I-69 in MS

[edwaleni]

As to I-530 (or I-57 eventually), I could see it in Monroe before I-69 is built from Minden.

That N-S section of the I-69 "cluster" seems to garner prioritization from ADOT and its handlers, since it links the two major cities in the center of the state (LR, Pine Bluff) down to South Arkansas; the state is certainly taking advantage of their "consolation prize" re the loss of the Dickey Split routing.  And I agree that if plans are afoot to extend it down into LA, there will likely be pressure to make it a 2di -- such would possibly attract more LA interest that an overlong 3di based on an trunk interstate not even serving that state.  And an extension of I-57 could be sold to the powers that be as a singular or even direct Chicago-Louisiana conduit.  I think that if such an extension ever comes to pass the I-57 designation is a slam dunk.   

Louisiana and Mississippi rank 43rd and 44th nationally in fiscal health.  Arkansas is 21st.  Illinois which just doubled their gas taxes is ranked last and is going on a road spending spree.

[abqtraveler]

As to I-530 (or I-57 eventually), I could see it in Monroe before I-69 is built from Minden.

That N-S section of the I-69 "cluster" seems to garner prioritization from ADOT and its handlers, since it links the two major cities in the center of the state (LR, Pine Bluff) down to South Arkansas; the state is certainly taking advantage of their "consolation prize" re the loss of the Dickey Split routing.  And I agree that if plans are afoot to extend it down into LA, there will likely be pressure to make it a 2di -- such would possibly attract more LA interest that an overlong 3di based on an trunk interstate not even serving that state.  And an extension of I-57 could be sold to the powers that be as a singular or even direct Chicago-Louisiana conduit.  I think that if such an extension ever comes to pass the I-57 designation is a slam dunk.   

Louisiana and Mississippi rank 43rd and 44th nationally in fiscal health.  Arkansas is 21st.  Illinois which just doubled their gas taxes is ranked last and is going on a road spending spree.

I think that Arkansas, much like Texas with I-369, hedged their bets knowing the struggle to fund and complete I-69 would be in the middle stretch, so Arkansas puts the emphasis on what serves its needs without having to involve Louisiana and Mississippi, which are just as broke, if not more so.  Trouble is, I-30/I-40 East in Arkansas will be unbearable if I-369 gets finished before a 3x3 upgrade of I-30/I-40 East.

I see I-69 between Tenaha, TX and Memphis, TN being an alternative to the I-30/40 routing if it ever gets built. Arkansas right now appears to be the only state that has the fiscal means to move I-69 forward, thanks to the state's voters supporting recent sales tax increases to help pay for Arkansas' investments in its road infrastructure. Like anything else, there's never enough money to go around, so the state has to rack and stack what things get paid for and what has to wait. With that said, I would suspect that the top-three priority list would go as follows:  1) complete I-49 to Missouri; 2) complete US-67 (future I-57) to Missouri; 3) reconstruct and widen I-40 from Little Rock to Memphis. Somewhere down below those priorities would be: completing the remainder of I-49 between Texarkana and Fort Smith; and completing whatever portions of the I-69 system they think they can get done without having to wait on Louisiana or Mississippi.

[sparker]

As to I-530 (or I-57 eventually), I could see it in Monroe before I-69 is built from Minden.

That N-S section of the I-69 "cluster" seems to garner prioritization from ADOT and its handlers, since it links the two major cities in the center of the state (LR, Pine Bluff) down to South Arkansas; the state is certainly taking advantage of their "consolation prize" re the loss of the Dickey Split routing.  And I agree that if plans are afoot to extend it down into LA, there will likely be pressure to make it a 2di -- such would possibly attract more LA interest that an overlong 3di based on an trunk interstate not even serving that state.  And an extension of I-57 could be sold to the powers that be as a singular or even direct Chicago-Louisiana conduit.  I think that if such an extension ever comes to pass the I-57 designation is a slam dunk.   

Louisiana and Mississippi rank 43rd and 44th nationally in fiscal health.  Arkansas is 21st.  Illinois which just doubled their gas taxes is ranked last and is going on a road spending spree.

