{cite web|title=Nebraska Highway Reference Log Book|url=http://www.roads.nebraska.gov/media/6920/logbook.pdf|publisher=Nebraska Department of Roads|accessdate=January 6, 2017|pages=2–10|date=2015}}

|established=

|section1=Western segment

|length_mi1=370.88

|length_ref1=

|direction_a1=West

|direction_b1=East

|terminus_a1={{jct|state=SD|NE|71|SD|71}} north of Crawford

|junction1=

{{jct|state=NE|US|20}} in Crawford
{{jct|state=NE|US|385}} in Alliance
{{jct|state=NE|US|83}} in Thedford
{{jct|state=NE|NE|92}} from Merna to Ansley
{{jct|state=NE|US|183}} in Ansley
{{jct|state=NE|US|30|US|34|US|281}} in Grand Island

|terminus_b1={{jct|state=NE|I|80}} southeast of Grand Island

|section2=Eastern segment

|length_mi2=51.87

|length_ref2=

|direction_a2=West

|direction_b2=East

|terminus_a2={{jct|state=NE|US|77}} south of Lincoln

|junction2=

{{jct|state=NE|NE|50}} in Syracuse
{{jct|state=NE|US|75}} in Nebraska City

|terminus_b2={{jct|state=IA|IA|2}} at Missouri River in Nebraska City

|counties=Western segment: Sioux, Dawes, Box Butte, Sheridan, Grant, Hooker, Thomas, Blaine, Custer, Sherman, Buffalo, Hall, Hamilton
Eastern segment: Lancaster, Otoe

|previous_type=NE

|previous_route=1

|next_type=NE

|next_route=4

}}

Nebraska Highway 2 (N-2) is a state highway in Nebraska consisting of two discontinuous segments. The western segment begins at the South Dakota border northwest of Crawford and ends southeast of Grand Island at an intersection with Interstate 80 (I-80). The eastern segment begins in Lincoln and ends at the Iowa border at Nebraska City. Previously, the two segments were connected via a route shared with U.S. Highway 34 (US 34) between Grand Island and Lincoln.

Route description

=Western segment=

The western segment of N-2 begins at the South Dakota border north of Crawford in a concurrency with N-71. The road goes east, southeast, and then south into Crawford. In Crawford, there is a concurrency with US 20. N-2 and N-71 both continue south from Crawford through Marsland, Nebraska. The two highways split west of Hemingford, Nebraska and N-2 turns east towards Hemingford. At Hemingford, N-2 turns southeast towards Alliance. At Berea, N-2 meets US 385 and the two overlap into Alliance.{{google maps |url=https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=nebraska+2+and+south+dakota+71&daddr=41.98183,-100.53034+to:nebraska+2+and+south+b+road&geocode=FU0mkAIdtl7S-SkDMxd4ZlZjhzFKVnNxaieTbA%3BFYaXgAIdXAcC-in3StPHrFadhzHPvkzAyplJCg%3BFVLabgIdH5wk-ilFfgqk1JGZhzEh7oZrE_Smvg&hl=en&mra=ls&sll=40.818421,-98.259659&sspn=0.02962,0.084543&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=7&via=1|title=overview of Nebraska Highway 2 western segment|accessdate=2010-11-10}}

At Alliance, N-2 goes east into the Sand Hills. It goes through several small towns, including Hyannis, Mullen and Thedford. In Thedford, N-2 briefly overlaps US 83. East of Thedford, near Halsey, is the Nebraska National Forest. At Dunning, N-2 intersects N-91 and turns southeasterly towards Broken Bow and Grand Island.

After turning southeasterly at Dunning, N-2 meets N-92 in Merna. The two highways overlap through Broken Bow and separate when they meet US 183 in Ansley. N-2 meets N-10 in Hazard, N-68 in Ravenna and N-11 in Cairo. On the northwest edge of Grand Island, N-2 becomes a four-lane divided highway and then encounters US 281. N-2 then follows US 281 along the western edge of Grand Island until it meets US 34 and then those two routes overlap through the southern edge of Grand Island. N-2 and US 34 cross the Platte River and shortly thereafter, they separate and N-2 turns south towards Interstate 80 (I-80). At I-80, the western segment of N-2 ends.

