The last roadway washed out by the epic flooding in 2019 has reopened. Gov. Pete Ricketts joined other officials on Thursday to mark the milestone and celebrate the completion of a bridge on U.S. Highway 281 that spans the new channel of the Niobrara River, south of Spencer.

A huge section of the highway was washed out when the Spencer Dam, just upriver, collapsed on the night of March 13-14, 2019. The river cut a new channel, requiring a second, 1,050-foot-long bridge to be built below the dam. The new span was finished on Oct. 15 — 580 days after the floods — replacing a temporary bridge that had been in place since July 2019. A 127-mile detour had been required to cross the river before the installation of the temporary, one-lane bridge.

"The speed of rebuilding is a true testament to the commitment and dedication of the community, the Nebraska Department of Transportation, and everyone who contributed to get us here,” Gov. Pete Ricketts said during Thursday's ceremony on the new bridge.

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