I49 in LA

[pctech]

Well when the interstates were began, they were envisioned as examples of a grand scale example of the what public works could be. It was a different time, the U.S. was flush with money for public projects, people thought differently about taxes for projects that benefited the public good and so forth.

[jbnv]

Unfortunately, the fucking feds won't allow service areas to be built on non-toll interstates.

Unnecessary bureaucracy. Who cares whether the highway is toll or not if it pays its way.

[bugo]

Well when the interstates were began, they were envisioned as examples of a grand scale example of the what public works could be. It was a different time, the U.S. was flush with money for public projects, people thought differently about taxes for projects that benefited the public good and so forth.

The maximum tax rate on the very wealthy was 90% under Eisenhower (a Republican and one of the best presidents of the 20th century) and that is part of the reason the economy was booming.  We need a new Ike.

[bugo]

Unfortunately, the fucking feds won't allow service areas to be built on non-toll interstates.

Unnecessary bureaucracy. Who cares whether the highway is toll or not if it pays its way.

Pretty much.  I am more likely to stop at convenient service plazas than I am to exit off the highway and hope that I can find the place I'm looking for then worrying about traffic and stoplights.

[Grzrd]

I recently emailed LaDOTD and asked for an update about Segments B-D. The response:

Unfortunately, we have a contractor still signing that area.  We were going to open the segments up in March, but now it looks like May.

It looks like another delay for opening Segments B-D to traffic (and that AHTD is now looking at a late August/ early September opening for their I-49 state-line section):

We had a conference call with Arkansas DOT yesterday and they advised they are shooting for the end of August or early September to open their portion of I-49.  Our administrator has made the decision to keep the four northern sections (A-D) closed until their portion is complete.

[US71]

Makes sense in a way, though Louisiana folks won't be happy.

[mcdonaat]

Does anyone know if I-49 North will be dealing with the same thing that was done with pieces of the highway below Shreveport, as in, a ban on billboards? We have desolate stretches, and I heard that no billboards were to be put up along the highway. It does make it quite boring...

Also, as a quick question, why didn't the state build the highway WITH cable barriers? You have a brand new highway, and you wouldn't have to deal with lane closures. If I-49 North was built in Texas, the cable barriers would already be there.

[Grzrd]

I-49 North .... Also, as a quick question, why didn't the state build the highway WITH cable barriers? You have a brand new highway, and you wouldn't have to deal with lane closures. If I-49 North was built in Texas, the cable barriers would already be there.

This February 2014 article/ video report provides an explanation:

Federal officials suggest any interstate or highway median that is 60 feet or less in width, would be a good candidate for cable barriers ....
Worth noting, the brand new stretch of I-49 being built in north Caddo Parish does not include cable barriers. However the median there is much larger, 90 feet across, well in excess of federal guidelines for barriers.

[mcdonaat]

Thanks! I knew that I-49's wide median would allow for a 75 MPH speed limit to be posted, but I never thought that it could go without the cable barrier.

Are there any plans to talk with Arkansas about making I-49 from the state line to Texarkana as a 75 MPH speed limit?

[Grzrd]

Documents now up http://route.transportation.org/Pages/CommitteeNoticesActionsandApprovals.aspx
Approved if not otherwise stated, details via the document ....
LA I-49 extension (I-220 - Arkansas)

(above quote from AASHTO Numbering Committee Spring '14 Meeting thread)

I-49 North is now "AASHTO legal".   The designation includes the I-220 to LA 1 segments under construction:

The route begins at mile point 206.880 at the intersection of the I-220 Interchange.  The route travels north to the Louisiana/Arkansas State Line and continues north to Texarkana, Arkansas.  The route travels over the new alignment to I-220 in Shreveport where the urban extension from the existing I-49 in Shreveport will be constructed in the future.

[english si]

The maximum tax rate on the very wealthy was 90% under Eisenhower (a Republican and one of the best presidents of the 20th century) and that is part of the reason the economy was booming.

Ask the French whether a high top bracket is good for the economy. I guess it is - for London's economy as the top earners all move across La Manche...

Or compare California with Texas...

