20 years from now

[ShawnP]

Will they be built or have ended up on the ash heap of history?

I-3

I-11

I-49 extensions

I-69 extensions

I-85 extension

I say I-49 will be completed as both Arkansas and Louisana have the political wills. No I didn't forget Missouri but with upgrades coming for US-71 it is all but done.

I-69 will be completed from Memphis to Indianapolis but running into major problems south of there.

I-11 will be under construction but on a long slow road so to speak.

I-85 extension will be being built but many years away.

I-3 won't make it past Powerpoint briefs and Congressional paperwork.

[froggie]

I say I-49 will be completed as both Arkansas and Louisana have the political wills.

...but not the money.  You'll see the Shreveport to Texarkana section finished but that's about it.

Whether you like it or not, driving is about to get a lot more expensive, whether it be from high gas prices (as oil will surely go up in price...if not from "peak oil", definitely from economic recovery and/or global economic competition) or from tolls, which seems to be about the only method of funding the politico's can even remotely begin to agree on.

As a result, VMT will remain about the same or perhaps even drop...there's already been evidence of this over the past 5 years (and longer in some areas).  So the need for such Interstate facilities will remain flatlined at best while funding stagnates and the cost of construction increases.

[ShawnP]

I see it as a 20 year slow slog to get I-49 completed. One mile, one interchange at a time but I have faith.

[Scott5114]

I wouldn't be too quick to write off I-49 as undoable. NW Arkansas is still emerging as a major business center, and one would imagine its growth would continue as the economy gets better. As this happens, the need for I-49 will only increase, probably to the point where AHTD simply is not allowed to wait any longer. US 71 south of Fort Smith is the kind of road that will see increased fatalities as traffic grows on it, so the public may begin to demand I-49 to alleviate the safety issues inherent to a two-lane mountain road with lots of traffic. Plus, Missouri will probably continue to push things along as best they can because their segment is done.

I-69 I'm not quite as confident about. At least portions of it are seriously being built, but between I-49 and I-69 (and I-555), AHTD may simply end up with too many irons in the fire.

[jgb191]

Something I see maybe even a decade from now is Houston and Austin connected with an interstate.  It's already a full freeway from Houston to Hempstead, so extending it all the way to Austin is nothing far-fetched.  By 2020, I think Austin will become the fourth Texas city to join the one million club; it makes good sense to connect our state capital with the state's largest city.

[Grzrd]

I say I-49 will be completed as both Arkansas and Louisana have the political wills. No I didn't forget Missouri but with upgrades coming for US-71 it is all but done.

I-49:
I-435 to I-40: completed
I-30 to I-10: completed (excluding Shreveport Inner-City Connector)
South end of proposed Lafayette I-49 connector to Raceland: completed.
Chaffee Crossing section completed

Bruce Watkins Drive: only a horrific rear-end collision will force MoDOT to approach court for a modification to court order. (full disclosure: Susan Cummings, co-founder of roadsafeamerica.org, taught my older son in elementary school in Atlanta.  The rear-end collision in her (and Steve's) life: (http://www.roadsafeamerica.org/about-us/message.shtml)

Shreveport Inner-City Connector will be under construction.

Both I-435 to I-40 and I-30 to I-10 sections should be completed within 10 years; this should put more pressure on feds to cough up money for I-30 to I-40 section.  Even so, I-30 to I-40 section will not be complete within 20 years.  Arkansas River Bridge will be under construction.

16 mile Texas section will not be finished, but 50-50 chance Red River Bridge will be under construction at that time

50-50 chance Lafayette I-49 Connector will be finished, but with 2009 estimated cost of $1.1 billion (http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/04/plans_for_interstate_49_corrid.html), it will face intense competition from other Louisiana projects.

36 mile section from Raceland to West Bank Expressway had a 2009 range of estimates for price tag between $3.6 billion and $5.2 billion (see above link for Lafayette I-49 Connector).  I think LA will settle for a non-interstate upgrade to US 90 on current ROW.

