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Author Topic: Western Louisiana  (Read 128364 times)

lamsalfl

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Re: Western Louisiana
« Reply #50 on: May 20, 2013, 12:55:47 AM »

I-49 is a critical route because 25% of our nation's oil comes through Port Fourchon (FOO-shawn).  This is a big reason why the LA 1 elevated toll road is being built.  The current LA 1 toll road south of Golden Meadow is probably less than 10 years away from permanently being submerged.
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Anthony_JK

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Re: Western Louisiana
« Reply #51 on: May 20, 2013, 09:52:13 AM »


How do you rank these in terms of having a shot to be completed?

I-10 thru Baton Rouge have to be the most head scratching segment of Louisiana's interstates. I agree with you, I dont know how you solve this problem.

Just wondering, why is finishing I-49 south is such a major priority in your opinion?

1) Hurricane evacuation through South Louisiana (especially Morgan City/Houma/Thibodeaux) NW through Lafayette
2) US 90 accesses major intermodal ports (Port of S LA, Port Fourchon, Port of Iberia, Avondale, NOLA).
3) Serves major petrochemical industry corridor.
4) Most of US 90 already upgraded to freeway standards.
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brownpelican

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Re: Western Louisiana
« Reply #52 on: May 21, 2013, 10:45:16 PM »

2. A direct freeway to the Port of New Orleans.
From where? Morgan City?

Yep, if they build it, you'd have a freeway from the CCC along the Westbank Expy to Morgan City to Lafayette.
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NE2

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Re: Western Louisiana
« Reply #53 on: May 21, 2013, 11:01:49 PM »

2. A direct freeway to the Port of New Orleans.
From where? Morgan City?

Yep, if they build it, you'd have a freeway from the CCC along the Westbank Expy to Morgan City to Lafayette.

Lafayette already has a more direct freeway (check the distances). Only intermediate locations would gain freeway access.
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Anthony_JK

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Re: Western Louisiana
« Reply #54 on: May 22, 2013, 12:58:24 AM »

2. A direct freeway to the Port of New Orleans.
From where? Morgan City?

Yep, if they build it, you'd have a freeway from the CCC along the Westbank Expy to Morgan City to Lafayette.

Lafayette already has a more direct freeway (check the distances). Only intermediate locations would gain freeway access.

Not necessarily, since I-10 technically bypasses the downtown area and traffic aave to go through Baton Rouge. An upgraded US 90/I-49 South would greatly reduce the distance between Lafayette and NOLA, in addition to serving the many ports along the Gulf of Mexico (Port of S Louisiana, Port Fourchon, Port of Iberia, et. al.) as well as Avondale and the Port of NOLA.
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NE2

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Re: Western Louisiana
« Reply #55 on: May 22, 2013, 03:15:12 AM »

An upgraded US 90/I-49 South would greatly reduce the distance between Lafayette and NOLA
Pure bullshit. You can argue that it will avoid traffic, etc., but I-49 will be longer than I-10 (by 17 miles per the Goog).
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Anthony_JK

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Re: Western Louisiana
« Reply #56 on: May 22, 2013, 04:03:21 AM »

An upgraded US 90/I-49 South would greatly reduce the distance between Lafayette and NOLA
Pure bullshit. You can argue that it will avoid traffic, etc., but I-49 will be longer than I-10 (by 17 miles per the Goog).

Perhaps so....but due to the bottleneck facing I-10 at Baton Rouge, I-49 South/US 90 would still be, relatively speaking from a time factor, just about the same as I-10.
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cenlaroads

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Re: Western Louisiana
« Reply #57 on: June 13, 2013, 10:35:34 AM »

I saw a LA 1258 shield in alexandria today. Are they still adding state routes? Because ive never seen this one before. Its on old boyce rd turning south from air base rd at I-49. No jct signs from air base rd (la 498) and I didn't folkow it any further as I was just stopping for gas to make it home to Pineville.

I checked this out.  LA 1258 seems to be about .25 miles long.  There is a DOTD "End Maintenance" sign where the road enters the wooded residential area past the hotel.  This route must have been added in the past year.
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bassoon1986

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Re: Western Louisiana
« Reply #58 on: June 13, 2013, 03:00:46 PM »

I saw a LA 1258 shield in alexandria today. Are they still adding state routes? Because ive never seen this one before. Its on old boyce rd turning south from air base rd at I-49. No jct signs from air base rd (la 498) and I didn't folkow it any further as I was just stopping for gas to make it home to Pineville.

I checked this out.  LA 1258 seems to be about .25 miles long.  There is a DOTD "End Maintenance" sign where the road enters the wooded residential area past the hotel.  This route must have been added in the past year.