Correlation doesn't not equal causation. You've said "Eisenhower had a 90% tax rate" and "the economy was booming then" and that somehow the former is part of the reason for the latter. I don't think it did.

There's tons of reasons why the 50s was great for the American economy:
- the global economy was coming out of the massive long dip of the Great Depression and World War Two
- American, unlike most of the developed world, hadn't been blown to smithereens in the first half of the 40s
- due to a lack of competition (as Europe was still rebuilding its manufacturing sector), and (unlike the late 40s) people had just about enough money to buy stuff, American sold lots of stuff to everyone else
- America was the world's bank - elsewhere had near bankrupted themselves with the war effort. As such, America made a tidy profit off loan repayments for the rebuilding of Europe and Japan.

But given the poor showing of the economy in other high top-rate tax regimes, it's hard to see how the 90% top tax rate is one of the reasons. Arguably it's a 'despite that 90% rate...'

[Anthony_JK]

Some news on I-49 South to break up the Arkansas monotomy.... 

1) LADOTD is currently in the process of finalizing their long awaited update to their Statewide Transportation Plan, and the completion of some segments of I-49 South are included in the final plan for "megaprojects". The segment through Lafayette from I-10 to near the Lafayette Regional Airport (aka, the I-49 Connector) is classified as a Priority A project, as in warranting immediate funding for construction; as is a segment upgrading US 90 between the LA 1/Bayou Lafouche crossing/LA 308 interchange and just west of Des Allemands across the Barataria Basin to Interstate-grade freeway standards.

The segment upgrading US 90 between Wax Lake and the Atchafalaya River Bridge at Berwick/Morgan City, and the segment completing the Westbank Expressway elevated section of Business US 90 on the west bank of Metro New Orleans, is classified as Priority B, which would still be funded under the financing scenario assumed by LADOTD.

The remaining segments of US 90 being upgraded to I-49 South would be placed in Priority C, outside of the existing funding structure, but could still be funded if suitable sources could be found. (It should be said, though, that a section of US 90 south of Lafayette between Albertsons' Parkway and the southern terminus of Ambassador Caffery Parkway will be constructed starting later this year under a Design-Build project; and the interchange of US 90 and LA 318 in Four Corners between Jeanerette and Baldwin in St. Mary Parish is scheduled to be let for construction next year.)

A full list of the Draft Megaprojects (still to be finalized) can be found here:
http://wwwsp.dotd.la.gov/Inside_LaDOTD/Divisions/Multimodal/Transportation_Plan/Policy_Meeting_2/06%20Draft%20List%20of%20Megaprojects%20%E2%80%93%20April%2024%202014.pdf (PDF document, requires Adobe)


2) The City of Lafayette MPO has officially applied for a USDOT TIGER Regional Planning Grant of $500,000 to fund their portion of planning for the I-49 Connector through Lafayette. According to the application, the grant money would be used to both compliment and supplement LADOTD/FHWA design/engineering work towards construction of the Connector freeway, as well as integrate innovative methods in rejuvinating and connecting adjacent neighborhoods and downtown through Context Sensitive Solutions design, alternative means of transport (bike lanes, multi-use trails, etc.), and encouraging more economic development of abutting neighborhoods.

The text of the TIGER grant request can be found here at the Lafayette MPO page:

http://mpo.lafayettela.gov/TIGER/Application/LCGTIGERApp.pdf

Seems like things are now moving at a bit more than snail's pace....

[apjung]

Is this where I-49 will go thru in Boutte?
http://goo.gl/maps/fhVgV

If you zoom in, some of the houses on Gregory Dr have been demolished. I assume this is where I-49 would go thru and there is ample ROW just East of Peterson Canal.

[Anthony_JK]

Nope.....according to the latest revisions and adjustments provided through the December 2013 Implementation Study, I-49 South will miss that area well to the west, crossing US 90 right over its intersection with LA 52 (Paul Malliard Road) and running on the north side of the BNSF rail line on the north side of Boutte, only crossing over to rejoin US 90 on its ROW near the current LA 3060 (Barton Avenue) intersection.

