I-49 in Arkansas

[O Tamandua]

District Of Columbia doesn't technically have a through interstate I don't think...


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One can drive through the D.C. metro area on a through interstate, though, can't they, even while not driving through "the District" proper?  (Not trying to sound sarcastic...just always thought the D.C. metro area did have through interstates.)

Miami's a good answer...guess I should have qualified my question as "Are there any metro areas of 500,000 or more that don't have a through interstate and don't have their metro boundary end either at a large body of water or an international border". 

[Arkansastravelguy]

District Of Columbia doesn't technically have a through interstate I don't think...


iPhone

One can drive through the D.C. metro area on a through interstate, though, can't they, even while not driving through "the District" proper?  (Not trying to sound sarcastic...just always thought the D.C. metro area did have through interstates.)

Miami's a good answer...guess I should have qualified my question as "Are there any metro areas of 500,000 or more that don't have a through interstate and don't have their metro boundary end either at a large body of water or an international border". 

DC itself doesn't have interstates except 395 but the entire metropolitan area does 66 and 95). Long Island is another but it's an island lol.
I think your point is extremely valid, NWA is probably the highest populated area without a through interstate.


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[MSU John]

Just realized that Fayetteville is indirectly named after Gen. Lafayette so I-49 passes thru two cities; the other being Lafayette, LA.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fayetteville,_Arkansas#Settlement_through_Antebellum_period

Are there any other Interstates that pass thru two cities with the same name or named after the same person?

I-64 travels through St. Louis and Louisville.
I-55 passes through Jackson, MO and Jackson, MS.

[O Tamandua]

Just realized that Fayetteville is indirectly named after Gen. Lafayette so I-49 passes thru two cities; the other being Lafayette, LA.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fayetteville,_Arkansas#Settlement_through_Antebellum_period

Are there any other Interstates that pass thru two cities with the same name or named after the same person?

I-64 travels through St. Louis and Louisville.
I-55 passes through Jackson, MO and Jackson, MS.

No offense, but I think St. Louis, Louisville and Louisiana (for that matter) are all named for different kings/rulers.

[english si]

No offense, but I think St. Louis, Louisville and Louisiana (for that matter) are all named for different kings/rulers.

St Louis IX, Louis XIV and Louis XIV respectively. The last two are the same king (they are both kings), obviously...

[O Tamandua]

No offense, but I think St. Louis, Louisville and Louisiana (for that matter) are all named for different kings/rulers.

St Louis IX, Louis XIV and Louis XIV respectively. The last two are the same king (they are both kings), obviously...

Wasn't Louisville named for King Louis XVI, and Louisiana for King Louis XIV?

[Bobby5280]

DC itself doesn't have interstates except 395 but the entire metropolitan area does 66 and 95). Long Island is another but it's an island lol. I think your point is extremely valid, NWA is probably the highest populated area without a through interstate.

Technically, DC is the start/end point for I-295, I-395, I-695 and I-66, even though all those routes have fairly short distances within DC. The Southern-most point of the DC border slices into about 400 feet of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge (and I-95/I-495). I-295 is about the nearest thing to a "through" Interstate, although some of it turns into DC-295 and MD-295 before rejoining I-95.

Anchorage is another large American city without a fully "through" Interstate highway.

Albuquerque is one of the largest cities in the United States without any sort of limited access loop highway, be it an Interstate, toll road or other limited access freeway with a US or state highway designation.

[Arkansastravelguy]

DC itself doesn't have interstates except 395 but the entire metropolitan area does 66 and 95). Long Island is another but it's an island lol. I think your point is extremely valid, NWA is probably the highest populated area without a through interstate.

Technically, DC is the start/end point for I-295, I-395, I-695 and I-66, even though all those routes have fairly short distances within DC. The Southern-most point of the DC border slices into about 400 feet of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge (and I-95/I-495). I-295 is about the nearest thing to a "through" Interstate, although some of it turns into DC-295 and MD-295 before rejoining I-95.

Anchorage is another large American city without a fully "through" Interstate highway.

Albuquerque is one of the largest cities in the United States without any sort of limited access loop highway, be it an Interstate, toll road or other limited access freeway with a US or state highway designation.

The District line is the termini for 66 and 295. 395 is the only one that has exits in DC. 95/495 (695 is in Baltimore) may cross the boundary but they have no exits.

Anchorage has Interstate A1 and A3, so again not a sane number through interstate but the interstate system provides a thoroughfare.

I still contend DC is the winner.


