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[Rothman]

Probably light-years before 69 is completed.

A light-year of road is quite a bit. The current Interstate system is less than a hundred millionth of that distance.

Heh...a year is still a year...

[The Ghostbuster]

I probably should have said "decades" instead of light years. In any event, it will probably be a long time before Interstate 69 is built between Memphis and Interstate 155.

[Grzrd]

TDOT has announced the posting of its 2016 Official Transportation Map.

Is something missing?

... the map should show the new terrain section of I-269 that connects TN 385 to MS 302.

On the other side of the state line, MDOT's 2016 Official Highway Map does show the new terrain section of I-269 (as well as I-22):

[qguy]

Probably light-years before 69 is completed.

A light-year of road is quite a bit. The current Interstate system is less than a hundred millionth of that distance.

Heh...a year is still a year...

I teach middle school earth & space science (my classroom is a planetarium--it's pretty cool). If one of my students said this, I'd know they were going to get something wrong on the next test.

A light-year is a unit of distance, not time. It's the distance that light travels in a year. (Considering that light travels approximately 186,000 feet per second, that's far indeed--about 5.8 trillion miles.)

Anyhoo, doesn't really matter as far as this thread goes, but it's a good excuse to rattle off some neato stuff. 

[kurumi]

Probably light-years before 69 is completed.

A light-year of road is quite a bit. The current Interstate system is less than a hundred millionth of that distance.

Heh...a year is still a year...

I teach middle school earth & space science (my classroom is a planetarium--it's pretty cool). If one of my students said this, I'd know they were going to get something wrong on the next test.

A light-year is a unit of distance, not time. It's the distance that light travels in a year. (Considering that light travels approximately 186,000 feet per second, that's far indeed--about 5.8 trillion miles.)

Anyhoo, doesn't really matter as far as this thread goes, but it's a good excuse to rattle off some neato stuff. 

I know a guy who did the Kessel Run in 14 parsecs :-)

[noelbotevera]

I probably should have said "billions of years" instead of light years. In any event, it will probably be a long time before Interstate 69 is built between Memphis and Interstate 155.

FTFY

[TravelingBethelite]

Probably light-years before 69 is completed.

A light-year of road is quite a bit. The current Interstate system is less than a hundred millionth of that distance.

Heh...a year is still a year...

I teach middle school earth & space science (my classroom is a planetarium--it's pretty cool). If one of my students said this, I'd know they were going to get something wrong on the next test.

A light-year is a unit of distance, not time. It's the distance that light travels in a year. (Considering that light travels approximately 186,000 feet per second, that's far indeed--about 5.8 trillion miles.)

Anyhoo, doesn't really matter as far as this thread goes, but it's a good excuse to rattle off some neato stuff. 

I know a guy who did the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs :-)

Also FTFY.

[lordsutch]

All of SIU 8 being done in the next couple of decades is unrealistic, but I think the Millington to Covington section has a good chance of being out to contract as soon as TDOT is done with SIU 7 if they can ever get the FEIS done.

My guess is that TDOT will want to designate I-269 over the whole route, rather than holding off north of I-40; US 51 is a legal interim terminus for an Interstate designation, and having two disconnected routes with the same number creates headaches for incident management and route inventory purposes, especially when they're in the same county.

I can see the argument for holding off the redesignation for now and keeping it as stealthy as possible, since I-40 west traffic might think I-269 would get them to I-69 south of Memphis today and end up very confused in the middle of nowhere in Marshall County, nowhere near any casinos or anything else to speak of. But when 2018 rolls around the odds of similar motorist confusion are low since there's no logical reason for long-distance traffic to take I-40 west to (nonexistent) I-69 north (anyone headed to Dyersburg would have cut over on US 412), so waiting longer doesn't make a lot of sense.

