I49 in LA

[US71]

By March, Jindal said, an additional 11 miles between Arkansas and Hosston will open, with Arkansas connecting to those northern segments by the summer.

The last five miles – segments J and K located nearest Interstate 220 – will be completed by 2016 or early 2017, Jindal said. Construction has started on Segment J, which will be finished by fall 2015.

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20131126/NEWS01/311260030/Shreveport-Hosston-now-19-mile-cruise-49

[agentsteel53]

Opening ceremonies
http://www.ksla.com/story/24077152/new-section-of-i49-north-now-open-in-caddo-parish


And we already have our first fatality on the new section of I-49!
http://www.ksla.com/story/24076572/1-killed-in-wreck-at-new-i49-interchange-in-caddo-paris

http://www.ktbs.com/story/24077916/fatal-accident-happens-on-day-of-i-49-opening

LA Hwy 71?   

It figures 71/49 would have the first accident: people aren't used to the new traffic signal yet.

why would there be more traffic lights if an ostensibly at-grade intersection was changed to an interchange?  I'd imagine the side street would keep the lights and the new interstate would lose them... but here is a fresh new one?

[US71]

Opening ceremonies
http://www.ksla.com/story/24077152/new-section-of-i49-north-now-open-in-caddo-parish


And we already have our first fatality on the new section of I-49!
http://www.ksla.com/story/24076572/1-killed-in-wreck-at-new-i49-interchange-in-caddo-paris

http://www.ktbs.com/story/24077916/fatal-accident-happens-on-day-of-i-49-opening

LA Hwy 71?   

It figures 71/49 would have the first accident: people aren't used to the new traffic signal yet.

why would there be more traffic lights if an ostensibly at-grade intersection was changed to an interchange?  I'd imagine the side street would keep the lights and the new interstate would lose them... but here is a fresh new one?

The signals are at the end of the off-ramps from I-49 to US 71.

[NE2]

I-49 is on a new alignment (as opposed to the upgrade of US 90 east of Lafayette). Looks like the lights are here.

[US71]

I-49 is on a new alignment (as opposed to the upgrade of US 90 east of Lafayette). Looks like the lights are here.

Correct, sir. Also at LA 1

[Grzrd]

By March, Jindal said, an additional 11 miles between Arkansas and Hosston will open

This LaDOTD press release clarifies that the March opening will be for local traffic (I believe it will only be for Segments B-D, with Segment A having a later opening in conjunction with Arkansas opening their section in the summer:

With today's announcement, Segments E-I of the project are complete and 18.9 miles will be open to drivers. Another 11 miles, Segments A-D, are near completion and will be opened to local traffic in March 2014.

I'm sure roadgeeks will opt for the "local" route over US 71.

[lamsalfl]

Still waiting on Google to update their map with the new I-49.  They added the new I-69 in Indiana the day it opened.  Fwiw, if you turn on the traffic layer, you can see the new I-49's 19 miles. 

[US71]

Still waiting on Google to update their map with the new I-49.  They added the new I-69 in Indiana the day it opened.  Fwiw, if you turn on the traffic layer, you can see the new I-49's 19 miles. 

I sent Google a message, but no idea if they will listen.

[bassoon1986]

Still waiting on Google to update their map with the new I-49.  They added the new I-69 in Indiana the day it opened.  Fwiw, if you turn on the traffic layer, you can see the new I-49's 19 miles. 

Zoomed in you can still see the dotted line proposed route, too

[Gordon]

La DOTD has a new update and plan for continued developement  of I 49 South. Here is the Anouncement, http://www.dotd.la.gov/pressreleases/release.aspx?key=2516

[lamsalfl]

Google is working on it!!!  All I see is one I-49 shield near Gilliam and US 71 interchange!  It disappears when you zoom in and out, but this is a clear sign of them working on it.  I expect them to have it done tomorrow.  It took them at most 12 hours to do I-69 in Indiana last year.

edit:  It's aliiiive.  IT'S ALLIIIIIIIVE.   

[US71]

Google is working on it!!!  All I see is one I-49 shield near Gilliam and US 71 interchange!  It disappears when you zoom in and out, but this is a clear sign of them working on it.  I expect them to have it done tomorrow.  It took them at most 12 hours to do I-69 in Indiana last year.

edit:  It's aliiiive.  IT'S ALLIIIIIIIVE.   

All I see are the exit ramps

[lamsalfl]

Google is working on it!!!  All I see is one I-49 shield near Gilliam and US 71 interchange!  It disappears when you zoom in and out, but this is a clear sign of them working on it.  I expect them to have it done tomorrow.  It took them at most 12 hours to do I-69 in Indiana last year.

edit:  It's aliiiive.  IT'S ALLIIIIIIIVE.   