Aha Thanks. I just don't understand why this small street needs a state highway shield. I can think of many arterials in Louisiana cities that would benefit from one, but this is pointless
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Grzrd

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I-10 Lake Charles Calcasieu River Bridge EIS Process Beginning
« Reply #59 on: October 07, 2013, 03:33:04 PM »

LaDOTD has posted a Notice of Public Scoping Meeting for the I-10 Lake Charles Calcasieu River Bridge project.  The project also has a website with some good photos of the current bridge.  The Fall 2013 Newsletter lists some proposed improvements that will be studied:

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Proposed improvements to be investigated include:
- Designing the proposed bridge structure to accommodate 3 travel lanes and 1 auxiliary lane, with inside and outside shoulders and potential frontage roads in each direction
- Lowering the height of the bridge
- Reducing the existing 420 foot truss span of the bridge to 2 main spans
- Beyond the bridge limits, reconstructing the I-10 mainlanes to accommodate 3 travel lanes in each direction to match the existing typical sections of I-10 outside the proposed project limits
- Redesigning the Sampson Street interchange including review of crossings with existing railroads
- Redesigning the access to and from I-10 on the west side of the bridge between Sampson Street and PPG Drive and near the east end of the bridge
- Consideration of frontage roads from PPG Drive to US 90 East

Here's a project map:

« Last Edit: October 07, 2013, 03:51:58 PM by Grzrd »
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bugo

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Re: Western Louisiana
« Reply #60 on: October 08, 2013, 11:37:18 AM »

The regional divisions on this forum are poorly designated.  States should never be cut in two.  Texas should have its own region.  The entire South should be one region, as should be the Midwest.
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Brandon

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Re: Western Louisiana
« Reply #61 on: October 08, 2013, 12:26:54 PM »

The regional divisions on this forum are poorly designated.  States should never be cut in two.  Texas should have its own region.  The entire South should be one region, as should be the Midwest.

Well, it's half dozen of one, six of the other, IMHO.  Take Illinois for example.  Do you keep it as one and split Metro East from Saint Louis, or do you split the state and keep them together?
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Grzrd

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Re: Western Louisiana
« Reply #62 on: December 28, 2013, 07:26:45 PM »

This Shreveport Times article includes a video of a drive on the ARTP extension:
Quote
.... Bossier Parish intends to spend $1.5 million this year to acquire the rights of way for another parkway extension, this one to reach what they believe will be the new Interstate 69 corridor. And to complete that five miles of road, Ford said, his team will be looking at the experience of finishing Bossier City’s newest three miles ....

This article reports that right of way purchasing for the extension from Sligo Road to LA 527 may begin in late 2014:

Quote
Bossier Parish Administrator Bill Altimus ....
They will also begin planning for the Arthur Ray Teague extension to Hwy. 527. Residents can expect the start right of way platting, and maybe more.
“Depending on how budgets go, we may be purchasing right of way late next year. But we have to get it platted so we know how much we need,”  said Altimus ....
Other projects in 2014 include ... securing a record of decision on Segment of Independence 15 for I-69...
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Grzrd

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Re: Western Louisiana
« Reply #63 on: January 14, 2014, 06:46:48 PM »

This article reports that right of way purchasing for the extension from Sligo Road to LA 527 may begin in late 2014

This Shreveport Times article reports that declining sales tax revenues will delay the above schedule for ROW purchasing:

Quote
Efforts to ensure Arthur Ray Teague Parkway’s connection to the future Interstate 69 have hit a roadblock.
Sales tax revenues for Bossier Parish in 2012 and 2013 were down a combined $3.6 million, which stalled plans to purchase the right-of-ways for the roadway’s future southern extension from its current terminus to Taylortown.
The map detailing the necessary purchases is nearly complete, but there’s no new corridor without money.
“If we had the money, we’d do it today,”  said parish engineer Butch Ford. “What we had to go through to extend Arthur Ray Teague – the 10-year process that it took to do all that – we don’t want to get in the same situation on the extension further south.”  ....
Many of the landowners with property designated for the corridor are even still under the assumption the parish will purchase their property this year, Ford said. The parish has been in contact with them for months about the project.
“Some of those landowners, they’re not aware yet that we’re not purchasing this right-of-way currently. This has just come to light in the past few months,”  Ford said. “They think we’re coming with checks. This story is going to hit them for a loop when they find out the parish revenue have fallen and we’re going to sit tight until we see an uptick in the revenues.”
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cjk374

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Re: Western Louisiana
« Reply #64 on: February 17, 2014, 09:20:03 PM »

