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[cjk374]

Work has now started on the building of a new exit on I-20. It will be exit 83 at Tarbutton Rd. in Ruston.

A new Service Rd. extension has also started in Ruston. It is on the westbound side of I-20 and runs from the current-end of the existing road (North Service Rd. East) to the next overpass at Rough Edge Rd. There has been talk for almost 20 years about building a new exit for Rough Edge Rd. I believe it would be exit 89, and the talk was centered around making that exit serve as a way to get to the Ruston airport. If they did that, they would need a lot of trailblazer signs to guide people to the airport. Ruston's airport isn't served by any airline company...mostly just for business jets.

I accidentally put this on the wrong Louisiana page.

But I have heard that they will be building a new interchange at Rough Edge Rd. on the eastern edge of Ruston. It will be exit 89.

So that makes 5 exits (83 [the other new exit], 84, 85, 86, & [soon to be] 89) for a town of 20K people (more than that when the colleges are in session). Seem excessive?

Doesn't appear excessive based on the commercial development on Google Maps.  My question would be why was I-20 routed so close to downtown Ruston when it was first built?  I would have thought it would have swung farther north.

When that stretch of I-20 was built in 1957-1960, it was built well north of what was then downtown Ruston. The shopping center on the north side of I-20 (affectionately known as the "K-mart shopping center", originally named the Graham Shopping Center) was built in the early 80s. "Urban sprawl" has been going on hard & heavy since then.

[rte66man]

Work has now started on the building of a new exit on I-20. It will be exit 83 at Tarbutton Rd. in Ruston.

A new Service Rd. extension has also started in Ruston. It is on the westbound side of I-20 and runs from the current-end of the existing road (North Service Rd. East) to the next overpass at Rough Edge Rd. There has been talk for almost 20 years about building a new exit for Rough Edge Rd. I believe it would be exit 89, and the talk was centered around making that exit serve as a way to get to the Ruston airport. If they did that, they would need a lot of trailblazer signs to guide people to the airport. Ruston's airport isn't served by any airline company...mostly just for business jets.

I accidentally put this on the wrong Louisiana page.

But I have heard that they will be building a new interchange at Rough Edge Rd. on the eastern edge of Ruston. It will be exit 89.

So that makes 5 exits (83 [the other new exit], 84, 85, 86, & [soon to be] 89) for a town of 20K people (more than that when the colleges are in session). Seem excessive?

Doesn't appear excessive based on the commercial development on Google Maps.  My question would be why was I-20 routed so close to downtown Ruston when it was first built?  I would have thought it would have swung farther north.

When that stretch of I-20 was built in 1957-1960, it was built well north of what was then downtown Ruston. The shopping center on the north side of I-20 (affectionately known as the "K-mart shopping center", originally named the Graham Shoppi g Center) was built in the early 80s. "Urban sprawl" has been going on hard & heavy since then.

I am used to interstates running miles from the city center (I-35 in OK comes to mind).  I-20 looks to be about one mile from what is labeled as "Downtown" in Ruston.  I was guessing that politics mandated where the road would run in LA.

[cjk374]

http://wwwapps.dotd.la.gov/administration/announcements/Announcement.aspx?key=14457

I was unaware of the Calcasieu River bridge becoming a national historic site.

[cjk374]

http://wwwapps.dotd.la.gov/administration/announcements/Announcement.aspx?key=14698

These are the top 5 priority projects in the state?   

[Anthony_JK]

http://wwwapps.dotd.la.gov/administration/announcements/Announcement.aspx?key=14698

These are the top 5 priority projects in the state?   

Ummm....no.

That's just the latest projects that came up for letting. The letting process only reflects the projects that are funded and call ready for bidding and construction.

[cjk374]

http://wwwapps.dotd.la.gov/administration/announcements/Announcement.aspx?key=14698

These are the top 5 priority projects in the state?   

Ummm....no.

That's just the latest projects that came up for letting. The letting process only reflects the projects that are funded and call ready for bidding and construction.

When I read this yesterday, I thought it said these were the top priorities in the state. I reread it this morning, and now I am interpreting it differently.

The only one I am familiar with is the US 71 railroad overpass. It is from the same era as the US 11 overpass over the NS in Slidell.

[cjk374]

Louisiana has lost 2 more outline state shield signs. The 2 hanging over US 71/LA 1 at I-220 have been replaced with extruded panel signs & white LA 1 shields.

NOOO! Only one left that I know of. LA 1 bypass BGS as you approach Natchitoches on LA 1 north


iPhone

Sad day indeed. 

I would like to take this moment to apologize for any broken hearts I may have caused making this report a few months ago....because I was dead wrong! The outline LA 1 shield signs on both overpasses are indeed still up. I just drove through there an hour ago and saw them with my own eyes.