=Eastern segment=

The eastern segment of N-2 begins as the Lincoln South Beltway, a freeway south of Lincoln, at a semi-directional T interchange with US 77. Passing by Lincoln to the south, N-2 becomes a four-lane divided highway following a diamond interchange with Nebraska Parkway, its former alignment through the city, southeast of it. It soon encounters several small towns and highways. It meets N-43 north of Bennet and overlaps it for {{convert|5|mi|km}}, until shortly before Palmyra. Near Syracuse, there is a bypass of that community and there is a freeway exit for N-50. It continues east and near Nebraska City, it meets US 75 and the two highways are together briefly until the southern edge of Nebraska City. Also at this intersection, N-2 Business begins and goes through Nebraska City. After they separate, N-2 heads east and then northeast, meets the eastern end of N-2 Business and crosses the Missouri River over the Nebraska City Bridge and enters Iowa. In Iowa, the highway continues as Iowa Highway 2.{{google maps |url=https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=40.78726,+-96.731&daddr=Nebraska+2+%26+Iowa+2,+Percival,+Fremont,+Iowa+51648&geocode=FTxdbgIdiAA8-g%3BFTeebAId4cRJ-imBQlO1PVqUhzGenuyN6uC4Jw&hl=en&mra=ls&sll=40.720135,-96.27789&sspn=0.474615,1.352692&ie=UTF8&ll=40.720201,-96.28006&spn=0.474615,1.352692&t=h&z=10|title=overview of Nebraska Highway 2 eastern segment|accessdate=2010-11-10}}

The eastern segment of N-2 serves as part of a connecting route, along with US 77, between I-29 in Iowa and I-80 in Lincoln. It allows traffic coming from Kansas City, Missouri to go to Lincoln and points west of Lincoln to bypass Omaha. To better facilitate this link between I-80 and I-29, in February 2020, the Nebraska DOT began a major project to construct the Lincoln South Beltway to carry N-2. This modern divided and controlled access freeway will give a direct route from 120th Street to US 77 near Saltillo. Construction was planned for completion in 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://dot.nebraska.gov/lincoln-south-beltway/|title = Lincoln South Beltway — Nebraska Department of Transportation}} The beltway opened to traffic on December 14, 2022, six months ahead of expected in May 2023. The interchanges at Bennet Road-Jamaica Avenue and 82nd Street-84th Street opened in November 2023.{{Cite web |last=Lampman |first=Ben |date=2023-11-08 |title=Nebraska DOT announces new segments open on Lincoln South Beltway |url=https://www.klkntv.com/nebraska-dot-announces-new-segments-open-on-lincoln-south-beltway/ |access-date=2025-01-03 |website=KLKN-TV |language=en-US}}

The eastern segment of Nebraska Highway 2 has the commemorative name of Jerome and Betty Warner Memorial Highway. The portion of the highway east of the west U.S. 75 junction to the Nebraska City Bridge in the Nebraska City area is known as the J. Sterling Morton Beltway, in honor of the creator of Arbor Day and the former Secretary of Agriculture.

Major intersections

{{jctint

|river=Nebraska–South Dakota line

|mile=0.000

|type=concur

|road={{jct|state=SD|SD|71|dir1=north|city1=Ardmore}}

|notes=Sioux–Fall River county line; western end of N-71 overlap; continuation into South Dakota}}