I think that Arkansas, much like Texas with I-369, hedged their bets knowing the struggle to fund and complete I-69 would be in the middle stretch, so Arkansas puts the emphasis on what serves its needs without having to involve Louisiana and Mississippi, which are just as broke, if not more so.  Trouble is, I-30/I-40 East in Arkansas will be unbearable if I-369 gets finished before a 3x3 upgrade of I-30/I-40 East.

I see I-69 between Tenaha, TX and Memphis, TN being an alternative to the I-30/40 routing if it ever gets built. Arkansas right now appears to be the only state that has the fiscal means to move I-69 forward, thanks to the state's voters supporting recent sales tax increases to help pay for Arkansas' investments in its road infrastructure. Like anything else, there's never enough money to go around, so the state has to rack and stack what things get paid for and what has to wait. With that said, I would suspect that the top-three priority list would go as follows:  1) complete I-49 to Missouri; 2) complete US-67 (future I-57) to Missouri; 3) reconstruct and widen I-40 from Little Rock to Memphis. Somewhere down below those priorities would be: completing the remainder of I-49 between Texarkana and Fort Smith; and completing whatever portions of the I-69 system they think they can get done without having to wait on Louisiana or Mississippi.

Essentially in agreement with the above, except that I'd put the I-49 Texarkana-Fort Smith completion on at least an equal footing to upgrading of I-40 east of LR.  Sneaking suspicion that ADOT would also see I-69 as an I-40 relief route and "kick the can" on a full I-40 revamp, preferring spot fixes (some slip lanes, a bit of widening east from I-440 and west from I-55, bridge work).  Now -- if outraged truckers were to descend on ADOT HQ en masse demanding substantive I-40 upgrades, the scales indeed could be tipped toward that revamp! 

[sprjus4]

^

VA I-81 all over again.

Needs 6 lane widening throughout (325 miles), the current plan only includes around 50 miles of widening with the rest being ramp extensions, climbing lanes, and many other minor touches.

And they almost were going to collect a high toll to fund the minor features. I'd be fine with a toll if they widened all 325 miles to 6 lanes minimum.

[bwana39]

^

VA I-81 all over again.

Needs 6 lane widening throughout (325 miles), the current plan only includes around 50 miles of widening with the rest being ramp extensions, climbing lanes, and many other minor touches.

And they almost were going to collect a high toll to fund the minor features. I'd be fine with a toll if they widened all 325 miles to 6 lanes minimum.

Widening I-30 from Texas state line to Little Rock: I said this before and I ceded my position. I hadn't been past Hope on I-30 in around a decade so I was not sure. I looked at GSV and conceded that it might work.

I went to Benton recently. It made me realize that  what I seemed to remember was correct.  The amount of overpass replacement would be prohibitive.  While there are some that three lanes and an outside shoulder might be wedged in. More, barely have room for what is there already; especially the ones with three portals (there are two sets of supports in the median with space between them . It resembles the rail lines on I-80 in California. )

This erases much if not all of any incentive to forget about I-69 from Shreveport to Memphis (at least from an expense perspective.) While I may not be a fan of the proposed I-69 routing through Arkansas and Mississippi, I clearly see the need for it if traffic volumes stay the same or increase between Texas and Memphis. I-30 is already too busy.  I am not sure the traffic volumes will increase that dramatically when I -369 is finished as US-59 has a fairly large volume of truck traffic already.  It might balloon if  I-49 is completed to Fort Smith as this would relieve I-35 from South Texas to KCMO.

[sparker]

^

VA I-81 all over again.

Needs 6 lane widening throughout (325 miles), the current plan only includes around 50 miles of widening with the rest being ramp extensions, climbing lanes, and many other minor touches.

And they almost were going to collect a high toll to fund the minor features. I'd be fine with a toll if they widened all 325 miles to 6 lanes minimum.

Widening I-30 from Texas state line to Little Rock: I said this before and I ceded my position. I hadn't been past Hope on I-30 in around a decade so I was not sure. I looked at GSV and conceded that it might work.