This is a question concerning Louisiana's big blue service signs (BBSSs):  Why doesn't the DOTD utilize the 9-panel signs (my homemade terminology meaning you can put 9 logo signs on one blue sign) in more places than just I-12?  The biggest they use here on I-20 is the 6-panel model.  I think, in some cases, they end up using more signs at a higher cost than using the 9-panel sign.  Any ideas?
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mcdonaat

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Re: Western Louisiana
« Reply #65 on: February 17, 2014, 10:03:00 PM »

This is a question concerning Louisiana's big blue service signs (BBSSs):  Why doesn't the DOTD utilize the 9-panel signs (my homemade terminology meaning you can put 9 logo signs on one blue sign) in more places than just I-12?  The biggest they use here on I-20 is the 6-panel model.  I think, in some cases, they end up using more signs at a higher cost than using the 9-panel sign.  Any ideas?
Good question. Why does the DOTD use blank service signs along exits where no services are even located, but snub the Pineville Expressway (US 71-167-La 28) and include none? I've also noticed a strong lack of service signs inside of Alexandria on I-49, especially with plenty of gas stations and food places, not to mention lodging. Example - I-49's NB exit with US 71N, aka LSUA exit, has service signage. I-49's SB exit with Sugarhouse Road, used to access US 71N, has no service signage.

Grzrd

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Re: Western Louisiana
« Reply #66 on: March 09, 2014, 08:54:48 PM »

This article reports a growing impatience with LaDOTD being slow to install cable barriers in NW Louisiana:

Quote
We are not going away.
That's the message from a group of local mothers
, impacted by recent crossover accidents along area interstates and state highways. And they've now taken to Facebook, to garner more support, and to remind the Louisiana DOTD about their promise to install barriers here in northwest Louisiana ....
Kelly Hatfield, an advocate of median cable barriers ....
In a special ceremonial groundbreaking last summer, DOTD told Hatfield and lawmakers at the event that construction would begin on barriers across Bossier and Webster parishes in September. However 5 months later, and there's no sign of work beginning. A very rainy winter, and a hold up on the 80,000 cubic yards of dirt needed to do the work, has been the biggest culprit.
Last summer, The Department of Transportation and Development announced plans to install barriers along I-20 from the Texas state line to Mississippi. The first phase of the project calls for barriers in Bossier and Webster parish. Federal officials suggest any interstate or highway median that is 60 feet or less in width, would be a good candidate for cable barriers. In fact the Federal Highway Administration reports that states with median barriers have seen a decrease in cross-over, head on accidents by 90 percent.
However I-20 is the only highway in north Louisiana destined for barriers. The Terry Bradshaw Passway ... is not on that list.
DOTD spokesperson Susan Stafford says all highways and interstates are evaluated for traffic volume and the number of crossover accidents. She says the Terry Bradshaw Passway has not had the same volume of accidents like I-20. However KSLA News 12 records show there were 4 documented cross over accidents in 2013 alone.
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.
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jbnv

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Re: Western Louisiana
« Reply #67 on: March 09, 2014, 10:57:30 PM »

Why does the DOTD use blank service signs along exits where no services are even located, but snub the Pineville Expressway (US 71-167-La 28) and include none? I've also noticed a strong lack of service signs inside of Alexandria on I-49, especially with plenty of gas stations and food places, not to mention lodging. Example - I-49's NB exit with US 71N, aka LSUA exit, has service signage. I-49's SB exit with Sugarhouse Road, used to access US 71N, has no service signage.

I don't think they post those signs in urban areas. I can see a few logic points: 1) You're in a city. You can find food, gas and lodging somewhere. 2) If the exits are close together, you could end up putting too many signs in a short distance. 3) That's what billboards are for.

(These logic points apparently don't hold for I-12 coming into Baton Rouge, which has these signs.)
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mcdonaat

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Re: Western Louisiana
« Reply #68 on: March 09, 2014, 11:16:39 PM »

Why does the DOTD use blank service signs along exits where no services are even located, but snub the Pineville Expressway (US 71-167-La 28) and include none? I've also noticed a strong lack of service signs inside of Alexandria on I-49, especially with plenty of gas stations and food places, not to mention lodging. Example - I-49's NB exit with US 71N, aka LSUA exit, has service signage. I-49's SB exit with Sugarhouse Road, used to access US 71N, has no service signage.

I don't think they post those signs in urban areas. I can see a few logic points: 1) You're in a city. You can find food, gas and lodging somewhere. 2) If the exits are close together, you could end up putting too many signs in a short distance. 3) That's what billboards are for.

