I49 in LA

[mcdonaat]

In the letting of construction in the next 6 months LA DOTD has a job 455-09-0026 for 9/12/12 for signs and misc. for segments A thru D. What will the Sign say I 49 or what sense it will not connect to I 220 or Arkansas as a Interstate?

I can check on that, actually! I'm close to the DOTD headquarters, so I should know by Monday. The main question is... will the exit tabs include 3132/220, or the central connector through Shreveport?

[bugo]

I can see Louisiana moving US 71 to the new freeway, while giving the old highway a number like 3184 or something.  Or they might just say to hell with it and sign it as I-49.

[mcdonaat]

I can see Louisiana moving US 71 to the new freeway, while giving the old highway a number like 3184 or something.  Or they might just say to hell with it and sign it as I-49.

I can see Louisiana leaving US 71 as US 71, and I-49 as I-49. It's the small towns that won't let US 71 go, and Louisiana has a VERY good track of leaving the US highways on their own. Just look at LA 1 between Alexandria and Shreveport, and US 51 with I-55. Also, look at US 11 with I-59. The highways are left alone. It's an idea about multiplexing for way too long, and the DOTD is against it. I'm fine with US 71 staying on I-49.

I could see I-49 as being signed as the 3XXX number, since it's a temporary measure. If anything, I-49 would be signed as I-49, but a temporary shield above it.

[bugo]

US 90 is being moved over to future I-49, so it's possible LADOT's policies have changed since those interstates were built.

[mcdonaat]

The only thing is, though, US 90 is on that alignment. It could be another 30 years before I-49 is designated for that alignment, if it ever is. US 90 gives thru traffic a route to follow. I-49 is on track, and going to be designated I-49 in about a year or two. The most sense would be to leave US 71 for thru traffic to follow, and temporary LA highway numbers for the freeway segments. Those numbers can be disposed of once the highway is completed. Louisiana considers US 71 a revered highway, and even with I-49 going through Alexandria, about a mile at most from US 71, the designation has never been moved. We don't really like running concurrent Interstate and US highways.

Just look at US 80 and I-20!

EDIT: I forgot to add this... maybe if it's running from AR 549 to meet US 71 in Louisiana, it could be signed as Temporary I-49, Bypass US 71, or just Alternate US 71.

[Anthony_JK]

US 90 is being moved over to future I-49, so it's possible LADOT's policies have changed since those interstates were built.

Actually, it's the other way around...I-49 is taking over current US 90 betwen Lafayette and Raceland, including the sections already Interstate grade.  The problems comes in Lafayette, where US 90 veers away from the proposed connector to existing I-49/I-10 (via Cameron St./Mudd Ave.), and east of Raceland to just east of Boutte, where I-49 South is proposed to be built on new alignment.

They simply cannot reinstate US 90 along its former route (now designated as LA 182) due to federal policy.

As for I-49 North...since that was built as a new terrain freeway, there's really no need to move existing US 71 to it.

[mcdonaat]

US 90 is being moved over to future I-49, so it's possible LADOT's policies have changed since those interstates were built.

Actually, it's the other way around...I-49 is taking over current US 90 betwen Lafayette and Raceland, including the sections already Interstate grade.  The problems comes in Lafayette, where US 90 veers away from the proposed connector to existing I-49/I-10 (via Cameron St./Mudd Ave.), and east of Raceland to just east of Boutte, where I-49 South is proposed to be built on new alignment.

They simply cannot reinstate US 90 along its former route (now designated as LA 182) due to federal policy.

As for I-49 North...since that was built as a new terrain freeway, there's really no need to move existing US 71 to it.

The only question is, what will Segments A-D be signed as? Some think it's going to be signed as I-49, and some think it's going to be signed as a state highway, temporarily. You can look at LA 3026 (the old Pineville Expressway, now US 167) as an example.