I-69 will be completed from Memphis to Indianapolis but running into major problems south of there.

Agreed, and I also include Mississippi I-269 as part of Memphis.  Ohio River Bridge will struggle to meet the deadline, as will "through" section in Indianapolis.  Completion of I-49 will trump I-69 in AR, and Texas has too many other projects higher up the priority scale.

I-11 will be under construction but on a long slow road so to speak.

Las Vegas to Phoenix: completed.
The remainder will be subject to a "20 years from now" thread 20 years from now.

I-85 extension will be being built but many years away.

Disagree.  Absolutely no need for an interstate-grade highway.

I-3 won't make it past Powerpoint briefs and Congressional paperwork.

Agreed re I-85 to Knoxville.  1 in 4 chance of seeing interstate-grade upgrade of Savannah River Parkway to give Georgia a 2di intra-state cousin to I-16.

One other fearless prediction: Upgrade of US 19-23 to I-26 from TN state line to just north of Asheville will be complete, but I-26 Connector itself will still be under construction.

[ShawnP]

My nightmare scenario on Bruce Watkins is a school bus T-Bone accident at Gregory Boulevard. I know to some it might seem like hysteria on my ranting about the Watkins. I lived there and all symptoms are there for a horrific accident at those lights on the Watkins. I agree on Texas and I-49 as they have no reason to build it as no Interchanges will be in Texas and it's only for Arkansas in that alignment. The Feds might have do 100% funding of the Texas portion or Arkansas might have to fund it (oh the political horrors) the match portion.

[Grzrd]

I've never driven Bruce Watkins Drive, and I have only seen photos of it.
Would it be possible to do on Watkins a smaller-scale, (arguably economical?) version of what is being bounced around in Birmingham re I-20/59?:

This would be a solution for the "divided neighborhood" problem. I realize MoDOT is close to broke, but I was just wondering if it would pass the initial "eyeball" test.

[Stephane Dumas]

I guess then I-75 and Hwy-401 will be directly freeway linked in 20 years in the Detroit-Windsor area.

-A-73 ending at St-Georges-de-Beauce
-A-20 being a complete freeway between Montreal and Rimouski
-we might still talk of a Northern Maine corridor
-Hwy-400 ends at Sudbury while Hwy-417 ends at Pembrooke, I just hope then they're will be a tunnel freeway link between A-5 and Hwy-417 in the Ottawa-Gatineau area.
-gaps of BC-97/BC-97A/TCH-1 upgraded to full freeway in the Okanagan valley
-TCH-100 aka Perimeter highway in Winnipeg completed freewaylized with intersections and railroad crossing replaced by overpasses

[NWI_Irish96]

te author=ShawnP link=topic=3538.msg78544#msg78544 date=1285283786]
I-69 will be completed from Memphis to Indianapolis but running into major problems south of there.

Agreed, and I also include Mississippi I-269 as part of Memphis.  Ohio River Bridge will struggle to meet the deadline, as will "through" section in Indianapolis.  Completion of I-49 will trump I-69 in AR, and Texas has too many other projects higher up the priority scale.
[/quote]

I'm not aware of any plans to run I-69 through Indy.  I thought it was going to be routed around I-465.

[Grzrd]

I'm not aware of any plans to run I-69 through Indy.  I thought it was going to be routed around I-465.

I had this May editorial in my mind when I discussed "through" section: http://www.ibj.com/newstalk/2010/05/28/should-interstate-69-be-extended-to-downtown-indianapolis/PARAMS/post/20236

"But in Indianapolis, a ghost of the original plan remains: The extension of Interstate 69 all the way downtown from I-465 on the northeast side.

Is it time to reconsider the project? A better road would alleviate lots of congestion and cut the time needed to drive from Fishers to downtown by about half.

