Texarkana (Future I-49, I-69 Spur)

[Wayward Memphian]

Going to Galveston from Fayetteville next week and sure wish I 49 and I-49 was done. Just looking at the proposed routes, it would shave well over an hr. off that trip time. 

[Grzrd]

The Texarkana MPO has posted the Arkansas Highway Commission Minute Order designating I-49 in SW Arkansas, which includes a map on the second page:



In addition to the map being historically interesting in general, I think the 4.24 mile blue line represents the first segment of I-49 in Arkansas to have I-49 as its original designation.  A small indication of progress..............

[bassoon1986]

What are the numbered circles next to each Arkansas highway?

[US71]

What are the numbered circles next to each Arkansas highway?

Section numbers, I believe.

[bugo]

Yes, they are section numbers.  If the section number has a letter, it is a "bannered" route.  xS would be x Spur, yT would by y Truck, zB would be Business z.  There are some business routes that have a C, which technically makes the road x City, even though all of them that I know of are signed as xB business routes.  There are also a few xA routes that are also signed as business routes.  I assume the A stands for "alternate."

[bugo]

That poor stretch between AR 151 and just south of I-30 has had four numbers: AR 245, Future I-130, AR 549, and I-49.  This minute order didn't decommission I-130 so there is an implied duplex of I-49 and I-130 from I-30 south to US 71.

[US71]

That poor stretch between AR 151 and just south of I-30 has had four numbers: AR 245, Future I-130, AR 549, and I-49.  This minute order didn't decommission I-130 so there is an implied duplex of I-49 and I-130 from I-30 south to US 71.

Since I-49 has been approved, I think I-130 is a moot point, especially since it was never posted even as "Future I-130"

[jbnv]

Yes, they are section numbers.  If the section number has a letter, it is a "bannered" route.  xS would be x Spur, yT would by y Truck, zB would be Business z.  There are some business routes that have a C, which technically makes the road x City, even though all of them that I know of are signed as xB business routes.  There are also a few xA routes that are also signed as business routes.  I assume the A stands for "alternate."

What's the difference between a Business route and a City route? (Apparently none since they aren't signed differently.)

[bugo]

Yes, they are section numbers.  If the section number has a letter, it is a "bannered" route.  xS would be x Spur, yT would by y Truck, zB would be Business z.  There are some business routes that have a C, which technically makes the road x City, even though all of them that I know of are signed as xB business routes.  There are also a few xA routes that are also signed as business routes.  I assume the A stands for "alternate."

What's the difference between a Business route and a City route? (Apparently none since they aren't signed differently.)

They're pretty much the same.  Arkansas used to have a lot of C routes but they were converted to B routes.  I don't know of any signed C routes.

[US71]

Yes, they are section numbers.  If the section number has a letter, it is a "bannered" route.  xS would be x Spur, yT would by y Truck, zB would be Business z.  There are some business routes that have a C, which technically makes the road x City, even though all of them that I know of are signed as xB business routes.  There are also a few xA routes that are also signed as business routes.  I assume the A stands for "alternate."

What's the difference between a Business route and a City route? (Apparently none since they aren't signed differently.)

They're pretty much the same.  Arkansas used to have a lot of C routes but they were converted to B routes.  I don't know of any signed C routes.

The last CITY route I knew was actually old Business 71 in Bentonville (SW A St, West Central aka US 71 Mk II). It was mostly signed as 71B, but there was one cutout marker with a banner for CITY 71. I really wish I'd thought of getting a photo

[bugo]

They're pretty much the same.  Arkansas used to have a lot of C routes but they were converted to B routes.  I don't know of any signed C routes.

The last CITY route I knew was actually old Business 71 in Bentonville (SW A St, West Central aka US 71 Mk II). It was mostly signed as 71B, but there was one cutout marker with a banner for CITY 71. I really wish I'd thought of getting a photo

Or the sign itself.

[Grzrd]

The I-69 Segment One Committee Report and Recommendations contains an interesting map which ... shows the Northern Loop connection to I-49 as a "Committee Suggested I-69 Connecting Route" ...(page 21/155 of pdf; page 15 of document):

This excerpt from the map on page 19 (page 25/30 of pdf) of the I-69 Advisory Committee Report and Recommendations demonstrates that both the I-369 designation for US 59 and development of the West Loop relief route are Priorities for the Segment One Committee:

The Texarkana MPO has posted its Draft Texarkana Urban Transportation Study ("TUTS") 2015-2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan ("MTP").  The importance of I-49 is directly addressed as follows (page 94/101 of pdf; page 87 of document):

Interstate 49 is an Interstate Highway that is incomplete and consists of four segments.
The original portion is located within the state of Louisiana, with its southern terminus at I-10 in Lafayette, LA, and its  northern end terminating at I-435 and I-470 in Kansas City. The link between Lafayette LA, and Texarkana is almost completed, and there is a loop around the northeast part of Texarkana, Arkansas ending at State Line Avenue (US 71).
Continuation of I-49 through Fort Smith northward is necessary to actually make good use of the southern portions of I-49.  At this time I-49 south from Kansas City connects to I-549 and ends at Fort Smith, south of I-40.
At the end of I-49 at Texarkana, US 71 connects and goes north. US 71 is not a high-speed high traffic route and the 180 miles takes over 3 ½ hours through the Ouachita Mountains.
Freight and passenger travel from the north as well as the south would benefit greatly from a continuation of I-49.