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[O Tamandua]

Anchorage, Albuquerque, D.C., Miami (though the latter has geographic considerations).

Gang, thanks.  I think I have my answer, as I was asking about metro areas 500,000 people or larger that didn't have a through interstate.  NWA (Northwest Arkansas) hits that mark "officially" today, and it doesn't yet have a through interstate and won't until A) they finish the Bella Vista bypass and said work is four-laned, and B) Missouri (McDonald County, MO is in this metro) finishes its portion of the bypass, four-laned.

It appears that NWA is the biggest such metropolitan area with this situation. Interestingly (as said here at least once before) NWA's main airport "XNA" (Northwest Arkansas Regional) is right now served by two-lane roads, no low-cost carriers.  And Fort Smith, which is separated by the highest hills of the Ozarks from NWA but whose metro area abuts the latter, has 300,000 in its metro, many of whom would likely come to XNA to fly were that airport to land a Southwest, etc.  I know someone at the airport who's told me the situation.  I get the feeling the airport management thinks they have bargaining chips, while the low cost air carriers (who are in business to make money, as they should be) may not be interested in playing with them.  We will see.

[US71]

Anchorage, Albuquerque, D.C., Miami (though the latter has geographic considerations).

Gang, thanks.  I think I have my answer, as I was asking about metro areas 500,000 people or larger that didn't have a through interstate.  NWA (Northwest Arkansas) hits that mark "officially" today, and it doesn't yet have a through interstate and won't until A) they finish the Bella Vista bypass and said work is four-laned, and B) Missouri (McDonald County, MO is in this metro) finishes its portion of the bypass, four-laned.

It appears that NWA is the biggest such metropolitan area with this situation. Interestingly (as said here at least once before) NWA's main airport "XNA" (Northwest Arkansas Regional) is right now served by two-lane roads, no low-cost carriers.  And Fort Smith, which is separated by the highest hills of the Ozarks from NWA but whose metro area abuts the latter, has 300,000 in its metro, many of whom would likely come to XNA to fly were that airport to land a Southwest, etc.  I know someone at the airport who's told me the situation.  I get the feeling the airport management thinks they have bargaining chips, while the low cost air carriers (who are in business to make money, as they should be) may not be interested in playing with them.  We will see.

XNA is overpriced for flying. I know many people who will drive to Tulsa to catch a plane. XNA primarily serves people flying in to see Wal-Mart, Tyson, and JB Hunt. Not bad for a cargo airport (as it was first envisioned).

[Bobby5280]

According to Wikipedia (taking with a grain of salt), the metro population for the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metropolitan statisical area had a 774,769 population as of the 2010 census, a 200,000+ person gain since the 2000 census. Add to this the Brownsville-Harlingen-Raymondville MSA popluation of 415,557 (2012 census estimate). That's nearly 1.2 million people living in the far South end of Texas. There's even more people living just on the other side of the Rio Grande in Mexico. Of couse, Texas DOT is working on connecting Interstates 69E and 69C to the rest of the Interstate highway system.

The Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers MSA has a 2012 US Census estimated population of 482,200. It isn't as highly populated at the far South end of Texas, but it probably has much better income demographics.

The District line is the termini for 66 and 295. 395 is the only one that has exits in DC. 95/495 (695 is in Baltimore) may cross the boundary but they have no exits.

Imagery in Google Street View contradicts this. Interstate 295 enters DC just North of its terminus at the Capitol Beltway. I-295 is signed at a handful of exits in DC, including one for the Naval Research Laboratory, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling and Suitland Parkway. That's all in DC, not Maryland. DC doesn't end at the Anacostia River.

Interstate 295 doesn't cross the Anacostia River. It becomes DC-295 at the Interchange for the 11th Street Bridge, which is signed on at least a couple BGSes as I-695. One of the overhead signs on the Anacostia Freeway has Capitol Hill as the legend and I-695 and To I-395 as route markers. Google Earth has the freeway connecting I-295 and I-395 signed as I-695.

Interstate 66 doesn't extend far into DC, but it doesn't terminate on the Arlington Memorial Bridge either. It ends at the interchange of K Street and the Whitehurst Freeway. It has exits for Constitution Ave., E Street before it ends. I-66 isn't signed in the best way within DC, but there are signs for it in a few places. I've personally seen them when I lived in Northern Virginia.