Here is a sketch plate of the proposed alignment of I-49 South on the west side of Boutte, including the proposed interchanges with the extension of I-310 and the ultimate interchange proposed between I-49, I-310, and US 90, via the Implementation Study document:



There were frequent attempts by St. Charles Parish officials to run I-49 South clear to the south of Boutte and Mosella as a full bypass of US 90, but that was ultimately rejected by the Feds due to the impact to the wetlands.

[codyg1985]

Some news on I-49 South to break up the Arkansas monotomy.... 

1) LADOTD is currently in the process of finalizing their long awaited update to their Statewide Transportation Plan, and the completion of some segments of I-49 South are included in the final plan for "megaprojects". The segment through Lafayette from I-10 to near the Lafayette Regional Airport (aka, the I-49 Connector) is classified as a Priority A project, as in warranting immediate funding for construction; as is a segment upgrading US 90 between the LA 1/Bayou Lafouche crossing/LA 308 interchange and just west of Des Allemands across the Barataria Basin to Interstate-grade freeway standards.

The segment upgrading US 90 between Wax Lake and the Atchafalaya River Bridge at Berwick/Morgan City, and the segment completing the Westbank Expressway elevated section of Business US 90 on the west bank of Metro New Orleans, is classified as Priority B, which would still be funded under the financing scenario assumed by LADOTD.

The remaining segments of US 90 being upgraded to I-49 South would be placed in Priority C, outside of the existing funding structure, but could still be funded if suitable sources could be found. (It should be said, though, that a section of US 90 south of Lafayette between Albertsons' Parkway and the southern terminus of Ambassador Caffery Parkway will be constructed starting later this year under a Design-Build project; and the interchange of US 90 and LA 318 in Four Corners between Jeanerette and Baldwin in St. Mary Parish is scheduled to be let for construction next year.)

A full list of the Draft Megaprojects (still to be finalized) can be found here:
http://wwwsp.dotd.la.gov/Inside_LaDOTD/Divisions/Multimodal/Transportation_Plan/Policy_Meeting_2/06%20Draft%20List%20of%20Megaprojects%20%E2%80%93%20April%2024%202014.pdf (PDF document, requires Adobe)


2) The City of Lafayette MPO has officially applied for a USDOT TIGER Regional Planning Grant of $500,000 to fund their portion of planning for the I-49 Connector through Lafayette. According to the application, the grant money would be used to both compliment and supplement LADOTD/FHWA design/engineering work towards construction of the Connector freeway, as well as integrate innovative methods in rejuvinating and connecting adjacent neighborhoods and downtown through Context Sensitive Solutions design, alternative means of transport (bike lanes, multi-use trails, etc.), and encouraging more economic development of abutting neighborhoods.

The text of the TIGER grant request can be found here at the Lafayette MPO page:

http://mpo.lafayettela.gov/TIGER/Application/LCGTIGERApp.pdf

Seems like things are now moving at a bit more than snail's pace....

So is there a plan for funding these Priority A projects? Does LaDOTD have a funding plan in place for these projects?

Some of the projects further down the list, especially Priority C, seem like pipe dreams to me, but at least they are prioritizing projects.

[Anthony_JK]

So is there a plan for funding these Priority A projects? Does LaDOTD have a funding plan in place for these projects?

Some of the projects further down the list, especially Priority C, seem like pipe dreams to me, but at least they are prioritizing projects.

Not yet, IIRC...I think they are still waiting on the Feds to resolve that Highway Trust Fund deficiency thing.

[bugo]

Thanks! I knew that I-49's wide median would allow for a 75 MPH speed limit to be posted, but I never thought that it could go without the cable barrier.

Are there any plans to talk with Arkansas about making I-49 from the state line to Texarkana as a 75 MPH speed limit?

Are you fucking high?  A 75 MPH speed limit in Arkansas?  When hell freezes over, maybe.

[mcdonaat]

Thanks! I knew that I-49's wide median would allow for a 75 MPH speed limit to be posted, but I never thought that it could go without the cable barrier.

Are there any plans to talk with Arkansas about making I-49 from the state line to Texarkana as a 75 MPH speed limit?

Are you fucking high?  A 75 MPH speed limit in Arkansas?  When hell freezes over, maybe.

Well, I hope that a cold front does come through hell. It would make sense to keep the speed limit at 75 MPH when you enter Arkansas from Louisiana, at least to the US 71 interchange, where it could drop to 70 MPH.