By implication, the Draft MTP recognizes the future importance of the short section of I-49 through Texas.



After a quick scan of the document, I could not find a direct reference to either the West Loop or the Northern Loop.  However, the Draft MTP appears to defer to the I-69 Advisory Committee regarding I-69 Corridor issues (page 30/101 of pdf; page 23 of document):

The I-69 Corridor: This program being studied in Texas extends from Texarkana, Texas, and Stonewall, Louisiana, to Laredo and the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. With Houston near the midpoint, Interstate 69 will improve regional mobility and provide new freight movement capacity accessing seaports at Houston, Freeport, Victoria, Point Comfort, Corpus Christi and Brownsville. It will extend the reach of Texas ports into new national and international markets.
Interstate 69 in Texas is being developed as a series of upgrades to existing highways in the corridor. Over time, these projects will bring the entire route to interstate highway standards.
The Texas Transportation Commission appointed the I-69 Corridor Advisory Committee to evaluate the current and long-term needs for I-69 corridor. The committee published a report in December 2008 that provided similar recommendations as the I-35 analysis.

As a result, it appears that the upper map quoted above reflects the future far-range importance of the Northern Loop and that the lower map quoted above shows the more immediate importance of the West Loop.  In regard to the West Loop, the Draft MTP does emphasize the importance of developing the TexAmericas Center (page 90/101 of pdf; page 83 of document), although it mentions neither the I-69 Corridor/ I-369 nor the West Loop.

[Anthony_JK]

The I-69 Segment One Committee Report and Recommendations contains an interesting map which ... shows the Northern Loop connection to I-49 as a "Committee Suggested I-69 Connecting Route" ...(page 21/155 of pdf; page 15 of document):

I see that the map assumes a further western bypass connection for I-369 to the Western Loop to I-49 rather than the current I-369/US 59/TX 151 loop. What would that do for the segment of US 59 from the Western Loop to the current loop....and, more important, does that mean that those "I-369" shields on the current US 59 Texarkana loop are all for naught, and that I-130 might acutally be the ultimate signing after all?

[Grzrd]

does that mean that those "I-369" shields on the current US 59 Texarkana loop are all for naught, and that I-130 might actually be the ultimate signing after all?

If and when the I-369 designation is shifted to the new terrain route that would service the TexAmericas Center and presumably, by virtue of the Northern Loop, continue to an interchange with I-49, then I would prefer an even first digit I-x30 designation for the "inner" Texarkana Loop that would include an overlap with I-49 from I-30 to the current AR 151 and an overlap with US 59 from I-30 to the current TX 151, but would be the sole designation along the current AR 151 and TX 151.

[Avalanchez71]

Talk about overkill and confusion.

[US71]

AHTD: do you have any updates on how Doddridge to the Louisiana State Line is coming along? Still aiming for the end of September to have it open?

[AHTD]

Current estimates are closer to November. We have, however, begun meeting with our friends at LADOTD to coordinate a ribbon cutting at the state line.

[jbnv]

Current estimates are closer to November. We have, however, begun meeting with our friends at LADOTD to coordinate a ribbon cutting at the state line.

We're getting a different message in the "I-49 in Louisiana" thread:

This article, primarily about the Segment K grubbing work near Shreveport, reports that LaDOTD has completed its section of I-49 North from Hosston to the state line, that Arkansas expects to complete its last four miles to the state line "by August", and that the joint opening might happen in mid-September:

For Gard Wayt, executive director of the I-49 International Coalition, the next hurdles are to get funding for I-49 from Fort Smith to Texarkana in Arkansas, and to finish the last Louisiana segment of I-49 from Lafayette to New Orleans.
"There has been some progress made in that area,"  he said.
I-49 North in Caddo Parish is mostly done, except for the MLK-area work and the last bit to the state line. "It"˜s complete from Highway 1 to the Arkansas line, though it's not open for traffic beyond Hosston," he said.
There's the roughly four-mile stretch on Inner City connector from I-20 to I-220 that is mired in local politics and construction of a housing project in Allendale, as well as other home construction in the central Shreveport neighborhood. Until that's resolved, I-49 traffic will have to use I-20 west to travel north on I-220 to I-49.
"We're ready to go,"  he said. "Arkansas is pushing their contractor on those four miles from Doddridge. They're supposed to be finished by August. The two departments of Transportation are talking about a mid-September opening."

