From U.S. 350 near Timpas, Colorado north to U.S. 18-385 in Hot Springs, South Dakota, Highway 71 carries the same route number through Colorado, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Of this route, the section between Limon and Scottsbluff is part of the Heartland Expressway Corridor. This corridor, which is part of the High Priority Corridor 14, will provide for a four-lane highway (not necessarily freeway) between Colorado Springs and Rapid City via Limon, Kimball, Scottsbluff, and Alliance in 2015. The portion of Colorado 71 south of Limon is also slated for an upgrade as part of the Heartland Expressway Corridor. This corridor is part of High Priority Corridor 38.
Major Cities
Rocky Ford, Limon, Brush, Kimball, Gering, Scottsbluff, Crawford, Oglala National Grassland, Buffalo Gap National Grassland, Hot Springs.
History
According to Matt Salek's Colorado Highways webpage, Colorado 71 was commissioned in the 1920s. According to Chris Geelhart's Nebraska Highways webpage, Nebraska 71 was commissioned in 1964 and South Dakota 71 was commissioned in 1962. This common numbering provided a consistent route between eastern Colorado and the Black Hills.
Nebraska 71 Guides / Photos
Southbound Nebraska 71
Nebraska 71 is a divided highway as a result of the project to construct the Heartland Expressway, which is a high priority corridor (#14). Sections of formerly two-lane highway were widened into a four-lane, divided highway through the 1990s and 2000s, with much of the widening occurring between north of Kimball and south of Gering. The next major section of expressway opened in October 2005 on the Gering-Scottsbluff bypass on the east side of the metropolitan areas. Photo taken 09/04/04.
Shortly after the Nebraska 92 intersection, the Wildcat Hills rise along southbound Nebraska 71. Old Stage Hill Road follows the original alignment of Nebraska 71 through the hills, and it connects to the scenic Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area. Photo taken 09/04/04.
Sandstone cliffs and tan rock formations line Nebraska 71 as the highway prepares to ascend the Wildcat Hills. Photo taken 09/04/04.
Unlike much of the rest of the new Heartland Expressway route, Nebraska 71 is built through Wildcat Hills with only a paved median, rather than a grassy median or median with a jersey barrier barricade. Photo taken 09/04/04.
Nearing the top of the upgrade, Nebraska 71 reaches Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area. Photo taken 09/04/04.
Aside from a rock cut likely originating from the road's construction and expansion, the top of the Wildcat Hills features trees, which is a significant change from the treeless, high prairie below. Photo taken 09/04/04.
Nebraska 71 leaves Scotts Bluff County and enters Banner County. The aforementioned treeless prairie spreads out along Nebraska 71 to the south, allowing an unparalleled view of the four-lane highway as it continues south toward Kimball. To the west, look for the high point in Wildcat Hills: Hogback Mountain, which has an elevation of 5,062 feet above sea level. Photo taken 09/04/04.
More rock formations dominate the landscape to the west of Nebraska 71 as the highway descends from the Wildcat Hills. Photo taken 09/04/04.
Now leaving the Wildcat Hills, Nebraska 71 resumes its straight-as-an-arrow alignment south through Banner County. This sparsely populated county has only one town, the county seat of Harrisburg (unincorporated), and has a total population of 819 people (as of 2000 Census) spread across 746 square miles. Photo taken 09/04/04.
A diagrammatical sign is posted for the junction between southbound Nebraska 71/Heartland Expressway and Nebraska 88 west to Lagrange, Wyoming (Nebraska 88 directly connects with Wyoming 151). Photo taken 09/04/04.
Lagrange, Wyoming, is 25 miles west of here via Nebraska 88 and Wyoming 151. Continue straight ahead for the continuation of Nebraska 88 east to Bridgeport. Photo taken 09/04/04.
A pair of trailblazer shields is posted at the junction between Nebraska 71 and Nebraska 88. Continue south on Nebraska 71 to Kimball and Colorado. Photo taken 09/04/04.
After the junction with Nebraska 88 west, this mileage sign provides the distance to Kimball, some 29 miles south of here. Nebraska 71 south and Nebraska 88 east are cosigned through here. Photo taken 09/04/04.
Two sets of power transmission lines pass over Nebraska 71, likely carrying electricity from the North Platte River hydroelectric system and the various coal-fire plants in eastern Wyoming to the east. These power lines allow for interconnection with other power plants in western and central Nebraska. Photo taken 09/04/04.
A diagrammatical sign illustrates the split between Nebraska 71 south and Nebraska 88 east. The main four-lane continues south, while Nebraska 88 follows a two-lane road east. Photo taken 09/04/04.
Nebraska 71 continues south along the Heartland Expressway toward Kimball and Colorado, while Nebraska 88 again turns east toward Bridgeport. To the southeast of this intersection sits Bighorn Mountain at an elevation of 4,720 feet above sea level. Photo taken 09/04/04.
