I49 in LA

[cjk374]

Did they have a standard procedure for bridging over difficult soils, such as fat clays or organic material?

If they did I never came across it. I read the spec book mostly where it pertained to the tests that dealt with.

[Grzrd]

This July 31 article provides a status report on I-49 South:

The signs are still there, strung along U.S. 90 in Lafayette, hinting at an impending interstate that will someday connect the Hub City to the Crescent City. "Future I-49 Corridor,"  they read.
These signs are nothing new. I-49 South has been in the works since 1987. So after all these years, what is the status of the proposed interstate corridor? Has the initiative died off or is it still moving forward?
The Department of Transportation and Development says the project is, in fact, alive and well. Over the years, I-49 South has gradually progressed piece by piece. Today the future corridor is more than 50% complete, and several groups, businesses and legislators have gotten behind the push to finish the project ....
David Mann, chairman of the I-49 South Coalition, a group of business owners who advocate for the funding and completion of the corridor ....
Mann and other proponents say the future corridor will significantly benefit not only Acadiana, but the entire state, by enhancing economic development, increasing safety, reducing travel times and providing an alternate hurricane evacuation route.
"Safety is number one," says Doug Place, executive vice president of Dupre Logistics, a trucking services company based in Lafayette with locations around the country.
Place says the company's truck drivers often travel from I-10 in Lafayette to New Iberia, where a number of accidents occur. Having an interstate to travel on, instead of U.S. 90 with traffic and stoplights, would greatly reduce risks and provide a safer, more efficient commute.
Another justification for I-49 South is that it gives commuters driving from Lafayette to New Orleans another route to take instead of I-10, which is infamous for its traffic delays on the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge and when entering Baton Rouge. Place also stressed the importance of I-49 as an alternate hurricane evacuation route ....
The entirety of I-49 South will cost an estimated $3 billion, says Deidra Druilhet, a spokeswoman at the DOTD. But that price is just half of what the project was originally expected to cost.
"Funding plays a significant role. That's the ultimate thing,"  Druilhet says. "We are strategically placing the funds we do have in the right areas for the project. But of course, it's a $3-billion project. We're also looking for alternative sources."
Several separate sections make up I-49 South. Most have been completed and some are currently being worked on, such as the U.S. 90 Interchange at Ambassador Caffery in Broussard, where the road will be widened to six lanes.
DOTD will also soon award a design-build contract for the U.S. 90 Interchange at LA 318 in St. Mary Parish, expected to begin in late 2015 or early 2016. A number of smaller projects, like creating frontage and service roads, have also been completed over the years.
One of the major sections left is the $750-million Lafayette Connector, which will run from I-10 to Pinhook Road, just past the Lafayette Regional Airport. Druilhet said design work for the connector is set to begin this summer. The other major project is the route from Raceland to the West Bank Expressway, which is in the initial planning stage.
Although a final completion date for I-49 South has not been set, DOTD is fully committed to seeing the project through.

Here is a snip of a graphic accompanying the article:

[Anthony_JK]

Ugh...that article mistakes the current work on the Albertsons Parkway/St. Nazaire Road interchange and BNSF/UP overpass  in Broussard for the Ambassador Caffery South interchange. The former is now under construction; the latter is still in the design stage, and hasn't even been funded for construction as of yet. In fact, the LA 92-1 (Young St. in Youngsville) proposed interchange/widening is further along in design and construction than Ambassador Caffery South is; with design work scheduled to begin by the end of this year.

Also...the design-build contract for the LA 318 interchange has already been awarded.

[Grzrd]

the design-build contract for the LA 318 interchange has already been awarded.

This article reports that the LA 318 interchange now has a definite funding source, primarily because Moody's Investors Services has given Louisiana a favorable Aa3 rating on $73.7 million in unclaimed property revenue bonds:

Moody's Investors Services has given Louisiana a favorable Aa3 rating on $73.7 million in unclaimed property revenue bonds that will be used to continue work on completing Interstate 49 South, State Treasurer John Kennedy said in an issued statement Thursday.
Kennedy said he intends to sell some $70 million to $80 million in bonds, probably within the next few weeks ....
The upcoming bond sale will be used to match federal funds to finance U.S. 90 from Albertson Parkway in Broussard to just north of Ambassador Caffery and the U.S. 90/LA 318 interchange project in St. Mary Parish. The projects are part of a multi-year effort to convert 160 miles of the current U.S. 90 corridor from Lafayette to New Orleans into Interstate 49.