All I see are the exit ramps

Yeah they stopped working on it last night it looks like.  If it is what most of the board wishes, I am willing to ban myself from this board for being wrong about saying Google should have I-49 added today.

[Alps]

Google is working on it!!!  All I see is one I-49 shield near Gilliam and US 71 interchange!  It disappears when you zoom in and out, but this is a clear sign of them working on it.  I expect them to have it done tomorrow.  It took them at most 12 hours to do I-69 in Indiana last year.

edit:  It's aliiiive.  IT'S ALLIIIIIIIVE.   

All I see are the exit ramps

Yeah they stopped working on it last night it looks like.  If it is what most of the board wishes, I am willing to ban myself from this board for being wrong about saying Google should have I-49 added today.

[Gordon]

http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20131206/NEWS01/131206001/I-49-South-upgrades-set-2014-16, This article talks about starting the design 60 % of the elevated connector in Layfayette between I10/ I49 interchange and Layfayette regional airport. SO they can begin to establish and obtain rights of way needed to build the project.

[Anthony_JK]

The same article, this time from the Lafayette Daily Advertiser:

http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20131205/NEWS01/312050028/I-49-South-upgrades-slated-2014-2016

And here's a related article discussing the prospects for funding the project:

http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013312050018

BTW...only one 'y' in Lafayette, Gordon.   

[US71]

Google is working on it!!!  All I see is one I-49 shield near Gilliam and US 71 interchange!  It disappears when you zoom in and out, but this is a clear sign of them working on it.  I expect them to have it done tomorrow.  It took them at most 12 hours to do I-69 in Indiana last year.

edit:  It's aliiiive.  IT'S ALLIIIIIIIVE.   

All I see are the exit ramps

Yeah they stopped working on it last night it looks like.  If it is what most of the board wishes, I am willing to ban myself from this board for being wrong about saying Google should have I-49 added today.

Not your fault the Goog is lazy

[Grzrd]

"A section of the roadway in St. Mary around Franklin is designated I-49 with a 70-mph speed limit."
What?? That's the first I've heard of this!

Articles get stuff like this wrong all the time. I'd look for some official confirmation before taking a newspaper article's word for it.

I recently received an email clarification from LaDOTD; there is an interstate-grade segment in St. Mary Parish, but to date it has not received an I-49 designation:

The section of U.S. 90, between La. 318 and La. 182, was upgraded to interstate standards in August 2001. However, this section was not designated as I-49 South. This section is still considered as U.S. 90.

[Grzrd]

This article

Hate to say I told you so, but...
Perhaps, the idea of extending the TIMED tax and using that to fund I-49 South will gain some favor?

You must have the ear of Sam Jones:

"I think we should consider renewing the TIMED Program that helped four-lane hundreds of miles of highways throughout the state in the past 30 years,” Jones said ... "TIMED is set to expire soon,” Jones said. "I believe we should consider a TIMED 2. This would not be a new tax but continue what is already in place. We could fund the I-49 South as a top priority project in it.”
Implementing a new TIMED Program would distribute the cost of new highway construction to everybody throughout the state and would raise greater revenue and much faster than tolls, according to Jones.

This Dec. 9 Advocate editorial urges an extension of TIMED in order to help fund I-49 South:

It's time.
Why? In part, because the completion of TIMED projects– the set of highway four-lane projects that connected major parts of the state over the last generation – are near to completion.
It is more easily politically to extend the program and fund new projects.
A second program of major statewide projects can certainly find useful targets for the money, but in terms of a giant advance we see I-49 as a significant contributor to the economy, just as its northern route has been in north Louisiana.

[pctech]

I would like to see a list of projects first, but I would support an extension of the TIMED program.

[lamsalfl]

I think TIMED2 is the best solution.  It's the only way we will ever chip away at the $12B shortfall. 

Off the top of my head:

I-49 South
New I-10 bridge in Lake Charles
New or seriously upgraded High Rise in New Orleans
Reconstruction of I-10/12/59 junction
Widened I-10 bridge at MS state line
New second I-10 bridge in Baton Rouge (and bridge to a rebuilt I-110 junction)

This is to say nothing of all the interstate widenings that need to be done.

Pipedream list:

New MS river bridge at Chalmette
New freeway across LA connecting Austin, TX to fort polk to Alexandria to Natchez (I-14)

[apjung]

I think TIMED2 is the best solution.  It's the only way we will ever chip away at the $12B shortfall. 