[US71]

Current estimates are closer to November. We have, however, begun meeting with our friends at LADOTD to coordinate a ribbon cutting at the state line.

We're getting a different message in the "I-49 in Louisiana" thread:

This article, primarily about the Segment K grubbing work near Shreveport, reports that LaDOTD has completed its section of I-49 North from Hosston to the state line, that Arkansas expects to complete its last four miles to the state line "by August", and that the joint opening might happen in mid-September:

For Gard Wayt, executive director of the I-49 International Coalition, the next hurdles are to get funding for I-49 from Fort Smith to Texarkana in Arkansas, and to finish the last Louisiana segment of I-49 from Lafayette to New Orleans.
"There has been some progress made in that area,"  he said.
I-49 North in Caddo Parish is mostly done, except for the MLK-area work and the last bit to the state line. "It"˜s complete from Highway 1 to the Arkansas line, though it's not open for traffic beyond Hosston," he said.
There's the roughly four-mile stretch on Inner City connector from I-20 to I-220 that is mired in local politics and construction of a housing project in Allendale, as well as other home construction in the central Shreveport neighborhood. Until that's resolved, I-49 traffic will have to use I-20 west to travel north on I-220 to I-49.
"We're ready to go,"  he said. "Arkansas is pushing their contractor on those four miles from Doddridge. They're supposed to be finished by August. The two departments of Transportation are talking about a mid-September opening."

Maybe they'll only open one lane in each direction until everything is done? Of course, if it's just landscaping, the road could probably be opened anyway.

[bassoon1986]

Tell me who is going to take I-49 all the way to I-20, west on 20 and then back north (technically east) on I-220 to get to I-49 north?? Sounds like a good post for our ridiculous detours thread. I get that an interstate detour probably has to follow another interstate highway for a detour, even though LA 3132 is the better route.

[Molandfreak]

The I-69 Segment One Committee Report and Recommendations contains an interesting map which references the Freight Shuttle, shows the Northern Loop connection to I-49 as a "Committee Suggested I-69 Connecting Route", and shows a direct "Committee Suggested I-69 Connecting Route" between Carthage and Nacogdoches as a "Truck Route" (instead of a Relief Route).  It even looks like a Toll 49 extension to the I-69 Spur ("East Texas Hourglass") is under consideration (page 21/155 of pdf; page 15 of document):

What the fuck? This was posted in 2012? What is Texas doing putting an Interstate on a corridor that might not be on the final routing when finished?

[AHTD]

Current estimates are closer to November. We have, however, begun meeting with our friends at LADOTD to coordinate a ribbon cutting at the state line.

We're getting a different message in the "I-49 in Louisiana" thread:

This article, primarily about the Segment K grubbing work near Shreveport, reports that LaDOTD has completed its section of I-49 North from Hosston to the state line, that Arkansas expects to complete its last four miles to the state line "by August", and that the joint opening might happen in mid-September:

For Gard Wayt, executive director of the I-49 International Coalition, the next hurdles are to get funding for I-49 from Fort Smith to Texarkana in Arkansas, and to finish the last Louisiana segment of I-49 from Lafayette to New Orleans.
"There has been some progress made in that area,"  he said.
I-49 North in Caddo Parish is mostly done, except for the MLK-area work and the last bit to the state line. "It"˜s complete from Highway 1 to the Arkansas line, though it's not open for traffic beyond Hosston," he said.
There's the roughly four-mile stretch on Inner City connector from I-20 to I-220 that is mired in local politics and construction of a housing project in Allendale, as well as other home construction in the central Shreveport neighborhood. Until that's resolved, I-49 traffic will have to use I-20 west to travel north on I-220 to I-49.
"We're ready to go,"  he said. "Arkansas is pushing their contractor on those four miles from Doddridge. They're supposed to be finished by August. The two departments of Transportation are talking about a mid-September opening."

Our post on this subject is the most current information. Understand this can - and has - and probably will again - change(d).
Thus the comments referenced by the Coalition.

Stay tuned!

[Gordon]

To AHTD,  The last 4 miles of future I 49 at the LA. line. On the AHTD site on projects, miller county job number 030355 still shows red color. All other jobs are blue for completed. I thought this was the bridge contract that was let before the paving contract. Are they still working on the bridges?

[US71]

To AHTD,  The last 4 miles of future I 49 at the LA. line. On the AHTD site on projects, miller county job number 030355 still shows red color. All other jobs are blue for completed. I thought this was the bridge contract that was let before the paving contract. Are they still working on the bridges?

Which bridge? I know CR4 is finished and open.

[Gordon]

There are 6 main lane bridge's that were bid on that project. Over 71 hwy, and east and west Fork Kelly Bayou.