{{NEint

|county=Dawes

|cspan=2

|location=Crawford

|lspan=2

|mile=28.47

|type=concur

|road={{jct|state=NE|US|20|dir1=east|city1=Fort Robinson|city2=Harrison}}

|notes=Western end of US 20 overlap

}}

{{NEint

|mile=29.33

|type=concur

|road={{jct|state=NE|US|20|dir1=west|name1=McPherson Street|city1=Chadron}}

|notes=Eastern end of US 20 overlap

}}

{{NEint

|county=Box Butte

|cspan=5

|location=Dorsey Precinct

|mile=55.17

|type=concur

|road={{jct|state=NE|NE|71|dir1=south|name1=Dodge Road|city1=Scottsbluff}}

|notes=Eastern end of N-71 overlap

}}

{{NEint

|location=Hemingford

|mile=67.32

|road={{jct|state=NE|Link|7E|dir1=east|city1=Chadron}}

}}

{{NEint

|location=Berea

|mile=77.48

|type=concur

|road={{jct|state=NE|US|385|dir1=north|city1=Chadron}}

|notes=Western end of US 385 overlap

}}

{{NEint

|location=Alliance

|lspan=2

|mile=85.41

|type=concur

|road={{jct|state=NE|US|385|dir1=south|name1=County Road 61|city1=Bridgeport}}

|notes=Eastern end of US 385 overlap

}}

{{NEint

|mile=87.45

|road={{jct|state=NE|NE|87|dir1=north|name1=Flack Avenue|city1=Hay Springs}}

}}

{{NEint

|county=Sheridan

|cspan=2

|location=Lakeside

|mile=110.42

|road={{jct|state=NE|NE|250|dir1=north|city1=Rushville}}

}}

{{NEint

|location=Ellsworth

|mile=118.12

|road={{jct|state=NE|NE|27|dir1=north|name1=Sheridan Road|city1=Gordon}}

}}

{{NEint

|county=Grant

|cspan=2

|location=Hyannis

|lspan=2

|mile=145.61

|type=concur

|road={{jct|state=NE|NE|61|dir1=north|city1=Merriman}}

|notes=Western end of N-61 overlap

}}

{{NEint

|mile=147.32

|type=concur

|road={{jct|state=NE|NE|61|dir1=south|city1=Arthur}}

|notes=Eastern end of N-61 overlap

}}

{{NEint

|county=Hooker

|location=Mullen

|mile=184.81

|road={{jct|state=NE|NE|97|city1=Valentine|city2=Tryon}}

}}

{{NEint

|county=Thomas

|cspan=4

|location=Seneca

|mile=196.02

|road={{jct|state=NE|Spur|86A|dir1=north|name1=Athens Street}}

}}

{{NEint

|location=Thedford

|lspan=2

|mile=210.79

|type=concur

|road={{jct|state=NE|US|83|dir1=south|city1=Stapleton|city2=North Platte}}

|notes=Western end of US 83 overlap

}}

{{NEint

|mile=212.31

|type=concur

|road={{jct|state=NE|US|83|dir1=north|city1=Valentine}}

|notes=Eastern end of US 83 overlap

}}

{{NEint

|location=Natick Pricinct

|mile=226.08

|road={{jct|state=NE|Spur|86B|dir1=south}}

}}

{{NEint

|county=Blaine

|cspan=2

|location=Dunning

|lspan=2

|mile=237.61

|road={{jct|state=NE|NE|91|dir1=east|city1=Brewster}}

}}

{{NEint

|mile=237.97

|road={{jct|state=NE|Spur|5A|dir1=west|name1=Jewett Avenue}}

}}

{{NEint

|county=Custer

|cspan=6

|location=Anselmo

|mile=258.37

|road={{jct|state=NE|Spur|21A|dir1=east|name1=Smith Avenue}}

}}

{{NEint

|location=Merna

|mile=269.39

|type=concur

|road={{jct|state=NE|NE|92|dir1=west|city1=Stapleton|city2=North Platte}}

|notes=Western end of N-92 overlap

}}

{{NEint

|location=Broken Bow

|lspan=2

|mile=278.66

|road={{jct|state=NE|NE|21|dir1=south|name1=8th Avenue|city1=Lexington}}

}}

{{NEint

|mile=279.83

|road={{jct|state=NE|NE|70|dir1=east|city1=Ord}}

}}

{{NEint

|location=Ansley

|lspan=2

|mile=295.31

|type=concur

|road={{jct|state=NE|US|183|dir1=north|NE|92|dir2=east|city1=Loup City|city2=Sargent}}