[US71]

Thanks! I knew that I-49's wide median would allow for a 75 MPH speed limit to be posted, but I never thought that it could go without the cable barrier.

Are there any plans to talk with Arkansas about making I-49 from the state line to Texarkana as a 75 MPH speed limit?

Are you fucking high?  A 75 MPH speed limit in Arkansas?  When hell freezes over, maybe.

Well, I hope that a cold front does come through hell. It would make sense to keep the speed limit at 75 MPH when you enter Arkansas from Louisiana, at least to the US 71 interchange, where it could drop to 70 MPH.

The 4-Lane north of Texarkana on 71/59 is 70mph in Texas, but drop to 65 as soon as you cross into Arkansas, so I am skeptical about having a 75mph road in Arkansas. It could happen, I suppose, but I am skeptical.

[mcdonaat]

Well maybe with Texas having US 71 as 70 MPH, and Louisiana having I-49 as 75, it would urge Arkansas to raise their speed limit. Or, if I was Texas or Louisiana, I would move the speed drop to inside our own state lines, and write all the tickets ourselves.

[bugo]

Well maybe with Texas having US 71 as 70 MPH, and Louisiana having I-49 as 75, it would urge Arkansas to raise their speed limit. Or, if I was Texas or Louisiana, I would move the speed drop to inside our own state lines, and write all the tickets ourselves.

Not gonna happen.  I think it would take an act of the Arkansas state legislature to raise the maximum speed limit in the state to 75, and if that happened then it wouldn't happen just on AR 549.

[mcdonaat]

Well maybe with Texas having US 71 as 70 MPH, and Louisiana having I-49 as 75, it would urge Arkansas to raise their speed limit. Or, if I was Texas or Louisiana, I would move the speed drop to inside our own state lines, and write all the tickets ourselves.

Not gonna happen.  I think it would take an act of the Arkansas state legislature to raise the maximum speed limit in the state to 75, and if that happened then it wouldn't happen just on AR 549.

Does every state require an act of the legislature to raise the speed limit on a road? I know that Texas has some crazy speed limits, and we can't raise the speed of a 2-laner to anything above 55 MPH.

[vtk]

Well maybe with Texas having US 71 as 70 MPH, and Louisiana having I-49 as 75, it would urge Arkansas to raise their speed limit. Or, if I was Texas or Louisiana, I would move the speed drop to inside our own state lines, and write all the tickets ourselves.

Not gonna happen.  I think it would take an act of the Arkansas state legislature to raise the maximum speed limit in the state to 75, and if that happened then it wouldn't happen just on AR 549.

Does every state require an act of the legislature to raise the speed limit on a road? I know that Texas has some crazy speed limits, and we can't raise the speed of a 2-laner to anything above 55 MPH.

Usually not on any individual road, but most states have statutory maximum speed limits set by law, which the DOT can't override.  If the highest speed limit in a state is 65 MPH, that's probably because the law doesn't allow the DOT to set a higher limit.  It would then indeed require an act of the legislature to increase this maximum speed limit, in order for the DOT to apply a higher speed limit on one or more stretches of road.  But then, depending on the specifics of the law, the DOT could theoretically assign the same higher limit to other roads later without another act of the legislature, so long as those roads are eligible for the higher speed limit as provided by the law.

[US71]

Well maybe with Texas having US 71 as 70 MPH, and Louisiana having I-49 as 75, it would urge Arkansas to raise their speed limit. Or, if I was Texas or Louisiana, I would move the speed drop to inside our own state lines, and write all the tickets ourselves.

Not gonna happen.  I think it would take an act of the Arkansas state legislature to raise the maximum speed limit in the state to 75, and if that happened then it wouldn't happen just on AR 549.

Does every state require an act of the legislature to raise the speed limit on a road? I know that Texas has some crazy speed limits, and we can't raise the speed of a 2-laner to anything above 55 MPH.

2-Lane roads in Texas are mostly 70 mph, now.

[mcdonaat]

Mostly... US 190 goes from 55 MPH on Louisiana to 70 MPH on Texas, then up to 75 MPH. At least, according to GSV.