[O Tamandua]

According to Wikipedia (taking with a grain of salt), the metro population for the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metropolitan statisical area had a 774,769 population as of the 2010 census, a 200,000+ person gain since the 2000 census. Add to this the Brownsville-Harlingen-Raymondville MSA popluation of 415,557 (2012 census estimate). That's nearly 1.2 million people living in the far South end of Texas. There's even more people living just on the other side of the Rio Grande in Mexico. Of couse, Texas DOT is working on connecting Interstates 69E and 69C to the rest of the Interstate highway system.

The Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers MSA has a 2012 US Census estimated population of 482,200. It isn't as highly populated at the far South end of Texas, but it probably has much better income demographics.

The District line is the termini for 66 and 295. 395 is the only one that has exits in DC. 95/495 (695 is in Baltimore) may cross the boundary but they have no exits.

Imagery in Google Street View contradicts this. Interstate 295 enters DC just North of its terminus at the Capitol Beltway. I-295 is signed at a handful of exits in DC, including one for the Naval Research Laboratory, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling and Suitland Parkway. That's all in DC, not Maryland. DC doesn't end at the Anacostia River.

Interstate 295 doesn't cross the Anacostia River. It becomes DC-295 at the Interchange for the 11th Street Bridge, which is signed on at least a couple BGSes as I-695. One of the overhead signs on the Anacostia Freeway has Capitol Hill as the legend and I-695 and To I-395 as route markers. Google Earth has the freeway connecting I-295 and I-395 signed as I-695.

Interstate 66 doesn't extend far into DC, but it doesn't terminate on the Arlington Memorial Bridge either. It ends at the interchange of K Street and the Whitehurst Freeway. It has exits for Constitution Ave., E Street before it ends. I-66 isn't signed in the best way within DC, but there are signs for it in a few places. I've personally seen them when I lived in Northern Virginia.

Thanks, Bobby, but McAllen/Brownsville (much bigger than NWA or NWA/Fort Smith right now, and that's not including people on the Mexico side, is it?  That would make the metros MUCH larger still) is, like Miami, a place that ends in both a large body of water and an international border.   

I believe right now as of today NWA is the only inland (not ending at either an international border or ocean/great lake) metro of 500,000 people where the metro area isn't served by a through interstate.  I'm glad they're working on it now.  (Interesting thing to watch...ArkDOT contractors are clearing the hillside just south of the Lowe's on the Bentonville/Bella Vista border...they're going to have to get that hill (at least a pass within it) down quite a bit though not necessarily to ground level for this bypass.  Will be fascinating to see progress.)

[english si]

I believe right now as of today NWA is the only inland (not ending at either an international border or ocean/great lake) metro of 500,000 people where the metro area isn't served by a through interstate.

Fresno? I guess I-5 enters the Metro area though.

Met Fresno is over 1 million and the city itself (certainly no interstate, let alone a through one) is over half a million.

[TheStranger]

I believe right now as of today NWA is the only inland (not ending at either an international border or ocean/great lake) metro of 500,000 people where the metro area isn't served by a through interstate.

Fresno? I guess I-5 enters the Metro area though.

Met Fresno is over 1 million and the city itself (certainly no interstate, let alone a through one) is over half a million.

I-5 enters the metro area if we just go by it traversing Madera and Fresno Counties.  At its closest to the city itself though it's 53 miles to the west!!!!  And if Kerman is considered a suburb, I-5 remains 39 miles to the west of that point.

[ARMOURERERIC]

I was wondering about Bakersfield as well

[O Tamandua]

Maybe this is small, but ArcBest, a Fort Smith based transportation services company, just announced today that they are opening a new HQ in Chaffee Crossing, likely near the future I-49 segment in that city.  JMO, but even though this isn't a true trucking facility I believe they, too, are getting ready for the inevitable.

[O Tamandua]

Future I-49 watchers...they've been excavating just south of the Lowe's near the Bella Vista/Bentonville line on the east side of the section that will link I-49 with the just completed two-lane section of the BV bypass...now they're finally working from the west side of this section, burning off stumps and underbrush and starting to bulldoze the future carriageway.  Though this will be a two year project I'm thinking we may see finally how this will cut through north Bentonville (city limits and / or (mainly) mailing address) all the way from former Hiwasse to the current northern terminus of I-49.

Here it comes.

(BTW, when I had that encounter with the subcontractors for this project, the man I talked with told me that his company cannot wait to finish the second section (Rocky Dell Hollow Road to west new bridge over 72) so they can bid on the final (Rocky Dell Hollow Road-to-Missouri state line) section.  Just passing along what he said.)

[AHTD]

Go to www.idrivearkansas.com and you can zoom into the construction route BVB is taking and get a good look at how this route will shape up.