[Grzrd]

AASHTO has conditionally approved Mississippi's application for the I-269 designation, and a map from MDOT's application indicates that the state line section should open this month and that the remainder should open in October, 2018 (p. 4/10 of pdf):

MDOT's March 22 Lettings page includes a two-month notice for paving I-269 from MS 305 to MS 302 in the April 26 letting:



The Notice indicates that the completion date will be "Contractor Determined". It will be interesting to see how close that date will be to October 2018, the current projected completion date.

MDOT's Five Year Plan indicates that MDOT does indeed plan to build the McIngvale Road interchange:

I do not know whether the scheduled 2018 construction of the McIngvale Road interchange will have an impact on the timing of the I-269 paving project from I-55 to MS 305.

[MikeTheActuary]

I had a chance to clinch the signed portion of I-269 this afternoon, and I can contribute a few photos to 269 lore:

Here's the view from EB TN385 as you approach I-269. 


On I-269 SB, approaching US 72.  (Stateless 269 trailblazer plus a TMM.)


And here's the current southern terminus:

[Grzrd]

That is scheduled for 2018, so that's just two more years. Oh, and as I said before, I don't think any Interstate 269 signs should be installed north of Interstate 40, since Interstate 69 from Memphis north to Interstate 155 won't even be started, let alone completed for many years to come.

The AASHTO Special Committee on Route Numbering's May 24 Agenda includes consideration of TDOT's application for a 19.176 mile extension of I-269 to I-40:

The route will begin at the northern terminus of I-269 at the Mississippi / Tennessee State line. The route will extend I-269 to Interstate 40 in Memphis, Tennessee. The existing facility is a 4 lane divided route with full access control. The route will extend I-269 from south to north. Memphis is the focal point city. The route segment is 19.176 miles long. The route will end at existing Interstate 40 in Memphis.

edit

AASHTO's Interstate Routes Binder contains the map that TDOT included with its application (p. 46/73 of pdf):

[rte66man]

Was in and around Memphis earlier this week:












Not on 269, but way cool anyway:
DSC_0210 by rte66man, on Flickr

VERY disappointed that none of the BGS's had 269 markers.

[TrevorB]

As far as I know, no BGS has 269 on it. There are 269 trailblazers on a small stretch from Collierville to the state line and then on into MS. TN has just applied to officially designate a large chunk of 269, so hopefully we will see those soon.

[The Ghostbuster]

I'm glad Interstate 269 will stop at Interstate 40. It should not go beyond until it officially connects with Interstate 69 north of Memphis. When that will happen is anyone's guess.

[Grzrd]

MDOT's March 22 Lettings page includes a two-month notice for paving I-269 from MS 305 to MS 302 in the April 26 letting

The I-269 paving project was not included in the April 26 letting; however, this June 3 MDOT News Release announces that the final piece of Mississippi's I-269 dirt work should be completed in June, 2016, the two separate paving projects for the remainder of I-269 will be let later this summer, and the paving projects are expected to be completed by Fall 2018:

Interstate 269 in DeSoto and Marshall Counties
Construction of the Interstate 269 project continues and is on schedule in North Mississippi. The Interstate 269 project is the largest active MDOT construction project in the state. Construction is divided into eight individual sections, and dirt work for all sections except one has been completed.
“Dirt work for the remaining section, from Station 240+00 to Station 525+00, is expected to be completed by in June 2016,” said MDOT District Two Engineer Mitch Turner. “Once dirt work for all sections has been completed, MDOT has two separate paving projects that will be let later this summer, and we anticipate these paving projects to last until fall 2018.” ....

AASHTO's Interstate Routes Binder contains the map that TDOT included with its application (p. 46/73 of pdf):

If one digs through the AASHTO app, the meeting minutes are now online (not yet on the route committee's website).  Most requests were approved.

