State highway crews began replacing speed-limit signs in the Lincoln and Omaha areas Thursday to reflect the higher limits approved by the Legislature earlier this year.
Around Lincoln, that means a bump to 65 mph on Interstate 180, and to 70 mph on stretches of U.S. 6, 34 and 77, as well as on Nebraska 2 east to Nebraska City.
And stretches of Interstate 80 in Omaha will notch up from 60 to 65 mph, as will I-480 and I-680.
Those changes are among the first phases in what will soon become a statewide shift, as roads crews move into less populated areas.
"We would expect this to happen over the next couple weeks," said Vicki Kramer, a spokeswoman for the Nebraska Department of Transportation. "We knew that with the amount of public interest in it that we needed to have some of those large, high-traffic-volume areas flipped."
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But drivers should be aware that the posted sign remains the speed limit until it has been changed, the Transportation Department cautioned.
The Legislature authorized the department to increase speed limits by 5 mph on most highways, but left the maximum speed limit on Interstate 80 at 75 mph.Ìý
Major Lincoln-area changes include:
* U.S. 77 — Lincoln to Wahoo and Beatrice, 70 mph
* Nebraska 2 — Lincoln to Nebraska City, 70 mph
* Interstate 180 — in Lincoln, 65 mph
* U.S. 34 — Lincoln to Eagle and Seward, 65 mph
* U.S. 6 — Waverly to Ashland, 65 mph
* Nebraska 33 — U.S. 77 to Crete, 65 mph
* Nebraska 103 — Crete to Pleasant Dale, 65 mph
Other affected roads in the Lincoln area include: Link 55X, Spur 34B, Spur 55A, Spur 55B, Spur 55E, Spur 55F, Spur 55G, Spur 55H and Spur 55M.
Major Omaha-area changes:
* Interstate 80 — in Omaha, 65 mph
* I-680 and I-480 — 65 mph
* West Dodge Road — 168th Street to Fremont, 70 mph
* U.S. 75Ìý— through Bellevue and south, 70 mph
* Nebraska 133 — expressway system to Blair, 70 mph
* U.S. 75 — I-680 to Blair, 65 mph