Corridors In Mid-South Region That Could Use An Upgrade

[Anthony_JK]

(Influenced by this thread: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=14818.msg2045698#new)


This includes corridors already planned or under construction, as well as those whom you would like to include. Keep it out of FritzOwl mode, though....


My nominees for Louisiana:


I-10 & I-12: Widen to 6 lanes throughout LA, 8 lanes through Lafayette, BTR, and NOLA (8 lanes east of I-55 to I-10/I-12/I-59 junction) (Not including proposed loops in Lafayette or BTR, or probable loops in NOLA)


I-20: Widen to 6 lanes throughout (8 lanes through Shreveport from TX state line to I-220E or even future I-69 interchange, and through Monroe)


I-49 (current, NOT proposed I-49 South) 6 lanes from I-10 to US 167 interchange north of Opelousas.


US 165: Upgrade to freeway from I-10 east of Lake Charles through Alexandria and Monroe to Bastrop, ultimately connect with existing I-530/proposed "I-69 Extender" (potential I-51)
(I always though that a SW/NE freeway would complete LA's transportation system. A bypass would probably be needed through Alexandria, but there's always upgrading MacArthur Drive or using existing I-49 and the Pineville Expressway. Or, maybe the proposed Alexandria Loop would be upgradable?)


US 61: Upgrade to freeway from terminus of I-110 north of BTR to LA 10 intersection/interchange (the start of, maybe, an I-53??)


Airline Highway portion of US 61/US 190 in BTR: Upgrade to freeway as part of proposed Baton Rouge Loop from LA 415 in Lobdell to I-12 interchange; implement some form of access control S of I-12 through Gonzales to I-10 interchange.


Clearview Parkway from US 90/Jefferson Highway to I-10 in Metarie: Upgrade to at least expressway/optimally freeway.


US 171 in DeRidder and Leesville: freeway bypasses or upgrades through those cities. (Current expressway works fine outside of those areas.)


LA 1/LA 10 between Alexandria and St. Francisville/US 61: widen to 4 lanes with access management. (That would create more justification for the Audubon Bridge connecting New Roads and St. Francisville.


US 190 from Kinder to BTR/proposed BTR Loop freeway: Access management and widening remaining 2-lane section to 4 lanes. (Some dream of making this a freeway as a reliever for I-10 across the Atchafalaya, but too many small towns and speed traps. Plus, how do you get it through Opelousas??)


Any others you may think of??

[cenlaroads]

Restricting this to roads I am familiar with,

For Louisiana:

Widen LA 28 to four lanes from Libuse to Archie (especially the section from Libuse to Holloway), and US 84 from Archie to LA 15.

Widen US 190 and LA 12 to 4 lanes from Kinder to the state line.

Rebuild and widen LA 117 to four lanes from Leesville to LA 6 near Natchitoches.

Straighten LA 8 and widen it to four lanes from the state line to US 171.  I would actually like to see a northwestern bypass of sorts for Leesville, with a new alignment of LA 8 from the roundabout on the north side to current LA 8 west of town, probably near W. Hawthorne Rd.  When I saw the original plans for the roundabout, I was hoping that DOTD had this in mind, but that Market Basket that was built at the same time is right in the path of my imagined bypass.

For Texas:

(Continuing the LA 8 upgrade) Widen the 2-lane portions of TX 63 and US 190 to 4 lanes from the state line to US 59/Future I-69.  Maybe even to I-45 in Huntsville.

Widen I-10 to six lanes between Winnie and Beaumont and the 4-lane portions from Beaumont to the state line.

Widen US 90 to 4 lanes from Liberty to Devers (the portion from Devers east to the current 4-lane portion is already being widened.)

Widen TX 12 to 4 lanes from the state line to Vidor.

I-49 (current, NOT proposed I-49 South) 6 lanes from I-10 to US 167 interchange north of Opelousas.

Definitely.  I also think that I-49 South should be built as an 8-lane freeway from I-10 to Broussard, but unfortunately I don't think that is the current plan.

US 61: Upgrade to freeway from terminus of I-110 north of BTR to LA 10 intersection/interchange (the start of, maybe, an I-53??)

Agreed.  Every time I've driven this road, I've been surprised by the amount of traffic between Baton Rouge and St. Francisville.

US 190 from Kinder to BTR/proposed BTR Loop freeway: Access management and widening remaining 2-lane section to 4 lanes. (Some dream of making this a freeway as a reliever for I-10 across the Atchafalaya, but too many small towns and speed traps. Plus, how do you get it through Opelousas??)

I would like to see the this, especially an increase in access management east of Opelousas.  Though I would like a freeway there, I agree that it would not be very feasible without building a new parallel route, such as was done for US 90 from Lafayette/Broussard to Raceland (or wherever LA 182 ends now).  It think that, at least, there should be an interchange at the western junction of US 190 and LA 1 and that all of the undivided 4-lane portions should be converted to divided highway.

And, yes, I-10, I-12, and I-20 should definitely be at least six lanes throughout the state, or at least from TX to Rayville for I-20.  I've never driven it east of there.