(above quote from May 2016 AASHTO SCOURN Meeting thread)

In case anyone missed the announcement, I-269 in Tennessee was among the approved requests, and AASHTO now has meeting minutes on the website that reflect the I-269 approval (p. 9/10 of pdf):

[Tomahawkin]

Does anyone know when the section of 269 west from 78 to I-55. Will open? Taking state highway 302 to get to I-55 is a pain in the #### to get through due to all the red lights and no proper urban planning while they continue to build strip malls and big box retail stores with no thought of traffic solutions for the sprawl...

[mvak36]

Does anyone know when the section of 269 west from 78 to I-55. Will open? Taking state highway 302 to get to I-55 is a pain in the #### to get through due to all the red lights and no proper urban planning while they continue to build strip malls and big box retail stores with no thought of traffic solutions for the sprawl...

I thought I read somewhere that it will all be done in 2018.

[BullRebel95]

Interstate 269 in DeSoto and Marshall Counties
 
Construction of the Interstate 269 project continues and is on schedule in North Mississippi. The Interstate 269 project is the largest active MDOT construction project in the state. Construction is divided into eight individual sections, and dirt work for all sections except one has been completed.
 
“Dirt work for the remaining section, from Station 240+00 to Station 525+00, is expected to be completed by in June 2016,” said MDOT District Two Engineer Mitch Turner. “Once dirt work for all sections has been completed, MDOT has two separate paving projects that will be let later this summer, and we anticipate these paving projects to last until fall 2018.”

According to MDOT, it looks as if it will be around fall of 2018. Supposedly October 2018 according to this map graphic.

AASHTO has conditionally approved Mississippi's application for the I-269 designation, and a map from MDOT's application indicates that the state line section should open this month and that the remainder should open in October, 2018 (p. 4/10 of pdf):

MDOT's March 22 Lettings page includes a two-month notice for paving I-269 from MS 305 to MS 302 in the April 26 letting:



The Notice indicates that the completion date will be "Contractor Determined". It will be interesting to see how close that date will be to October 2018, the current projected completion date.

MDOT's Five Year Plan indicates that MDOT does indeed plan to build the McIngvale Road interchange:

I do not know whether the scheduled 2018 construction of the McIngvale Road interchange will have an impact on the timing of the I-269 paving project from I-55 to MS 305.

[TrevorB]

Was in and around Memphis earlier this week:

Not sure if it was just a coincidence, but the 385 shield was missing from this sign as of Thursday.

[Grzrd]

this June 3 MDOT News Release:

Interstate 269 in DeSoto and Marshall Counties
.... we anticipate these paving projects to last until fall 2018.” ....

One down ... MDOT has awarded a contract, subject to FHWA concurrence, for the MS 302 TO MS 305 paving contract (p. 2/3 of pdf):




And one to go ... MDOT has posted a July 26 bidding for the MS 305 to I-55 paving contract:



Assuming that the second contract is awarded, we will wait and see how close the contractors can come to the Fall/October 2018 estimated date.

[TrevorB]

Did some digging and found some I-269 MDOT signage plans.

[lordsutch]

Did some digging and found some I-269 MDOT signage plans.

Interesting. If nothing else it verifies that the I-22 interchange is supposed to be a complete interchange (so who knows what happened with the grading...).

[mvak36]

Stupid question. Does it really take two years to pave that whole stretch? I figured that since it's already graded and since they don't have to deal with any traffic that they can get it done in maybe a year.

I guess my next question is what all goes into a paving contract? Is it just laying down concrete/asphalt, etc? Or is there more involved?

[froggie]

With MDOT, there is usually more involved, including laying down a base and subbase.  Grading projects usually do not include the subbase or base.  MDOT paving projects also deal with the other things towards the end:  signage, erosion control, traffic control, sometimes ramps (ramps are not always done under the grading project).  Sometimes regrading is also needed due to settling, especially on projects that involved embankments or fill.

[codyg1985]

MDOT has the next pavement project for I-269 (from I-55 to MS 305) coming up in this month's letting. http://sp.mdot.ms.gov/Contract%20Administration/BidSystems/Pages/letting%20calendar.aspx