I went to Benton recently. It made me realize that  what I seemed to remember was correct.  The amount of overpass replacement would be prohibitive.  While there are some that three lanes and an outside shoulder might be wedged in. More, barely have room for what is there already; especially the ones with three portals (there are two sets of supports in the median with space between them . It resembles the rail lines on I-80 in California. )

This erases much if not all of any incentive to forget about I-69 from Shreveport to Memphis (at least from an expense perspective.) While I may not be a fan of the proposed I-69 routing through Arkansas and Mississippi, I clearly see the need for it if traffic volumes stay the same or increase between Texas and Memphis. I-30 is already too busy.  I am not sure the traffic volumes will increase that dramatically when I -369 is finished as US-59 has a fairly large volume of truck traffic already.  It might balloon if  I-49 is completed to Fort Smith as this would relieve I-35 from South Texas to KCMO.

Rail lines in the median of the CA segment of I-80?  The only such instance of this is the very short LR segment in north Sacramento within the "split" of what is now I-80 but previously the I-880 bypass arc and the abortive reroute of I-80 into central Sacramento, now occupied by the terminal station of the North Sacramento LR line.  Other CA freeways have LR or commute rail down the middle, notably I-238 and I-580 from San Lorenzo out to Pleasanton (BART), CA 24 in Oakland and also through Orinda and Lafayette (also BART), and CA 85 and 87 in San Jose (Valley Metro light rail).  And, probably most famously, the Metrolink line down the center of I-10 from just east of downtown L.A. (actually near CSULA) out to El Monte -- the section where a commuter sitting in 5-10 mph (at best) traffic gets passed regularly by outbound trains doing 75-80! 

But getting back to the matter at hand -- the analysis of the rationale behind maintaining the I-69 alignment as a relief route is pretty spot on; if TX completes its I-69/369 continuum well ahead of full development of the main I-69 trunk across AR and into MS, expect to see serious consequences -- essentially "rolling congestion" along I-30, I-440, and I-40 across the state (possibly lessened once I-57 is completed) due to the present configuration of both freeways, which doesn't readily lend itself to expansion without a substantial overall rebuild.  Much freeway design of the '60's, particularly in states that employed a more frugal approach to the original design/construction effort, is that type -- not anticipating the overall traffic increases that have occurred in the last half century.  And remember that a relief route "offsite", so to speak, doesn't pose the traffic interruption issues endemic to "expand-in-place" efforts. 

[Chrysler375Freeway]

As to I-530 (or I-57 eventually), I could see it in Monroe before I-69 is built from Minden.

That N-S section of the I-69 "cluster" seems to garner prioritization from ADOT and its handlers, since it links the two major cities in the center of the state (LR, Pine Bluff) down to South Arkansas; the state is certainly taking advantage of their "consolation prize" re the loss of the Dickey Split routing.  And I agree that if plans are afoot to extend it down into LA, there will likely be pressure to make it a 2di -- such would possibly attract more LA interest that an overlong 3di based on an trunk interstate not even serving that state.  And an extension of I-57 could be sold to the powers that be as a singular or even direct Chicago-Louisiana conduit.  I think that if such an extension ever comes to pass the I-57 designation is a slam dunk.   

Louisiana and Mississippi rank 43rd and 44th nationally in fiscal health.  Arkansas is 21st.  Illinois which just doubled their gas taxes is ranked last and is going on a road spending spree.

I think that Arkansas, much like Texas with I-369, hedged their bets knowing the struggle to fund and complete I-69 would be in the middle stretch, so Arkansas puts the emphasis on what serves its needs without having to involve Louisiana and Mississippi, which are just as broke, if not more so.  Trouble is, I-30/I-40 East in Arkansas will be unbearable if I-369 gets finished before a 3x3 upgrade of I-30/I-40 East.

I see I-69 between Tenaha, TX and Memphis, TN being an alternative to the I-30/40 routing if it ever gets built. Arkansas right now appears to be the only state that has the fiscal means to move I-69 forward, thanks to the state's voters supporting recent sales tax increases to help pay for Arkansas' investments in its road infrastructure. Like anything else, there's never enough money to go around, so the state has to rack and stack what things get paid for and what has to wait. With that said, I would suspect that the top-three priority list would go as follows:  1) complete I-49 to Missouri; 2) complete US-67 (future I-57) to Missouri; 3) reconstruct and widen I-40 from Little Rock to Memphis. Somewhere down below those priorities would be: completing the remainder of I-49 between Texarkana and Fort Smith; and completing whatever portions of the I-69 system they think they can get done without having to wait on Louisiana or Mississippi.