[Grzrd]

This article reports that the LA 318 interchange now has a definite funding source, primarily because Moody's Investors Services has given Louisiana a favorable Aa3 rating on $73.7 million in unclaimed property revenue bonds

This TV video includes an interview with State Treasurer John Kennedy discussing the importance of I-49 South and the sale of the bonds:

... Louisiana State Treasurer John Kennedy says now is the time to finish I-49 South ....
"I-49 North and South are the single most important infrastructure projects in the state of Louisiana. Bar none." says John Kennedy ....
Kennedy says the state will kick in $80 million to get things moving. "We are going to be issuing bonds, backed by our unclaimed property program. I think we'll probably issue about 80-million dollars. That money is going to be used exclusively for I-49 South."  ....
Sandie Grossie is a mother and wife ... "It's long over due in Lafayette. As you can see the congestion we have here is unreal in Lafayette. The people who were suppose to design the highways really didn't do it the right way."  ....
Kennedy says the bonds wont be enough to complete the entire project. He's just hoping it will help address the elephant in the room. "We're not getting much help from the federal government. They have problems of their own so we have to do it ourselves. The way we decided to handle I-49 South was kind of like eating an elephant was just one bite at a time. We aren't trying to eat the whole thing at one time, but we are making progress."

One step at a time ...........

[Henry]

Something tells me that I-49 South will be completed within the next 25 years...

[The Ghostbuster]

If we're lucky.

[Anthony_JK]

If the Feds can get their issues settled and pass a more permanent transportation bill, I can see at least the segments from Lafayette to Morgan City (including the I-49 Connector through Lafayette) at least under construction if not completed by around 2020-2025. The segment from Raceland to NOLA would probably take a bit longer...I'd say probably 2025 at the earliest.

[Rothman]

If the Feds can get their issues settled and pass a more permanent transportation bill, I can see at least the segments from Lafayette to Morgan City (including the I-49 Connector through Lafayette) at least under construction if not completed by around 2020-2025. The segment from Raceland to NOLA would probably take a bit longer...I'd say probably 2025 at the earliest.

You seem to be assuming that there will be more money to be had if a new bill is passed.  At least the last time around with MAP-21, despite the restructuring of funds (e.g., funds already existing that were merely re-packaged and sold, like the variety that were crammed into the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)), in essence federal funding use remained fairly flat.

Don't believe the hype. ;D

[Bobby5280]

IIRC, the federal gasoline tax hasn't risen since the early 1990's. Since then road building cost inflation has skyrocketed like mad. This is at the very core on why the road funding mechanism is broken. There's very little chance of the gasoline tax getting any sort of increase with the Presidential campaign cycle getting into full swing.

One thing that could help get more projects, like those along the I-49 South corridor, built: a serious downturn in building materials cost. There is some hope for that to happen. The oil market is in the toilet thanks to a giant glut in supply and low demand. Sanctions being lifted on Iran will flood the market with a whole lot more oil. BTW, those sanctions are going to get lifted by Europe and China regardless if the US goes along with it. It takes petroleum products to make steel, plastics and other building materials. China devalued the Yuan overnight, signaling their economy is hitting an even bigger downturn than previously estimated. The US Dollar will get stronger due to that.

How long will it take current market conditions, particularly commodity prices, to affect the costs of steel, concrete, etc? Just how fast could the federal government, state governments and construction companies take advantage of lower prices and get more miles of road built/repaired? Obviously shovel-ready projects would be in the best position to benefit. Others in the planning stages may miss out on a pricing downturn.

[Rothman]

Despite oil prices dropping and expectations that material prices will drop accordingly, I hear a big headscratcher in NY is wondering why bids on projects are actually coming in higher than expected so far this calendar year.

Pretty darned bizarre.

[Bobby5280]

I guess it's typical for government funded projects. The folks involved just keep cranking up prices as if they're entitled to huge pay raises by way of taxpayers. If there's any actual savings taking place the taxpayers sure aren't seeing any of it. The difference is pocketed away for profit.

The situation has me wondering how freight rail companies, like BNSF, are doing so well and actually building/improving a lot of rail infrastructure. Meanwhile something as simple as a "light rail" line, which doesn't look much more elaborate than a glorified cable car system, can easily cost billions of dollars.

A lot of what this nation built 50 or 100 years ago would be completely impossible today thanks to all the greed, corruption and mountains of red tape involved.

[Anthony_JK]

If the Feds can get their issues settled and pass a more permanent transportation bill, I can see at least the segments from Lafayette to Morgan City (including the I-49 Connector through Lafayette) at least under construction if not completed by around 2020-2025. The segment from Raceland to NOLA would probably take a bit longer...I'd say probably 2025 at the earliest.