[Gordon]

LADOT has a job for 11/14/12 to widen LA 168 to US 71 so they can open those segments until Arkansas can finish there 4 miles. I hope they sign it I 49 because it is a matter of 2015 when Arkansas finishes there part and it will be I 49. I think sense federal and states are hurting for money it is silly changing signs in a couple of yrs.

[mcdonaat]

I'm hoping they can put a Temporary shield for 49, and then just reuse the shield for different segments

[apjung]

Looks like the next project on I-49 South would be the LA 318 interchange in St. Mary Parish. This one will require a complete rebuild of the intersection and ROW acquisitions. See Appendix A for how the proposed interchange will look. There are 2 proposed versions, Alt B and Alt D. I prefer Alt D as fewer homeowners would have to be relocated.
http://www.dotd.la.gov/administration/public_info/projects/us90/

Google Maps of the area
http://goo.gl/maps/LBsu

[mcdonaat]

Saw that today... Louisiana's taking it step by step, while trudging forward for I-49 North to connect to Texarkana. I don't see why Louisiana can't just use the current frontage road setup and make it a Texas-style intechange, like you'd see on I-20 between Shreveport and Dallas. Exit onto frontage roads, use the frontage roads to mingle, then get back on the highway.

GMaps view of Texas-style
http://goo.gl/maps/SDsh

[Anthony_JK]

Saw that today... Louisiana's taking it step by step, while trudging forward for I-49 North to connect to Texarkana. I don't see why Louisiana can't just use the current frontage road setup and make it a Texas-style intechange, like you'd see on I-20 between Shreveport and Dallas. Exit onto frontage roads, use the frontage roads to mingle, then get back on the highway.

GMaps view of Texas-style
http://goo.gl/maps/SDsh

Probably can't do that due to the fact that the frontage roads are already two-way, and because of the rural nature of the surrounding area. This is pretty much the same setup as on existing I-49 between Lafayette and Opelousas.

Personally, I'd prefer Alternative B, because it fits the other interchanges currently being built on US 90...but I'd no problems with Alternative D. Just build the damn thing already.

[Anthony_JK]

[...]
As for I-49 North...since that was built as a new terrain freeway, there's really no need to move existing US 71 to it.

The only question is, what will Segments A-D be signed as? Some think it's going to be signed as I-49, and some think it's going to be signed as a state highway, temporarily. You can look at LA 3026 (the old Pineville Expressway, now US 167) as an example.

I thought that LADOTD wouldn't even open those sections of I-49 North until they finished Segments J and K to I-220??  If they didn't, then probably a state number (LA 1049??) would suffice until then, and once the whole shebang is completed, AR 549 becomes I-49 as well.

[mcdonaat]

Build that highway! I honestly would like I-6 more than I-49, but if any number will do (even if it's LA 3297) as long as the expressway is built. Shoulda considered this when US 90 bypassed the towns!!!

[Gordon]

LADOTD has a public meeting in August for Ambassador Caffery Parkway. Location of the project is from Renaud Drive just north of the I-10 Interchange to the LA 182/I-49 Interchange in Carencro.

[mcdonaat]

What exactly is the idea behind the project? I've never understood it. Hopefully they don't mess up 182 by widening or anything.

[Anthony_JK]

What exactly is the idea behind the project? I've never understood it. Hopefully they don't mess up 182 by widening or anything.

Basically, it's to add an additional corridor to relieve LA 182 (N. University Ave.) through Carencro, and to make Ambassador Caffery into a poor man's beltway around Lafayette.

There are also plans to widen LA 182 through Carencro down to I-10, too.

[mcdonaat]

What exactly is the idea behind the project? I've never understood it. Hopefully they don't mess up 182 by widening or anything.

Basically, it's to add an additional corridor to relieve LA 182 (N. University Ave.) through Carencro, and to make Ambassador Caffery into a poor man's beltway around Lafayette.

There are also plans to widen LA 182 through Carencro down to I-10, too.