Even though it was never completed, much of the groundwork is laid. Four-lane Binford Boulevard angles toward downtown from I-465 but stops at Fall Creek Parkway. Now, look at Google Maps carefully and you'll notice a tiny spur extending toward Fall Creek from the north interchange of I-70 and I-65 downtown.

Could the northern interchange and Binford be linked at a reasonable price?" (May 28, 2010 Indianapolis Business Journal).

It seemed like a good idea at the time, but since it is more like a roadgeek's dream, I will revise my prediction:

"Through" section notion in Indianapolis will occasionally bubble up, but is unlikely to actually be built during next 20 years.

[Revive 755]

I thinks there's the chance that there could be an Indy-Bloomington gap on I-69 for many years, but in 20 years time (and many accidents on IN 37 later) that section of I-69 will be completed or actively being pursued.

Other 20 year build or ash heap candidates:

1) Any other parts of the I-66 westward extension besides part of the Somerset bypass

2) Louisville Ohio Bridges Project

3) Brent Spence Bridge replacement

4) Any major cross state interstate widenings (I-70 and I-44 across Missouri, I-81 across Virginina, I-40 from Memphis to I-81, one of the states I-95 crosses, or other)

5) "Boulevarding" of a current two digit interstate in some city


My answers:

1) I think something will probably happen with the once-proposed I-66 between I-24 and I-55 or I-57, but nowhere else.  This would most likely be as part of a bridge replacement around Cairo, IL, or something for the congestion I hear exists on US 60 west of Paducah.

2) Probably one of the two Louisville bridges will have been built, with the other on hold

4) As I'm typing here I'm beginning to think it may be either I-65 or I-75 across Kentucky.  Could be more in other states depending upon funding and how bad the congestion gets

5) Yes, and I'm gonna say current I-70 in St. Louis, given a seemingly lack of opposition and since it seems to be a physical law that anything that benefits north-south travel inside I-270 around St. Louis dies.  Second guess would be I-64 in Louisville.

[Grzrd]

5) "Boulevarding" of a current two digit interstate in some city

"Roads like I-10 generally have a useful life of 30 to 40 years, experts say. Proponents of overhauling the road contend that it might well cost more to refurbish it than to dismantle it."  (http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/07/photos_for_iten.html)

In 20 years, "something" will have had to be done about I-10 in New Orleans.

Even though cost will be considerable, I think "boulevarding" I-10 back to some form of the old Claiborne Ave. will be rejected and I-10 viaduct will be rebuilt.

Also, though not really a "boulevardization", the proposed lowering of I-20/59 through Birmingham was notable by its absence in "Blueprint Birmingham" document recently released [link to document in "Birmingham" thread on "Southeast" page].  For this reason, I do not see this project being completed in 20 years.

[UptownRoadGeek]

"Roads like I-10 generally have a useful life of 30 to 40 years, experts say. Proponents of overhauling the road contend that it might well cost more to refurbish it than to dismantle it."  (http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/07/photos_for_iten.html)

In 20 years, "something" will have had to be done about I-10 in New Orleans.

Even though cost will be considerable, I think "boulevarding" I-10 back to some form of the old Claiborne Ave. will be rejected and I-10 viaduct will be rebuilt.

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=651.msg15827#msg15827
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=79.msg69125#msg69125

[mgk920]

I'm not aware of any plans to run I-69 through Indy.  I thought it was going to be routed around I-465.

I had this May editorial in my mind when I discussed "through" section: http://www.ibj.com/newstalk/2010/05/28/should-interstate-69-be-extended-to-downtown-indianapolis/PARAMS/post/20236

"But in Indianapolis, a ghost of the original plan remains: The extension of Interstate 69 all the way downtown from I-465 on the northeast side.

Is it time to reconsider the project? A better road would alleviate lots of congestion and cut the time needed to drive from Fishers to downtown by about half.