Again, I apologize for being so very wrong.

[cjk374]

Work has now started on the building of a new exit on I-20. It will be exit 83 at Tarbutton Rd. in Ruston.

A new Service Rd. extension has also started in Ruston. It is on the westbound side of I-20 and runs from the current-end of the existing road (North Service Rd. East) to the next overpass at Rough Edge Rd. There has been talk for almost 20 years about building a new exit for Rough Edge Rd. I believe it would be exit 89, and the talk was centered around making that exit serve as a way to get to the Ruston airport. If they did that, they would need a lot of trailblazer signs to guide people to the airport. Ruston's airport isn't served by any airline company...mostly just for business jets.

I accidentally put this on the wrong Louisiana page.

But I have heard that they will be building a new interchange at Rough Edge Rd. on the eastern edge of Ruston. It will be exit 89.

So that makes 5 exits (83 [the other new exit], 84, 85, 86, & [soon to be] 89) for a town of 20K people (more than that when the colleges are in session). Seem excessive?

Doesn't appear excessive based on the commercial development on Google Maps.  My question would be why was I-20 routed so close to downtown Ruston when it was first built?  I would have thought it would have swung farther north.

When that stretch of I-20 was built in 1957-1960, it was built well north of what was then downtown Ruston. The shopping center on the north side of I-20 (affectionately known as the "K-mart shopping center", originally named the Graham Shopping Center) was built in the early 80s. "Urban sprawl" has been going on hard & heavy since then.

http://wwwapps.dotd.la.gov/administration/announcements/Announcement.aspx?key=15145

[US71]

Louisiana has lost 2 more outline state shield signs. The 2 hanging over US 71/LA 1 at I-220 have been replaced with extruded panel signs & white LA 1 shields.

NOOO! Only one left that I know of. LA 1 bypass BGS as you approach Natchitoches on LA 1 north


iPhone

Sad day indeed. 

I would like to take this moment to apologize for any broken hearts I may have caused making this report a few months ago....because I was dead wrong! The outline LA 1 shield signs on both overpasses are indeed still up. I just drove through there an hour ago and saw them with my own eyes.

Again, I apologize for being so very wrong.

But I did observe this past weekend that a lot of signage is being spiffed up in Louisiana. The US signs, especially, are generally becoming more uniform in size and shape.

[Anthony_JK]

http://wwwapps.dotd.la.gov/administration/announcements/Announcement.aspx?key=14457

I was unaware of the Calcasieu River bridge becoming a national historic site.

Most if not all of the major bridges built during the Huey Long/Earl Long era in Louisiana have been designated as historical bridges. The Calcasieu River I-10 bridge is certainly old and rustic enough to qualify.

[bassoon1986]

I-49 between Alexandria and Natchitoches is getting signs replaced. The clearview font looks clean like most of Louisiana’s other versions; it isn’t too cluttered on the sign. Most of the new signs are smaller and don’t waste so much green space. (The best one being exit 107 Lena)

The only difference in content is exit 119. It now reads Cloutierville and Gorum. Not that anything is a really great choice on these rural exits. Most of the “towns” are unincorporated and are lucky to even have a sign showing the destination.


iPhone

[jbnv]

I-49 between Alexandria and Natchitoches is getting signs replaced. The clearview font looks clean like most of Louisiana’s other versions; it isn’t too cluttered on the sign.

I saw some of those signs when I went up to Natchitoches a few weeks ago for a funeral. Glad to see that they are in Clearview, but I'm surprised since I thought Louisiana abandoned Clearview with the Jindal-Edwards transition almost 2 years ago.

[cjk374]

This is the largest parish route shield I have ever seen. Are there any this large anywhere else in the state?

20180205_115634 by Jess Kilgore, on Flickr

[cjk374]

Is this Louisiana's 1st unisign? Established 12/2017.

Unisign in downtown Ruston. by Jess Kilgore, on Flickr


Ruston's unisign up close. by Jess Kilgore, on Flickr

[US71]

Baton Rouge 2009 

[cjk374]

I figured an older one would have popped up somewhere. 

[US71]

I figured an older one would have popped up somewhere. 

Yours goes back to at least 2015, I think. I thought I had a photo of my own, but can't find it.

---
I am in error. No unisign in 2015

[bassoon1986]

I just hate that it’s missing LA 146 with it


iPhone

[cjk374]

I just hate that it’s missing LA 146 with it


iPhone

LA 146 is never shown love at this intersection. When the previous individual-sign assembly was established (2005 maybe?), LA 146 was ignored then as well. However, the JCT-assembly west of Monroe St. was put up at the same time listing LA 146.

