19 miles of the 37-mile stretch of future Interstate 49 between Interstate 220 and the Arkansas state line are currently under construction. Despite a $280 million shortfall, the $560 project is still expected to be completed by 2012. As mentioned in a previous blogpost, Arkansas has completed most of future Interstate 49 from Texarkana southward toward the Louisiana state line. Dubbed Arkansas 549, the new freeway ends three miles north of Louisiana and awaits a highway to which to connect south of the border.
Signs of Interstate 49 construction appear as a cleared right-of-way in this aerial photograph of the Mira, Louisiana area.
Down in Shreveport, present plans take Interstate 49 westward along the Louisiana 3132 Inner Loop freeway to the junction with Interstate 20 & 220 and northward along Interstate 220 to a point between Exits 5 and 7. A four-level stack interchange was built originally between Interstate 20 and the current north end of Interstate 49 with the intentions that Interstate 49 continue directly north through the city. Plans for that were dropped because or rising costs and neighborhood opposition, and thus the ‘bypass route” was adopted for future Interstate 49.
Looking at the Interstate 20 & 49 symmetrical stack interchange in Shreveport, Louisiana. Ghost ramps may or may not tie into future Interstate 49 heading north. Otherwise high-speed ramps end unceremoniously at Murphy Street, Pierre Avenue, and Pete Harris Drive north of Interstate 20.
Times have changed however, and the consensus now is that Interstate 49 should continue north from its current north end through the city as opposed to bypassing it via Louisiana 3132 and Interstate 220. Areas north of the Interstate 20 stack interchange have deteriorated since the freeway was built and thus opposition has diminished. Additionally local officials are expressing support for the ‘in-city’ routing of interstate 49 as well. With all that stated, the main issue however is funding, and at a cost of $320 million, the in-city routing remains somewhat uncertain at this time.
Sources:
- “I-49 North funding $280M short.” The News Star (Shreveport, LA), June 2, 2007.
- Steven Delery
Some progress is being made toward securing the needed funding to complete the 37-mile freeway between Interstate 220 and the Arkansas state line (news article):
Louisiana Legislature designates funding for north leg of I-49
Does anyone know anything about LADOT mistakenly tearing down a couple of historical buildings on a large farm in Mira to clear for 49? My understanding is that the surveys were off and they tore down these priceless buildings that were in fact in use by a large farm in Mira Louisiana of which one was the headquarters of this farm during season and was appraised at millions of dollars.
Has anyone else heard about this?
I hope the federal government will help out in Shreveport, where 49 must continue from its current terminus point at I-20. We need to get it all the way through to Kansas City.
AMEN!!!
THIS WOULD GREATLY SPUR THE ECONOMY WITH JOBS AND THEN TRANSPORTATION! SO WHATS THE HOLD UP?