US 71 and Future I-49

[shoptb1]

At the AASHTO website.  Here's the dirrect link to that file: http://cms.transportation.org/sites/route/docs/AM2007_USRN_Report_AR&MO_Interstate49.pdf

So it looks like it was the replacement of the Business US 71 route in Neosho, MO, which they would have liked to replaced with Business I-49.  Of course, the Arkansas and Missouri applications for the designation of I-49 were not approved, so this hasn't come to fruition. 

However, on an interesting note....from the documentation...I'm not clear as to whether the application for I-49 designation was declined due to certain segments not being under construction yet, or just the fact that LaDOT didn't also request the designation. 

[bugo]

I wonder when I-49 does come along, if all the Bus 71s along the stretch of 71 that will be overlapped with I-49 will be replaced by Bus 49s?  Sometimes the US route gets the BUS route (I-135/US 81 in Kansas is a good example.)

I think they should go ahead and sign I-49 on the completed portions, while signing the portions that aren't up to Interstate standards as "FUTURE I-49" while signing the 2 lane parts of US 71 parallel to sections of I-49 that haven't been built as "TO I-49."  When building the Interstates in the 60s and 70s, they went ahead and signed the discontinuous completed sections as soon as they were open.  Why not do it the same way now?

[shoptb1]

I think they should go ahead and sign I-49 on the completed portions, while signing the portions that aren't up to Interstate standards as "FUTURE I-49" while signing the 2 lane parts of US 71 parallel to sections of I-49 that haven't been built as "TO I-49."  When building the Interstates in the 60s and 70s, they went ahead and signed the discontinuous completed sections as soon as they were open.  Why not do it the same way now?

Also, upon completion of I-49, I hope that AHTD and MoDOT will move US-71 back to the old alignments.  There's really no point in signing I-49 and US-71 together when the older route that services the actual cities is carrying some business/loop version of 49 or 71.  This will lead to much less driver confusion trying to figure out which "49" or "71" people are referring to.

[Revive 755]

However, on an interesting note....from the documentation...I'm not clear as to whether the application for I-49 designation was declined due to certain segments not being under construction yet, or just the fact that LaDOT didn't also request the designation.

I don't see why Louisiana needs to request the number; I haven't heard any plans for any other interstates heading north out of Shreveport, excluding I-69, that I-49 could be routed on.  Does AASHTO think MoDOT and AHTD will change the number to 47 as part of a spur of I-69 in Texas to Texarkana?  Maybe this is a case where it would have been better for Congress to specify the number for the route.

I agree with signing the completed freeway portions as I-49, but I say mark any two lane or expressway portions between completed sections as Temp I-49.

[shoptb1]

I agree with signing the completed freeway portions as I-49, but I say mark any two lane or expressway portions between completed sections as Temp I-49.

Or Future I-49.

[Scott5114]

AASHTO will generally decline a request for a highway designation if all states involved in it do not submit requests at the same time. Thus, since the northern terminus of I-49 is in LA, they would decline any AR request that didn't have a companion request from LA. (AR has been bitten by this before–they wanted to make a loop around Texarkana an Interstate, but got declined because the loop happened to extend into TX and TX never submitted anything.)

[J N Winkler]

I don't know that LaDOTD has submitted any I-49 applications, but I think the signing plans for I-49 North do call for I-49 shields.

[Anthony_JK]

It may just be that LA is waiting for its section of I-49 North from I-220 northward to be completed before they decide to make a formal request to join AR in signing the whole segment as I-49. In the meantime, AR could still use the I-130/AR 549 designation that was approved until LA's segments are finished.

As for signing the former Bus US 71 segments: I would have no problem with returning the old segments back to US 71 once I-49 is completed in AR...but an alternative would be to do what Louisiana did with the old sections of US 90 when the future I-49 South segments were completed; they became extensions of LA 182. I can't see them making Business Interstate routes these days, since the feds seem to have issues with green shields lately.


Anthony

[Scott5114]

It turns out the situation is exactly as I theorized in my last post:

     C.      High Priority NHS Corridor 1 from Kansas City MO to Shreveport LA was designated
             a future Interstate by Congress without a designated number. There were references
             to "I-49"  in related legislative provisions, but we don't take that as formally
             establishing the number for the corridor. The number as "Future I-49"  would be
             approvable if submitted to AASHTO (and thereby FHWA) by the three States
             involved — MO-AR-LA. Actual mounting of an I-49 Interstate shield would depend on
             when and where segments of the corridor are added to the System.