(These logic points apparently don't hold for I-12 coming into Baton Rouge, which has these signs.)
I-10 and I-12 have blue service signage in the middle of Baton Rouge. US 167, a full freeway, has no service signage outside of Tioga or at the US 165 exit... there's not many billboards along the Pineville Expressway either. In fact, to top it off, US 165 at US 167 has Wendy's, McDonalds, Sonic, Huddle House, Burger King, Popeyes, Taco Bell, Outlaw's, Ryan's, Pizza Hut, etc... it also has Sleep Inn, Days Inn, Country Inn and Suites, AND you have a Shell, Chevron, Circle K, Murphy USA. All of these national companies would be just as willing to put their names on blue signage as the same places in large cities.

I've sent an email to the DOTD. I'm hoping I get a clear answer as to why there are no service signs along the expressway (and I-49), and the absence of exit tabs on the Pineville Expressway, while US 71 has exit tabs where it isn't even an expressway.

Anyways, for Western Louisiana, US 84 is in the planning stages of being widened through Jena, and LA 8 is getting a brand new bridge south of Harrisonburg.

And for the question earlier about LA 1258, it's the result of I-49 being built. Old Boyce Road was sliced in half, and realigned to meet the new LA 498 interchange. LA 498 Spur was the old number, but since the spur lead nowhere, they decided to renumber it as a 12XX route. Spurs are kept, apparently, to run from one state route to another (LA 415 Spur is an example, or LA 987-3 Spur). Old Boyce Road south of LA 498 SHOULD be a parish road, but due to the massive amount of truck traffic, it's kept as a piece of the state system. Truck traffic refers to the truck stops, CNG refueling station, and restaurants and hotels.

By the way, US 84 will be four-laned in Logansport, Winnfield, Jena, Jonesville, and between Ferriday and Natchez (as US 65-84). The state knows better than to four-lane the road in rural areas before LA 28 is four-laned!

jbnv

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Re: Western Louisiana
« Reply #69 on: March 10, 2014, 12:00:58 AM »

If LA 1258 is in Alexandria, someone needs to notify Google Maps. It found LA 1258 in St. Francisville, and doesn't label Old Boyce Rd as 1258.
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mcdonaat

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Re: Western Louisiana
« Reply #70 on: March 10, 2014, 01:20:23 AM »

If LA 1258 is in Alexandria, someone needs to notify Google Maps. It found LA 1258 in St. Francisville, and doesn't label Old Boyce Rd as 1258.
LA 1258 in St. Francisville is LA 1263. DOTD put up the wrong number for the highway (1263), and it only came to my attention after the highway was added into the Goog.

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Re: Western Louisiana
« Reply #71 on: January 20, 2015, 04:46:13 PM »

This Dec. 8, 2014 video provides a good overview of road projects planned for Bossier Parish in 2015, including a planned north-south corridor.



This Shreveport Times article reports that declining sales tax revenues will delay the ... schedule for ROW purchasing:
Quote
Efforts to ensure Arthur Ray Teague Parkway’s connection to the future Interstate 69 have hit a roadblock.
Sales tax revenues for Bossier Parish in 2012 and 2013 were down a combined $3.6 million, which stalled plans to purchase the right-of-ways for the roadway’s future southern extension from its current terminus to Taylortown

The video report also briefly mentions that ROW acquisition for the Arthur Ray Teague Parkway southern extension to Taylortown and the I-69 Corridor should resume in 2015:

Quote
Also on the police jury to-do list for 2015, acquiring more right-of-way for continued expansion of the Arthur Ray Teague parkway south to Taylortown.
The parish needs an alternate path for a corridor that is constricted by the Red River, a railroad and a two-lane U.S. Hwy 71.
If there is an accident, for instance, there is no alternate route for north-south traffic other than looping east, says Parish Administrator Bill Altimus.
Also, with continued residential development and oil and gas drilling, property isn't going to get any cheaper.
"We can't print enough money,'' to buy a Haynesville Shale well site, said Altimus.
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Tom958

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Re: Western Louisiana
« Reply #72 on: January 23, 2015, 06:55:17 AM »

This article reports a growing impatience with LaDOTD being slow to install cable barriers in NW Louisiana:

Quote
...and a hold up on the 80,000 cubic yards of dirt needed to do the work...

OK, I'll bite: Why do they need such an ungodly amount of dirt?
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Re: Western Louisiana
« Reply #73 on: January 23, 2015, 09:05:27 AM »

OK, I'll bite: Why do they need such an ungodly amount of dirt?

You need to regrade the medians in places so vehicles don't submarine or fly over the cables. They may also be modernizing the left shoulders at the same time.
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Re: Western Louisiana
« Reply #74 on: January 27, 2015, 10:34:29 PM »

Is there anything roads-worthy or tourist-unique between the I-10 and I-20 corridors, besides simply driving I-49? I've looked at Natchitoches and Alexandria and come up empty.

 


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