NOOO!!!! Don't mess up LA 182, PLEASE! It's the only true piece of two-lane US 167 south of Opelousas!! I thought I-49 was the four-lane to relieve Carencro, but oh well.

[pctech]

Saw that today... Louisiana's taking it step by step, while trudging forward for I-49 North to connect to Texarkana. I don't see why Louisiana can't just use the current frontage road setup and make it a Texas-style intechange, like you'd see on I-20 between Shreveport and Dallas. Exit onto frontage roads, use the frontage roads to mingle, then get back on the highway.

I've always liked the Texas Frontage road system. I wish it had been used by LADODT on most of the freeway system here.

GMaps view of Texas-style
http://goo.gl/maps/SDsh

Fixed quote tags -Alex

[Anthony_JK]

What exactly is the idea behind the project? I've never understood it. Hopefully they don't mess up 182 by widening or anything.

Basically, it's to add an additional corridor to relieve LA 182 (N. University Ave.) through Carencro, and to make Ambassador Caffery into a poor man's beltway around Lafayette.

There are also plans to widen LA 182 through Carencro down to I-10, too.

NOOO!!!! Don't mess up LA 182, PLEASE! It's the only true piece of two-lane US 167 south of Opelousas!! I thought I-49 was the four-lan"[quote

Don't you mean the "only true piece" of OLD US 167??  Because the "new" alignment of US 167 between Lafayette and Opelousas  was originally built in the 1970's as an upgradable 4-lane expressway, in the same way as US 90 between Lafayette and Morgan City was. It was upgraded in the late 1970s/1980s as part of the original I-49.

The proposed widening of LA 182 would go from Carencro to near I-10, with a possible extension later on to the I-49 interchange north of Carencro, which would also serve as the northern terminus of the Ambassador Caffery Parkway northern extension. Considering the growth of Carencro, I'd say that it's long overdue, even with the presence of I-49 and the upcoming Ambassador Caffery extension.

[mcdonaat]

Yeah, the true original piece.

Per the top question, it will be signed as I-49. I saw the plans today, and they had exits like LA 2 and US 71 and PR 16. 70 MPH, which is ridiculous.

[US71]

Yeah, the true original piece.

Per the top question, it will be signed as I-49. I saw the plans today, and they had exits like LA 2 and US 71 and PR 16. 70 MPH, which is ridiculous.

PR 16 is Mira-Myrtis Rd (FWIW)

And on a semi-related note, I see Google Maps has finally added I-49 http://goo.gl/maps/Vh4k

[Anthony_JK]

Meanwhile...the I-49 Shreveport Inner City Connnector study is rolling on, with a Notice of Intent for an EIS now posted in the Federal Register.

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-02-08/pdf/2012-2772.pdf (Warning: PDF file, open with Adobe Reader)

According to LADOTD/NLCOG/FHWA, the goal is to have the DEIS published by October of this year, the Public Hearing in November, and a ROD on the books by spring 2013.

[Grzrd]

Meanwhile...the I-49 Shreveport Inner City Connnector study is rolling on, with a Notice of Intent for an EIS now posted in the Federal Register.

Below is a map of the study area that comes from the April 2012 Newsletter:



This page from the I-49 Inner-City Connector website periodically updates how far the Stage 1 process has progressed.

Progress is rolling on, indeed!

[Grzrd]

It looks like driving on the paved segments of I-49 North is an option ... I spoke with Susan Stafford, a LaDOTD Public Information Officer.

Go for it!! Ms. Stafford is the one I usually contact to complain about the signs being messed up and the roads numbered wrong.

I just got off of the phone with Susan Stafford.  LaDOTD would allow the group to drive Segments A-B

(above quote from Louisiana/ Mississippi Road Meet thread)

This short video features Susan Stafford talking about progress on I-49 North.  This TV video report of a Doddridge, AR meeting of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Missouri officials about progress on I-49 indicates that a longer version of the video with Ms. Stafford may be on the KTBS website in the near future.