Even though it was never completed, much of the groundwork is laid. Four-lane Binford Boulevard angles toward downtown from I-465 but stops at Fall Creek Parkway. Now, look at Google Maps carefully and you'll notice a tiny spur extending toward Fall Creek from the north interchange of I-70 and I-65 downtown.

Could the northern interchange and Binford be linked at a reasonable price?" (May 28, 2010 Indianapolis Business Journal).

It seemed like a good idea at the time, but since it is more like a roadgeek's dream, I will revise my prediction:

"Through" section notion in Indianapolis will occasionally bubble up, but is unlikely to actually be built during next 20 years.

I have also very closely followed that corridor on Indianapolis' northeast side on the air photos and Streetview and it does look like it should not be all that hard to complete that part of I-69 - most of the ROW is clear and yes, that boulevard looks to be easily upgradable and the rest not hard to acquire and clear.

Mike

[Stephane Dumas]

More on the list
-the International bridge at Sault Ste-Marie will be replaced by a all-new span and there'll be a improved connection between I-75 and TCH-17
-SK-11 will be 4-laned between Saskatoon and Prince-Albert
-highway linking Manitoba with Nunavut (part of the former Keewatin District)
http://www.nu-mbrss.snclavalin.com/Exhibit%2011_Rev%20PC_Dec%202006.pdf
-PQ-138 completed, I hope from Nathasquan to Blanc-Sablon
-roads linking Caniapiscau, Schefferville and Kuujuak
-a US-41 bypass of Menominee and Marinette, US-41 4-laned as a rural divided highway from Menominee up to Escanaba
-freeway linking the freeways gaps of Stewart hwy and Gleen Hwy at Anchorage
-Cordova AK having finally a road link with the rest of the Alaskan highway network

[Bickendan]

I'll add one for Nunavut: An all-weather road being constructed around Bathurst Inlet, connected to the North American road network via the Contwoyto Ice Road to NT 4.

[Grzrd]

Stage 2 Projects for PA Turnpike/ I-95 Interchange will STILL be under construction ...

[ShawnP]

My goal for this thread. Is to show it takes time to build roads in today's world with limited funds and EIS studies.

[vdeane]

Let's see:
-NY 531 extension still talked about but still not done beyond the interchange (which will have been improved) with NY 36
-talk of re-extending NY 590 from Titus Ave to Culver Rd once Irondequoit finally figures out that they have to maintain the road
-Inner Loop
--Optimistic: still only talk about tearing it down
--Pessimistic: torn down, but the last freeway to do so as people learn that at-grade boulevards with traffic lights in fact segregate neighborhoods more than freeways
-serious plans for I-98
-I-86 and I-99 finally nearing completion
-US 219 freeway extended by 8-10 miles from it's current stub ending

So mostly what we have right now for NY.

[TheStranger]

California:

- 210 and 15 FINALLY signed as Interstates the whole way through!
- 710 between 210 and 10 will still be proposed
- 52 will be complete to 67 in San Diego
- Will 241 ever be finished to I-5?
- 180 will probably be upgraded to longer sections in Fresno, while segment west of 33 to I-5 will be built as an expressway
- preliminary studies will begin on completing the 65 gap between Exeter and Roseville
- the planned parkway approximately covering the 148 corridor in Elk Grove MIGHT get built.

[agentsteel53]

and that great 101 freeway through San Francisco from I-80 to the Golden Gate Bridge would remain in its current, spectacular form.

[TheStranger]

and that great 101 freeway through San Francisco from I-80 to the Golden Gate Bridge would remain in its current, spectacular form.

Don't forget the wonderful 1 freeway between Font Boulevard and the Presidio!

Actually, as absolutely shocking as this was to me, 9 years ago there WAS a proposal - not too serious, but enough to merit a Chronicle article! - to build tunnels for 1, 101, and the 80 extension.  That anyone even thought of it when SF is one of the few places in the world in which new freeway capacity is specifically outlawed by legislation...that strikes me as surprising.