|notes=Eastern end of N-92 overlap; western end of US 183 overlap

}}

{{NEint

|mile=295.80

|type=concur

|road={{jct|state=NE|US|183|dir1=south|city1=Miller|city2=Holdrege}}

|notes=Eastern end of US 183 overlap

}}

{{NEint

|county=Sherman

|cspan=2

|location=Harrison Precinct

|mile=316.59

|road={{jct|state=NE|NE|10|city1=Loup City|city2=Kearney}}

}}

{{NEint

|location=Hazard

|mile=316.75

|road={{jct|state=NE|road|777 Road|to2=to|NE|10|city1=Kearney}}

}}

{{NEint

|county=Buffalo

|location=Garfield Township

|ctdab=Buffalo

|mile=327.44

|road={{jct|state=NE|NE|68|dir1=east|name1=Ravenna Road|city1=Ravenna}}

}}

{{NEint

|county=Hall

|cspan=4

|location=Cairo

|mile=343.65

|road={{jct|state=NE|NE|11|city1=Dannebrog|city2=Wood River}}

}}

{{NEint

|location=Grand Island

|lspan=3

|mile=356.00

|type=concur

|road={{jct|state=NE|US|281|dir1=north|road|Alt. Truck Route|to3=to|US|30|dir3-=east|extra=airport}}

|notes=Interchange; western end of US 281 overlap; serves Central Nebraska Regional Airport

}}

{{NEint

|mile=358.75

|road={{jct|state=NE|US|30|city1=Kearney|location2=Downtown}}

|notes=Interchange

}}

{{NEint

|mile=359.78

|type=concur

|road={{jct|state=NE|US|34|dir1=west|US|281|dir2=south|name2=Tom Osborne Expressway|to3=to|I|80|city1=Hastings}}

|notes=Eastern end of US 281 overlap; western end of US 34 overlap

}}

{{jctbridge|exit

|state=NE

|county=Merrick

|location_special=Platte River

|river_wide=yes

|mile=365.45

|bridge=Bridge

}}

{{NEint

|county=Hamilton

|cspan=2

|location=Precinct 5

|mile=367.31

|type=concur

|road={{jct|state=NE|US|34|dir1=east|city1=Aurora}}

|notes=Eastern end of US 34 overlap

}}

{{NEint

|location_special=Precinct 5–Precinct 2 line

|mile=370.75

|mile2=370.88

|road={{jct|state=NE|I|80|city1=Lincoln|city2=Kearney}}

|notes=Eastern end of state maintenance; exit 318 on I-80

}}

{{NEint

|county=Lancaster

|cspan=7

|location_special=Yankee Hill–Centerville precinct line

|mile=

|road={{jct|state=NE|US|77|dir1=north|name1=Homestead Expressway|to2=to|I|80}}

|notes=Western end of state maintenance; west end of freeway; semi-directional T interchange, opened to traffic on December 14, 2022

}}

{{NEint

|location=Centerville Precinct

|type=incomplete

|mile=

|road={{jct|state=NE|US|77|dir1=south|road|Saltillo Road|city1=Beatrice}}

|notes=Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; semi-directional T interchange, opened to traffic on December 14, 2022

}}

{{NEint

|location=Saltillo Precinct

|lspan=3

|type=unbuilt

|mile=

|road=Jamaica Avenue / Bennet Road

|notes=Dogbone interchange, expected to open in May 2024

}}

{{NEint

|mile=

|road=68th Street / 70th Street

|notes=Dogbone interchange, opened to traffic on December 14, 2022

}}

{{NEint

|type=unbuilt

|mile=

|road=82nd Street / 84th Street

|notes=Parclo AB2 interchange, expected to open in May 2024

}}

{{NEint

|location_special=Grant–Stockton precinct line

|mile=

|road={{jct|state=NE|road|Nebraska Parkway|city1=Lincoln}}

120th Street

|notes=Diamond interchange; east end of freeway; Nebraska Pkwy. is former N-2 west, opened to traffic on December 14, 2022