The concurrency itself is well signed until the intersection of S. Trenton & W. California where US 80 & LA 146 leave US 167. That intersection has never had all of the proper signage.

On I-20, the BGSs for exit 85 have never shown the concurrency.

[bassoon1986]

I just hate that it’s missing LA 146 with it


iPhone

LA 146 is never shown love at this intersection. When the previous individual-sign assembly was established (2005 maybe?), LA 146 was ignored then as well. However, the JCT-assembly west of Monroe St. was put up at the same time listing LA 146.

The concurrency itself is well signed until the intersection of S. Trenton & W. California where US 80 & LA 146 leave US 167. That intersection has never had all of the proper signage.

On I-20, the BGSs for exit 85 have never shown the concurrency.

I've always wished exit 85 showed LA 146 and had a little more long range cities. Ruston is big enough to know you're in Ruston at exit 85. Maybe show Jonesboro and ElDorado. And if LA 146 isn't being shown there, I can't imagine DOTD is rushing to put US 63 north on there anytime soon either

[cjk374]

I just hate that it’s missing LA 146 with it


iPhone

LA 146 is never shown love at this intersection. When the previous individual-sign assembly was established (2005 maybe?), LA 146 was ignored then as well. However, the JCT-assembly west of Monroe St. was put up at the same time listing LA 146.

The concurrency itself is well signed until the intersection of S. Trenton & W. California where US 80 & LA 146 leave US 167. That intersection has never had all of the proper signage.

On I-20, the BGSs for exit 85 have never shown the concurrency.

I've always wished exit 85 showed LA 146 and had a little more long range cities. Ruston is big enough to know you're in Ruston at exit 85. Maybe show Jonesboro and ElDorado. And if LA 146 isn't being shown there, I can't imagine DOTD is rushing to put US 63 north on there anytime soon either

You & I think very much alike here.

If a town has signs on the interstate that say "Wherever, USA next xx exits", then it should be ok to not list that town on the BGSs in that town. I-20 is almost 60 years old in Ruston. DOTD hasn't shown LA 146 yet...so US 63 could be 100 years from being shown on any BGS.

With the new Tarbutton Rd interchange (future exit 83) coming along well, DOTD should really consider overhead BGSs with Ruston's exits. That would help give motorists a 1 mile heads up of the next exit in Ruston.

[bassoon1986]

They’ll have to change that “Ruston next 3 exits” sign too. Like when West Monroe added the Downing Pines Exit


iPhone

[cjk374]

They’ll have to change that “Ruston next 3 exits” sign too. Like when West Monroe added the Downing Pines Exit


iPhone

This & relocate the sign west of town further west. The current one is located close to the new Tarbutton ramp.

[Anthony_JK]

Cosign on this one.

Louisiana is kinda weird regarding signing interchanges through cities.

On I-10, when they added the Louisiana Avenue interchange in Lafayette, they also revised the I-49/US 167 BGS's for the exits for 167 South (Future I-49 South) to read "Morgan City" rather than "Lafayette". You'd think they would have used "Downtown Lafayette" and left "Morgan City" for a secondary reassurance sign.

However...on I-49 through Opelousas, they have the "Opelousas NEXT 3 INTERCHANGES" signs up, but they still have the US 190 West BGS labeled as "Opelousas" rather than "Downtown".

Some consistency would be nice, LADOTD.

[cjk374]

Cosign on this one.

Louisiana is kinda weird regarding signing interchanges through cities.

On I-10, when they added the Louisiana Avenue interchange in Lafayette, they also revised the I-49/US 167 BGS's for the exits for 167 South (Future I-49 South) to read "Morgan City" rather than "Lafayette". You'd think they would have used "Downtown Lafayette" and left "Morgan City" for a secondary reassurance sign.

However...on I-49 through Opelousas, they have the "Opelousas NEXT 3 INTERCHANGES" signs up, but they still have the US 190 West BGS labeled as "Opelousas" rather than "Downtown".

Some consistency would be nice, LADOTD.

This is how DOTD decided to sign "Downtown Monroe": https://www.google.com/maps/@32.4962413,-92.1158093,0a,75y,73.16h,88.73t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sX8i_7l8kUgiahhEP8aV6Sg!2e0

They could put a similar sign at exit 85 in Ruston and use different control points (why not list 3?). Then put all three shields of the concurrency. For exit 86, remove "Ruston" and replace it with "Marion". (Farmerville is 21 miles north, Marion is 35 miles north)

I kinda like that DOTD put Morgan City on the BGS instead of downtown. Did they at least put a secondary sign for downtown like they did in Monroe?