The Missouri governor has set a special election in August for their transportation funding. Keep an eye on this. Success might mean they will meet us at the border sooner rather than later. Failure will make it anyone's guess.

[O Tamandua]

Go to www.idrivearkansas.com and you can zoom into the construction route BVB is taking and get a good look at how this route will shape up.

The Missouri governor has set a special election in August for their transportation funding. Keep an eye on this. Success might mean they will meet us at the border sooner rather than later. Failure will make it anyone's guess.

Here is the story on this election posted last week, AHTD...thank you for the "heads up".  This will be an interesting one...the highest tax increase in Missouri history teamed with some interesting other issues (i.e. the right to bear arms).  The people who support the other issues may not support this.  I wonder how many people have put the dots together to understand with all the issues (New freight traffic from the gulf via a widened Panama Canal, Houston becoming America's #1 goods export port, the Minnie-Winnie-New-Hou route becoming THE interstate link between Canada, Mexico and America's largest ocean AND Great Lakes ports) and all the freight traffic and tax revenue (freight, gas, maybe jobs) this could bring Missouri.  I wonder whether some would even WANT that communicated.

In the meantime, as I-49 slowly comes together, here are pics I snapped today from the Massard Road overpass of future I-49 at Fort Smith, a few blocks south from where both the new medical school and new ArcBest headquarters (announced just 2 days ago) will be built...and they are building, building, building homes and apartments out here, too):

Looking north, with the future med school and ArcBest (1,000 new jobs, biggest such announcement for FSM in at least 25 years) headquarters off a few blocks to the north and left of the flyover (bump) in the distance).



Looking south, with road curving in the distance to the left (SE) where a mile later it meets U.S. 71 north of Greenwood (junction under construction now)...if you look closely at the left lane of the northbound (left side) carriageway you can see a big smiley face drawn in somehow:

[AHTD]

FINGERS CROSSED!

Missouri to Create Transportation Tax Project List
http://www.stltoday.com/news/state-and-regional/missouri/missouri-to-create-transportation-tax-project-list/article_8047f003-f9b6-5234-a381-5032807085d4.html

[O Tamandua]

FINGERS CROSSED!

Missouri to Create Transportation Tax Project List
http://www.stltoday.com/news/state-and-regional/missouri/missouri-to-create-transportation-tax-project-list/article_8047f003-f9b6-5234-a381-5032807085d4.html

Wow, that's in less than two weeks (June 13).

[AHTD]

Okay, AARoads Forum members- it's the moment for which you have all been waiting...

Time for the I-540 signage scavenger hunt!

Our AHTD sign crews think they have replaced and/or removed all of the I-540 signs in relation to the redesignation of the route north of Alma as I-49. Time for you to let us know if they got 'em all. Here are the rules:


Overhead signs do not count - we are in the process of coordinating and scheduling overnight lane closures to do that work.

Signs MUST be on an Arkansas State Highway, a U.S. Highway or an Interstate. City streets do not count - there are several municipalities that have installed their own signage on their right of way. But please feel free to pass that information along to the respective jurisdiction (including at the county level).

Finds must be reported in THIS thread AND submitted via our online "Report a Problem" tool found here at IDRIVEARKANSAS: http://www.idrivearkansas.com/contact/report-a-problem. Photos may be included, but please note at this time our "Report a Problem" feature does not support photo uploads. Just post them here in the forum.

Participants may not remove or keep any finds. Trust us - we checked to see if we could award a sign to the winner, but state law does not allow it. The municipalities may be a different story, however. Might want to check to see what their policies are for handling these.


HELPFUL HINTS:
Be sure to check I-40 - it was dual-signed with I-540 from Van Buren to Alma.
Also check I-540 south of I-40.
Don't forget the outlying highways that feed into I-49 - these might be several miles east or west of the corridor.


The winner gets bragging rights and our thanks for a job well done.


HAVE FUN and BE SAFE!

[robbones]

Does the through truck signs count

BLU STAR4.0

[agentsteel53]

you want us to do your work for you?  and our reward is that we got some shields bent into guardrails instead of being sold off to willing collectors? 

yeah, no.

[bugo]

you want us to do your work for you?  and our reward is that we got some shields bent into guardrails instead of being sold off to willing collectors? 

yeah, no.

+1

Also, it would make things less interesting.  I'd love to find an I-540 sign in 10 years in Fayetteville.  Thanks, but no thanks.  If I find an I-540 shield north of I-40 I'll take a picture but I'm not sharing its location with anybody.

I do know where one is but I won't reveal the answer publicly.