Off the top of my head:

I-49 South
New I-10 bridge in Lake Charles
New or seriously upgraded High Rise in New Orleans
Reconstruction of I-10/12/59 junction
Widened I-10 bridge at MS state line
New second I-10 bridge in Baton Rouge (and bridge to a rebuilt I-110 junction)

This is to say nothing of all the interstate widenings that need to be done.

Pipedream list:

New MS river bridge at Chalmette
New freeway across LA connecting Austin, TX to fort polk to Alexandria to Natchez (I-14)

The I-510 Mississippi River Bridge in Chalmette would require a very high clearance to accommodate the tall cruise ships.

To add to my wishlist, a 6 laned I-10 from TX border to MS border with widening improvements on the Atchafaylaya Basin Bridge and the Bonnet Carre Spillway Bridge (to the width of the I-10 Twin Span Bridge) so the speed limit could be safely increased to 70, All of I-12 would be 6 laned. Also, replace the I-12/I-55 cloverleaf interchange to flyover ramps and the same for I-10/I-49 cloverleaf.

[pctech]

Correcting the I-10 -110 (Baton Rouge) interchange would be a priority on my list.
Southern bypass of Baton Rouge (not a complete loop) and upgrading Airline highway (US 61/190) to freeway status should be considered.
As for my "day dream wish"  Intercity passenger rail between BR/NOLA

[Anthony_JK]

My idea for a "TIMED 2" (or more appropriately, a "LA Freeway 21" (as in 21st Century) program:

1) Complete I-49 South to NOLA (including I-49 Connector in Lafayette).

2) I-49 Inner City Connector in Shreveport.

3) South Baton Rouge bypass of I-10 from Lobdell to Gonzales via Brusly/Gardere crossing of Mississippi River.

4) Upgrade Airline Highway (US 190/US 61) from LA 415 to I-12 to 6-lane Interstate freeway standards, with new Mississippi River Bridge.  Connection to I-10/South BTR Bypass optional, but extending existing LA 415 would do in a pinch.

5) Widen I-10  to 6 lanes (3 + 3) from TX state line to US 165 interchange E of Lake Charles, including new Calcasieu River bridge.

6) Widen I-10 to 6 lanes through metro Lafayette from LA 93 interchange in Scott to LA 353 interchange near Breaux Bridge.

7) Convert I-10/I-49 interchange in Lafayette to full 5-level directional stack.

8) Widen I-20 through Shreveport and Monroe to 6 lanes.

9) Fix the I-10/I-110 Split "TOTSO" by rebuilding the interchange with I-10 as the principal through movement.

Additional pipedream proposals:

1) Widen I-49 N of I-10 to US 190 interchange near Opelousas to 6 lanes; possibly convert service roads to one-way "Texas style" access roads from I-10 to at least LA 182/Ambassador Caffery Parkway North junction.

2) Extend proposed one-way access/frontage road system for I-49 South from LA 88 to LA 14 near New Iberia.

3) Upgrade US 165/US 425 to full Interstate standards as extension of proposed I-530 at least to Monroe, possibly to Alexandria (and ultimately to I-10 E of Lake Charles).

4) Upgrade Scenic Highway in BTR north of I-110 terminus to LA 10 West terminus to at least limited access.

5) Upgrade Clearview Parkway between US 90/Jefferson Hwy interchange and I-10 to at least limited access.

6) Complete Louisiana's portion of I-69, and extend LA 3132 as a freeway to connect with it near the Port of Shreveport-Bossier.

7) Remove the remaining at-grade crossovers on the Ponchatrain Causeway on both approaches, and make it a full freeway between I-10 and US 190 (ultimately using the freewayized US 190 segment to I-12).

8) Add a twin span to the BTR Mississippi River Bridge, and incorporate it into the I-10/I-110 fix. (Also improve the LA 1/I-10 interchange as well.)

9) Commuter rail between BTR and NOLA, possibly even as a circular system involving the Northshore cities (Hammond, Mandeville, Slidell) as well the I-10/US 61 corridor communities (Gonzales, LaPlace, Metarie).

[Anthony_JK]

LaDOTD just announced the winning bid for the next phase of I-49 South/US 90 upgrade construction, the Albertson Parkway/Billeaud interchange/frontage roads design-build contract. It came in nearly $18-$28 million less than what was originally projected.

http://www.katc.com/news/ldot-awards-bid-for-i-49-south-corridor/

It will be built in two stages: the Albertson Parkway interchange/overpass and connections to LA 182 will be built immediately; then in the future, the one-way frontage road system would be built, which would include frontage road overpasses over the adjacent BNSF/UP rail line. Phase 2 would probably be coordinated with the Ambassador Caffery Parkway interchange construction, which is currently awaiting an Enviromental Assessment/FONSI.

So, that's at least some progress.