}}

{{NEint

|location=Stockton Precinct

|mile=466.40

|type=concur

|road={{jct|state=NE|NE|43|dir1=south|city1=Bennet}}

|notes=Western end of N-43 overlap; interchange

}}

{{NEint

|county=Otoe

|cspan=7

|location=North Palmyra Precinct

|mile=471.66

|type=concur

|road={{jct|state=NE|NE|43|dir1=north|name1=County Road 6|city1=Eagle}}

|notes=Eastern end of N-43 overlap

}}

{{NEint

|location=Palmyra

|mile=472.69

|road={{jct|state=NE|Spur|66A|dir1=south|name1=A Street|city1=Douglas}}

}}

{{NEint

|location=Syracuse Precinct

|mile=484.71

|road={{jct|state=NE|NE|50|name1=30th Road|city1=Syracuse}}

|notes=Interchange

}}

{{NEint

|location=Delaware Precinct

|mile=492.63

|road={{jct|state=NE|NE|67|name1=46th Road}}

}}

{{NEint

|location_special=Belmont–Four Mile precinct line

|mile=499.31

|mile2=499.85

|type=concur

|road={{jct|state=NE|US|75|dir1=north|name1=Lewis and Clark Trail north|N-Bus|2|dab2=Nebraska City|dir2=east|noshield2=yes|name2=4th Corso|city1=Omaha|city2=Nebraska City}}

|notes=Interchange; western end of US 75/LCT overlap

}}

{{NEint

|location=Nebraska City

|mile=501.93

|type=concur

|road={{jct|state=NE|US|75|dir1=south|LCT||dir2=south|US-Bus|75|dir3=north|dab3=Nebraska City|noshield3=yes|name2=64th Road|name3=11th Street|city1=Nebraska City|city2=Auburn}}

|notes=Interchange; eastern end of US 75/LCT overlap

}}

{{NEint

|location=Four Mile Precinct

|mile=503.69

|road={{jct|state=NE|N-Bus|2|dab1=Nebraska City|dir1=west|name1=4th Corso}}

}}

{{jctbridge

|river=Missouri River

|lspan=2

|mile=503.97

|mspan=2

|bridge=Nebraska City Bridge; Nebraska–Iowa line

}}

{{IAint

|mile=none

|road={{jct|state=IA|IA|2|dir1=east|to2=to|I|29|location1=Iowa}}

|notes=Continuation into Iowa

}}

Nebraska City business route

{{infobox road small

|state=NE

|type=N-Bus

|route=2

|alternate_name=4th Corso

|location=Nebraska City, Nebraska

|length_mi=4.4

|length_round=1

|length_ref={{Google maps |access-date=April 1, 2024 |title=Overview map of N-2 Business

|url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/40.6715201,-95.9096027/40.6693969,-95.8965708/40.6729518,-95.8590082/40.6671411,-95.833825/@40.6577598,-95.9129183,13z/am=t/data=!3m1!4b1!4m7!4m6!1m0!1m0!1m0!1m1!4e1!3e0?entry=ttu}}

|formed=

}}

Nebraska Highway 2 Business (N-2 Bus.) is a {{convert|4.4|mi|km|adj=on}} business loop of N-2 travelling through Nebraska City. Locally, the highway is also known as 4th Corso.

{{NEint

|location_special=Belmont–Four Mile precinct line

|mile=0.00

|mile2=0.7

|road={{jct|state=NE|N|2|dir1=west|nolink=yes|city1=Lincoln}}
{{jct|state=NE|US|75|N|2|dir2=east|nolink2=yes|name2=Lewis and Clark Trail}}

|notes=Interchange; western terminus

}}

{{NEint

|location=Nebraska City

|mile=2.8

|road={{jct|state=NE|US-Bus|75|dab1=Nebraska City|name1=11th Street|extra=hospital}}

|notes=Serves CHI Health St. Mary's Hospital