[codyg1985]

I would almost argue that I-20 be six lanes from Dallas to Atlanta (eight lanes through Shreveport, Monroe, Jackson, Meridian, Tuscaloosa, and Birmingham) . Almost. Ditto for I-10 between Houston and Pensacola (eight lanes in Beaumont, Lake Charles, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Gulport to Pascagoula, Mobile, and Pensacola).

[capt.ron]

Mississippi: US 72 in Mississippi could use a few interchanges: one at Walnut, eliminating the stop there and another one west of Walnut, eliminating the stoplight there. A bypass around Corinth with the bypass being controlled access.
And in Alabama ( I know this is mid-south and not southeast but I digress...): grade separate ALL of the railroad crossings on US 72 and ALT US 72. Improve the AL 157 and ALT US 72 "interchange". Bypass around Town Creek.
US 49 from Jackson to Gulfport: improve the bumpy concrete and install interchanges on the busy intersections. Widen it to 6 lanes from I-55 to Florence. Move US 49 to the I-59 alignment around the west side of Hattiesburg and then briefly to US 98 until it reaches its own alignment.

[codyg1985]

Mississippi: US 72 in Mississippi could use a few interchanges: one at Walnut, eliminating the stop there and another one west of Walnut, eliminating the stoplight there. A bypass around Corinth with the bypass being controlled access.

Besides the signal at MS 15, I'm not sure which stop you are referring to. I agree that an interchange is needed there. I believe MDOT had plans at one time to put on there, but it may be on hold due to funding shortages.

I also agree that a Corinth bypass is needed.

And in Alabama ( I know this is mid-south and not southeast but I digress...): grade separate ALL of the railroad crossings on US 72 and ALT US 72.

The crossing in Courtland is probably less active than before due to the closure of the paper plant on the Tennessee River, but there are still some customers that use the rail spur. It probably doesn't justify a grade separation. The one in Decatur just west of AL 67 could probably use a grade separation since the spur line serves numerous industrial sites. Although, it would require a huge rework of the AL 20/AL 67 intersection due to the grade crossing's proximity to the intersection.

Improve the AL 157 and ALT US 72 "interchange". Bypass around Town Creek.

Agreed.

US 49 from Jackson to Gulfport: improve the bumpy concrete and install interchanges on the busy intersections. Widen it to 6 lanes from I-55 to Florence. Move US 49 to the I-59 alignment around the west side of Hattiesburg and then briefly to US 98 until it reaches its own alignment.

It would be nice to continue the US 49 freeway south through Florence, but making it six lanes would help in the short-term. I am also surprised MDOT hasn't already moved US 49 to that alignment around Hattiesburg. Maybe they are waiting for if/when the US 98 freeway is built west of I-59 to US 49 (if that was ever the plan).

I would like to add bypassing the existing I-20/59 segment through Meridian. That segment is always busy, and widening it would be very expensive. Also, six lane the segment of I-20 that runs concurrent with I-59 (even with the bypass). Every time I drive through there, there is always a lot of truck traffic, but it goes away after US 80 in Alabama.

[cjk374]

And, yes, I-10, I-12, and I-20 should definitely be at least six lanes throughout the state, or at least from TX to Rayville for I-20.  I've never driven it east of there.

I-20 east of Rayville needs the widening you mention.  It can get congested quickly on the way to Vicksburg.

I have a proposal for US 80, US 51, and other US routes that parallel the interstates:  completely replace the current pavement...milling up all of the asphalt, dig out the native concrete, and rework the dirt subgrade below that working either lime or cement into it...and pour a brand new concrete slab.  This will give the highways at least a 50 year life and help the roads endure the current truck traffic (especially here on US 80) and detours of the interstates when they are needed.

Currently on US 80 running through the Russell Sage WMA, there are survey markers in the middle of the old US 80 R.O.W.  Any idea as to what that is all about? 

I know this next idea is only 2 miles long and only serves the local people, but LA 818 needs to be straightened from Clay to the intersection formerly known as Woodville.  There are a bunch of little curves that could easily be straightened.

LA 146 in Lincoln Parish, as scenic of a drive as it is, needs to be straightened due to the moderate amount of traffic going between Ruston, Homer and Lake Claiborne.

[3467]

Can you note which ones are under some sort of study? I suggested doing that in my Midwest treats to avoid banishment to Fitzowl land

Also is I-20 busier than 10 or 40?

[longhorn]

Rebuild Hwy 190/36 from Temple Texas to Bellville from two lanes to four lanes divided  highway or at a minimum a 5 lane with a turn lane. The amount of traffic between Central Texas and Houston is growing, and growing quickly.

Fix the 290 interchange in Brenham, TX. Having westbound Austin 290 traffic go around a cloverleaf in Brenham? Really?

[cjk374]

Also is I-20 busier than 10 or 40?

I'm not sure about 40, but I would venture to say that it is as busy as 10 between Lake Charles and Baton Rouge. Between BR and NOLA I would say 10 is busier.  The busiest of them all however is 12...but I do believe there are plans in place to widen all of 12 eventually (?).