Essentially in agreement with the above, except that I'd put the I-49 Texarkana-Fort Smith completion on at least an equal footing to upgrading of I-40 east of LR.  Sneaking suspicion that ADOT would also see I-69 as an I-40 relief route and "kick the can" on a full I-40 revamp, preferring spot fixes (some slip lanes, a bit of widening east from I-440 and west from I-55, bridge work).  Now -- if outraged truckers were to descend on ADOT HQ en masse demanding substantive I-40 upgrades, the scales indeed could be tipped toward that revamp!

I-49's been extended to the Missouri border. Meaning Future 57 and 40's widening are the only things left in the top three to be completed.

[bwana39]

Looks like MDOT really wants to get I-10 widened through most of the state.

What project are they referring to with the I-59 interchange at MS 42? There is already an interchange in place there.

But not a mention of I-69 which is this thread's point.

[Thegeet]

Does anyone know when they will resume I-69 work? How much funding would it take?

[froggie]

It would take at least 8-digits to realistically get the next section done.  9 to 10 digits for the entire thing.  Given how anti-tax Mississippi is, plus the lack of an infrastructure package coming out of Congress, don't expect work to resume anytime soon.

[bwana39]

Does anyone know when they will resume I-69 work? How much funding would it take?

To the folks in the Mississippi Legislature, this is an extremely low priority item. The folks in west Mississippi don't really see the need.


Even if the feds sent 90% earmarked funds, it might not be enough for Mississippi to want to put in the 10%.
Most of the people in Mississippi feel like it is redundant to I-55.

I-69 IF IT IS EVER BUILT should follow US-79 to near Memphis. Yes there would need ot be crossings of both the White and Arkansas rivers, but from a NATIONAL transportation standpoint, it makes far better sense than a road that meanders through eastern Arkansa and then winds up in farming country in Mississippi where the road will pass through not much more.

[froggie]

The folks in west Mississippi don't really see the need.

Having lived in Mississippi, I would disagree with this claim.  Folks in the Delta want the road, but they don't have a lot of clout in the state Legislature.

[bwana39]

The folks in west Mississippi don't really see the need.

Having lived in Mississippi, I would disagree with this claim.  Folks in the Delta want the road, but they don't have a lot of clout in the state Legislature.

I will admit that I know virtually no one in the delta. Most of the ones I ever talk to are from either around Jackson or Southhaven.  Wife has distant relatives in Clarksdale and Greenwood. They are neither optimistic of it ever coming or particularly concerned if it doesn't. That was not too long after the route was proposed. I can't imagine it has changed a lot since then.

There will always be people either those who own business that traffic would help or those who own property that would increase in value who would support anything. There is always a call for economic development. The problem is that it economic development is almost exclusively driven by sales of commercial property. Job creation is part of what the developers tout to make it more palatable for those affected negatively by the development. The construction of highways may spur minimal local hiring, but, all in all, today's roadbuilding companies are based outside the region and bring in most of not all of their labor.

Yes, the new facilities along the freeway such as restaurants, gas stations, truck stops, and others will spur the purchase of the newly minted commercial property.  Beyond that in a lot of cases it takes more away then it adds.

[bwana39]

Infographics YouTube video on the Interstate just got posted yesterday.  Of course, most of the comments were about the number!

https://youtu.be/4anVYVJvtBI

Pretty lame cheerleader video. I really think it needed posted at least thrice. Maybe a few other threads needed it added to them too.

[abqtraveler]

Governor Tate Reeves of Mississippi announced a $1.3 billion transportation and infrastructure proposal for his state. If approved by the Mississippi Legislature, there would be years of road construction going on in Mississippi. The map below shows where the proposed transportation and infrastructure projects would be located.