A set of shields is posted just prior to the turnoff for Nebraska 88 from Nebraska 71. Use Nebraska 88 east to connect to Nebraska 92 and U.S. 26. Photo taken 09/04/04.
The next major intersection along southbound Nebraska 71 is the junction with Nebraska Spur 4A, which travels four miles west to serve the Banner County seat town of Harrisburg. While there are no motorist services in town, Harrisburg has the functions of county government and several residences. About 100 people live in Harrisburg out of the 819 who reside in Banner County (2000 Census). For more, visit this webpage on Harrisburg presented by the city of Kimball. Photo taken 09/04/04.
South of the Nebraska Spur 4A turnoff, Nebraska 71/Heartland Expressway continues south through the treeless prairie. Agriculture and ranching are primary economic drivers in this part of the country, despite the semi-arid nature of the land (about 14.4 inches of precipitation falls annually). To the southwest is a large wind farm owned by the Municipal Energy Association of Nebraska (MEAN). The first year of operation was in 2002. Photo taken 09/04/04.
Now advancing toward Kimball, the expressway temporarily ends, and Nebraska 71 reverts to its original, two-lane alignment. Plans call for completion of a Nebraska 71/Heartland Expressway bypass of Kimball to be completed in 2010, along with the section of expressway from Kimball south to Brush, Colorado. As of November 2005, funding is secure for the Kimball bypass, but funding has not yet been identified for the section leading south to Kimball. The Heartland Expressway project would create a four-lane highway from Colorado Springs to Rapid City via U.S. 24 and Nebraska 71 with a spur route via U.S. 26 to connect to Torrington and Interstate 25. Completion of the route is expected in 2015, pending funding identification. Photo taken 09/04/04.
The two-lane Nebraska 71 continues south toward Kimball, which is situated along Lodgepole Creek, a tributary of the South Platte River. Now in Kimball County, the highway enters a more populous area than Banner County. Some argue that this is due to the presence of Interstate 80 within Kimball County, since it brings a good amount of transcontinental traffic through western Nebraska. Photo taken 09/04/04.
The bridge over Lodgepole Creek is a short one, as Lodgepole Creek is not nearly as wide a waterway as either the North Platte or South Platte Rivers. Kimball was founded in 1867 as the Union Pacific Railroad pushed through western Nebraska. Known as Antelopeville (due to a nearby herd of antelope), Kimball was given its modern name in 1885, only five years before the town became the seat of the newly formed Kimball County. For more on the history and economy of Kimball, visit the official History of Kimball webpage. Photo taken 09/04/04.
Called "The High Point of Nebraska," Kimball is considered the gateway to western Nebraska due to its location on Interstate 80 and the Heartland Expressway. The city is closest to the highest point in Nebraska, which is near the point where Nebraska, Wyoming, and Colorado meet in the southwestern corner of Nebraska's panhandle. A total of 2,559 people live in Kimball as of the 2000 Census, which is a number close to the population of the city in 1990. An average of 14.65 inches of precipitation falls in Kimball each year. Photo taken 09/04/04.
Southbound Nebraska 71 passes through a subway viaduct to avoid an intersection with the Union Pacific Railroad. After passing through the viaduct, Nebraska 71 enters downtown Kimball. Photo taken 09/04/04.
A variety of services, including shops, restaurants, gas stations, and stores are located along the downtown stretch of Nebraska 71, which follows Chestnut Street through town. Although known as transportation center, Kimball's economy primarily focuses upon agriculture. In addition, the area around Kimball has been home to missile silos (giving it the moniker "Missile City - U.S.A."). Photo taken 09/04/04.
Southbound Nebraska 71/Chestnut Street reaches U.S. 30/Third Street (Lincoln Highway). Follow U.S. 30 east to the city park, where a missile is featured prominently at the south end of the park. U.S. 30 also acts as an unofficial business route for Interstate 80 through Kimball, with a connection back to Interstate 80 eastbound via U.S. 30 east and Nebraska Link 53E. To the west, U.S. 30 follows the Union Pacific Railroad toward Oliver Reservoir State Recreation Area and Bushnell. Photo taken 09/04/04.
In this closer view of the U.S. 30 and Nebraska 71 shields, note the smaller trailblazer for the Lincoln Highway. This historic transcontinental route (the Father Road) follows U.S. 30 through western Nebraska, connecting towns such as Big Springs, Chappell, Sidney, Kimball, and Pine Bluffs. Photo taken 09/04/04.
After passing through downtown Kimball, Nebraska 71 approaches its junction with transcontinental Interstate 80, which travels east to Sidney, Ogallala, and North Platte and west to Cheyenne, Wyoming. Photo taken 09/04/04.