I believe the numbering approval for this corridor can be processed through AASHTO now, as
long as the three States all request.

If MoDOT and AHTD could cajole LaDOTD to put in a request along with them, then I-49 would be able to be officially approved and possibly signed as segments are updated to freeway. The only thing stopping them now is that AASHTO has never actually approved the Future I-49 corridor, and for that to happen, AASHTO needs a request from Louisiana.

[shoptb1]

It turns out the situation is exactly as I theorized in my last post:

If MoDOT and AHTD could cajole LaDOTD to put in a request along with them, then I-49 would be able to be officially approved and possibly signed as segments are updated to freeway. The only thing stopping them now is that AASHTO has never actually approved the Future I-49 corridor, and for that to happen, AASHTO needs a request from Louisiana.

Perhaps LaDOTD is being stingy with their sole ownership of I-49....I wonder what it would take to cajole the cajuns? 

[Anthony_JK]

More likely, I'm guessing, is that LA will wait until funding is fully secured for the last segment of I-49 North from I-220 north, and for further funding of the I-49 Inner City Connector segment between the existing I-49/I-20 interchange and I-220, before pulling the trigger on calling the entire route I-49.

Oh...and I don't think that the Cajuns would count here....none of them up there in North Louisiana.


Anthony

[lamsalfl]

Lol.  People from North Louisiana have never seen a Cajun, and if they met one they wouldn't understand what they were saying!  Cajuns are just in SW Louisiana (centered on Lafayette).  And the food in New Orleans is mostly Creole.   Why does the whole damn country think N.O. and everything else related to N.O. is Cajun?!  Never understood that. 

Anyway, put me down for signing the finished segments.  This year we will also see a couple segments in Louisiana north of Shreveport open up as well.

[US71]

Anyway, put me down for signing the finished segments.  This year we will also see a couple segments in Louisiana north of Shreveport open up as well.

I doubt it. I was just through there and didn't see anything close to being completed.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Lol.  People from North Louisiana have never seen a Cajun, and if they met one they wouldn't understand what they were saying!  Cajuns are just in SW Louisiana (centered on Lafayette).  And the food in New Orleans is mostly Creole.   Why does the whole damn country think N.O. and everything else related to N.O. is Cajun?!  Never understood that. 

And then theres the music...

[UptownRoadGeek]

  bon temps rouler

[Scott5114]

bon temps rouler

In an effort to prevent a Calrog-like tradition of speaking in French in an English-speaking road forum from developing, I provide the public service of pointing out that this means "A good temporary ruler."

[US71]

In an effort to prevent a Calrog-like tradition of speaking in French in an English-speaking road forum from developing, I provide the public service of pointing out that this means "A good temporary ruler."

Odd... I just ran Babelfish and got good time to roll

[lamsalfl]

"Let the good times roll."  been hearing that quote since the day I was born here!

[shoptb1]

bon temps rouler

To be correct, it's 'laissez les bon temps rouler"

[UptownRoadGeek]

bon temps rouler

To be correct, it's 'laissez les bon temps rouler"

::looks at lamsalfl::

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

bon temps rouler

To be correct, it's 'laissez les bon temps rouler"

I thought I was the only Buckeye who knew anything about Louisiana.

[shoptb1]

I thought I was the only Buckeye who knew anything about Louisiana.

Well, I'm originally an Arkansan, so I am used to hearing the Louisianan/French term for 'Let the Good Times Roll'. 

[UptownRoadGeek]

 

[bugo]

I thought I was the only Buckeye who knew anything about Louisiana.

Well, I'm originally an Arkansan, so I am used to hearing the Louisianan/French term for 'Let the Good Times Roll'. 

Originally an Arkansan?  If you're born in Arkansas, you're an Arkansan for life.

[shoptb1]

Originally an Arkansan?  If you're born in Arkansas, you're an Arkansan for life.

Although my Ohio driver's license disagrees, the Razorback stickers on my car totally agrees