Interestingly...or maybe not surprisingly...Governor Reeves proposal makes no mention of furthering work on I-69. At best, I would say that finishing I-69 through Mississippi is dormant...and at worst...it's dead.

[codyg1985]

I wonder how the infrastructure proposal is going to be paid for?

[abqtraveler]

I wonder how the infrastructure proposal is going to be paid for?

At least some of the money would be coming from the federal IIJA. The rest of it, that I don't know.

[edwaleni]

I wonder how the infrastructure proposal is going to be paid for?

From all the money Jackson State collected while Coach Prime was there. 

JSU sold a record amount of merch while Coach was there.

They are still looking for the missing gate receipts (40%) from one home game that sold out last year.

Maybe who ever has it is paying. (not)

[froggie]

The governor's press release makes no mention of where the money is coming from, and virtually every news and TV article I found just regurgitates that press release.

I only found a small nugget in MDOT's response, which suggests that it is or will be one-time money but will require legislative approval.

(EDIT:) This news article finally gives us an idea.  The governor is asking the Legislature to approve the funding from the state's budget surplus and capital expense fund.

[cjk374]

Brett Favre will have a few dollars to spare...I'm sure of it.🤣

[bwana39]

I -69 benefits virtually no one in Mississippi beyond Tunica and DeSoto Counties. There is really no reason the state is going to prioritize it. i-22 got built to Tupelo which until recently was a major banking hub. I-69 in Mississippi  (as proposed by Arkansas) runs from nothing through nothing.

[sprjus4]

Idea - how about build I-69 (once the bridge is ever built) to US-278 (coming in from Arkansas), and just perform upgrades to US-278 / US-61?

Not limited access, just spot improvements where needed and maybe if money allows, a couple town bypasses? It's already a four lane divided highway with little traffic, so just use what already exists.

It functions more as a regional route (connecting Memphis to towns in the area) than a thru route (long distance, major city to city), interstate highways already exist for long haul travel in that direction, and can be improved with much needed 6 lane widening.

I'm not opposing I-69, but if money is such an issue, this should at least be done in the interim (assuming the bridge is ever built).

If money ever flows in, or traffic demand, 50 years from now, then the rest could be built.

[edwaleni]

Brett Favre will have a few dollars to spare...I'm sure of it.🤣

He gave the ELF money back when he heard where it came from.  While people remember the initial reports, there seems to be a collective memory loss about his returning the money when he found out.

Mr. Favre is currently in the act of filing several lawsuits for libel against several sportscasters for continuing to propogate the false accusation.

I am not a Brett Favre fan by any means, but he did the right thing when it comes down to it.

[The Ghostbuster]

If more of Interstate 69 in Mississippi is ever built, I would connect it with existing US 61, then run it down 61 to the Clarksdale Bypass, then have 69 leaving the existing 61 corridor at Merigold to access the proposed Charles W. Dean Bridge into Arkansas. That would, of course, require a bypass being constructed around Tunica (which probably should happen regardless of any Interstate 69 plans).

[Bobby5280]

I think that if anyone wants the Shreveport to Memphis leg of I-69 completed any time within the next 50 years they might want to consider building a lot more of it in Arkansas. Basically that means a diagonal route from Monticello up to a point across the Mississippi River from Tunica.

It's bad enough Arkansas already has too much on its plate with other Interstate highway proposals (multiple I-57 and I-49 projects in particular). But Mississippi is literally the poorest state in the nation. It has the highest rate of poverty. The state's tax base isn't worth a damn. The only way I see more I-69 projects getting completed in Mississippi is if the federal government funds the entire thing. And that includes around $2 billion (and counting) for the Great River Bridge.

I think it would be easier to get funding for a new Mississippi River bridge crossing near Tunica, in part to continue that I-269 loop West across the river and up to I-40. The two existing Mississippi River bridges in Memphis are aging. The one for I-55 really sucks. A new bridge near Tunica could serve multiple purposes. It would be a back-up for the I-40 & I-55 crossings. An I-69/269 bridge by Tunica might spur a lot of resort development in that NW corner of Mississippi. The Memphis metro is a major logistical hub for US commerce. That industry could be helped if I-69 could be completed faster on the Arkansas side of the river.