Interstate 76 (Colorado–Nebraska)

I-70 at its interchange with I-76

I-76 begins at an interchange with I-70 in Arvada. From I-70, the freeway heads east to an exit at State Highway 95 (SH 95), known as Sheridan Boulevard. The route heads northeastward across US 287, known as Federal Boulevard, to an interchange with I-25. Running roughly parallel to nearby Clear Creek, I-76 meets another interchange, with I-270 in North Washington, Colorado, where Clear Creek joins the South Platte River, which is crossed by I-76. After an interchange at SH 224, I-76 joins US 85 and US 6 at Brighton Boulevard. Past Derby, US 85 veers away from I-76 after 96th Avenue. The combined routes of US 6 and I-76 head northeastward, crossing SH 2 south, named Sable Boulevard, before meeting an exit at E-470, a toll road. Past E-470, the freeway exits the Denver metropolitan area.

Passing just west of Barr Lake, the freeway heads northeastward east of Brighton. Near Lochbuie, the freeway crosses SH 7, before crossing into Weld County. I-76 meets SH 52 in Hudson, the next city along the freeway. Past Hudson, the combined routes of US 6 and I-76 turn slightly eastward into Keenesburg, which is served by a business loop (I-76 Business [I-76 Bus]). I-76 then turns northeast and east into Roggen, where it meets County Road 73. The highway heads away from the farmland it was formerly running through and traverses a large grassland area. Just south of the Empire Reservoir, the freeway turns back east, crossing into Morgan County within circular fields. Heading east, I-76 heads into Wiggins, near which I-76 joins US 34. The three combined routes head east through farms.

I-76 near Brush

The freeway heads east toward Fort Morgan, spawning another business loop (I-76 Bus) that carries US 34 away from I-76. The freeway heads east into Fort Morgan, meeting SH 52, now running again near the South Platte River. Still running between the South Platte River to the north and its business loop to the south, I-76 heads just north of Brush, where it meets an interchange with SH 71. US 34 veers away from the business loop as I-76 turns back east, crossing over the business loop, which does not terminate at the freeway. I-76 Bus carries US 6 toward Hillrose. Bypassing that city, I-76 traverses northeast into Washington County, with farms to the north along the river and grasslands to the south. Passing the Prewitt Reservoir, the freeway heads into Logan County. Heading northeasterly, the route crosses SH 63, which serves Atwood. I-76 Bus then enters Sterling, which is near I-76. The business loops turns abruptly east within the city, carrying US 6. US 6 continues past the interchange with the business route.

I-76 continues parallel to the South Platte River, surrounded by farms to the northwest and plains to the southeast. Northwest of the river is US 138, which serves several towns bypassed by the freeway. I-76 has an exit at SH 55 which serves the town of Crook. With farms on the south part of the freeway as well, I-76 enters Sedgwick County, crossing SH 59 which heads to Sedgwick. The freeway then veers eastward before turning back northeast toward Julesburg. I-76 comes to an exit at US 385, which heads northwest to Julesburg. I-76 then heads northeast to the Nebraska state line.[5][6]

I-76 signed as a north–south route in Nebraska

In Nebraska, I-76 stretches just over three miles (4.8 km). It is signed as a north–south direction as opposed to the east–west designation in Colorado. Its entire route is located in Deuel County, parallel to the South Platte River and US 138. Its only interchange is at I-80, formerly numbered exit 102 based on I-80's mileage, now renumbered as exit 3 based on I-76's mileage.

Interstate 76 Business (I-76 Bus) is an unsigned business spur that connects Keenesburg, Colorado, in Weld County to the Interstate. Inventoried by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), the 0.5-mile (0.80 km) route begins at the I-76 frontage road (County Road 398) within the town limits and heads north as Market Street. The route terminates north of I-76 exit 39.[13]

Major intersections
The entire route is in Keenesburg, Weld County.

mi[12]	km	Destinations	Notes
0.472	0.760	County Road 398	Southern terminus; former US 6 / SH 2; road continues as Market Street
0.181	0.291	I-76 (US 6)	I-76 exit 39
0.000	0.000	Road 18	Northern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Interstate 76 Business (I-76 Bus) is a business route of I-76 serving Fort Morgan, Colorado, and adjacent areas to Sterling in Morgan and Logan counties. This 52.31-mile (84.18 km) route is the longest continuously signed Interstate business loop in the system. It begins at exit 75 at I-76 west of Fort Morgan. The route overlaps US 34 and SH 52 heading east and becomes W Platte Avenue. After intersecting Sherman Street, SH 52 turns North on Main Street and the route becomes East Platte Avenue, only overlapping US 34. After crossing County Road 21, the route is only assigned as US 34. Entering Brush, the route becomes Edison Street and passes toward the south of town, remaining parallel with the Interstate. Intersecting Colorado Avenue, the route starts overlapping SH 71. SH 71 goes south after the route exits Brush. Then, I-76 Bus comes across a minor Y interchange and US 34 continues east while the business loop proceeds northeast. It interchanges with I-76 again at a partial cloverleaf interchange and starts overlapping US 6. It passes through unincorporated Camden and then enters Hillrose as Railway Street. It remains signed with US 6 after crossing County Road 3305. It remains almost parallel with the Interstate until it approaches the Prewitt Reservoir, where it turns north through Beta and into Merino, becoming Platte Street between Ram Avenue and Logan Avenue. The route continues northeast into Atwood and intersects SH 63, becoming Front Avenue toward 7th Street, remaining concurrent with US 6. The route then enters Sterling, becoming a one-way street between South 3rd Avenue and South Division Avenue, where the route becomes a two-lane road, turns north, and then becomes South 3rd Street. The route turns to the southeast at Chestnut Street and exits town. I-76 Bus meets I-76 and terminates there at a diamond interchange at exit 125, and US 6 continues east past the Interstate.

Major intersections

County	Location	mi	km	Destinations	Notes
Morgan	​	0.000	0.000	I-76 (US 6) / US 34 west (SH 52 west)	Western terminus; western end of US 34/SH 52 concurrency; I-76 exit 75
	Fort Morgan	4.4	7.1	SH 52 east (Main Street) to I-76	Eastern end of SH 52 concurrency
	Brush	14.5	23.3	SH 71 north (Colorado Street) to I-76	Western end of SH 71 concurrency
	​	16.0	25.7	SH 71 south – Last Chance, Limon	Eastern end of SH 71 concurrency
	​	16.41	26.41	US 34 east – Akron US 34 Spur begins	Eastern end of US 34 concurrency; western end of unsigned US 34 Spur concurrency
	​	17.31	27.86	US 34 Spur ends US 6 west / I-76 – Denver	Eastern end of US 34 Spur concurrency; western end of US 6 concurrency; I-76 exit 92
Washington	​	28.87	46.46	County Road Q to I-76
Logan	Atwood	43.91	70.67	SH 63 south – Akron	Northern terminus of SH 63
	Sterling	50.02	80.50	US 138 east (3rd Street north) / SH 14 west (Chestnut Street west) – Julesburg, Fort Collins	Western terminus of US 138; eastern terminus of SH 14
		50.92	81.95	Front Street	Interchange; no westbound entrance
		52.31	84.18	US 6 east / I-76	Eastern terminus; eastern end of US 6 concurrency; I-76 exit 125; highway continues as US 6 east
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access