You seem to be assuming that there will be more money to be had if a new bill is passed.  At least the last time around with MAP-21, despite the restructuring of funds (e.g., funds already existing that were merely re-packaged and sold, like the variety that were crammed into the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)), in essence federal funding use remained fairly flat.

Don't believe the hype. ;D

Considering the newly found priority that LADOTD is now giving I-49 South, which was absent while I-49 North was being built, I'm thinking that the Feds will find some way to complete the funding. Also, there has been some movement to even give a bit on raising the gas tax to fund completion, although there is plenty of resistance due to the fact that the original TIMED projects still have to be paid out due to bonding overruns.

Between I-49 South, the I-49 Shreveport ICC, I-10 in Baton Rouge (or the Baton Rouge Loop/Westbank Corridor), I-10 in Lake Charles, and possibly removing the Claiborne Elevated in NOLA, there's plenty of need for increased highway spending which will motivate people.

[Grzrd]

This article reports that the LA 318 interchange now has a definite funding source, primarily because Moody's Investors Services has given Louisiana a favorable Aa3 rating on $73.7 million in unclaimed property revenue bonds:

The upcoming bond sale will be used to match federal funds to finance U.S. 90 from Albertson Parkway in Broussard to just north of Ambassador Caffery and the U.S. 90/LA 318 interchange project in St. Mary Parish.

This TV video includes an interview with State Treasurer John Kennedy discussing the importance of I-49 South and the sale of the bonds:

... Louisiana State Treasurer John Kennedy says now is the time to finish I-49 South ....
"I-49 North and South are the single most important infrastructure projects in the state of Louisiana. Bar none." says John Kennedy ....
Kennedy says the state will kick in $80 million to get things moving. "We are going to be issuing bonds, backed by our unclaimed property program. I think we'll probably issue about 80-million dollars.

This August 20 article reports that $76 million in bonds were recently sold for the work on I-49 South:

Louisiana has borrowed $76 million to pay for work on Interstate 49 South projects in Broussard and Jeanerette.
State Treasurer John Kennedy announced Wednesday that the state sold bonds to investors this week, to generate the money. The debt will be paid off over 20 years with a 3.79 percent interest rate.

Slow, but steady .........

[Grzrd]

This August 21 article reports that a public meeting regarding a two-mile flyover ramp from eastbound US 90 to northbound I-310 will soon be scheduled:

Area residents will get to comment on a proposed I-310 flyover ramp aimed at easing traffic congestion on U.S. Highway 90 in St. Charles Parish.
The Regional Planning Commission (RPC), which begins the process to set the estimated $22.8 million project in motion with the state Department of Transportation and Development (LOTD) and Federal Highway Administration, will soon reschedule an open house to review project plans, said RPC Deputy Director Jeff Roesel.
The meeting was announced and then postponed to more thoroughly study the impact of I-49 corridor with the project, Roesel said.
Plans currently call for reconstructing the Highway 90 — I-310 Interchange or building a new two-mile flyover ramp. Councilman Paul Hogan, who said he initiated the ramp project in 2008 to ease congestion, called it "unfortunate that it's been years since I passed that first resolution."  Hogan added, "It'll be many years before we'll ever see it built."  ....
Current RPC plans offer three alternatives, although Roesel said they are being reviewed and could change as more project details are gathered.
The first alternative involves studying the feasibility of a ramp connecting eastbound traffic on U.S. 90 with northbound traffic on I-310, which would eliminate the existing left turn. Additional improvements would be planned at the intersections of U.S. 90 with Tiger Drive and Paul Maillard Road - Magnolia Ridge Road, as well as changes in median openings.
The second alternative is similar to the first option but with the addition of an access road connecting Tiger Drive with U.S. 90 at a point about 3,000 feet to the west of Tiger Drive on the south side of U.S. 90 in Masella. The access road would ease additional traffic on Tiger Drive created by closing the intersection of U.S. 90 and First Street.
The last alternative or "no-build alternative"  is basically improvements to the roadways on the west bank of St. Charles Parish without the ramp.

Here is a snip of an illustration of the proposed ramp accompanying the article;

[jbnv]

This August 21 article reports that a public meeting regarding a two-mile flyover ramp from eastbound US 90 to northbound I-310 will soon be scheduled: [snip]

Here is a snip of an illustration of the proposed ramp accompanying the article;

Interesting. Consider that I-49 will not follow the current route of US 90 at this intersection but lie some ways to the south, to bypass multiple communities. I-310 won't end at this point but continue southward to I-49. Meanwhile, this stretch of US 90 won't be serving through traffic any more, just local traffic. Will this flyover ramp still be needed then?

[Anthony_JK]

This August 21 article reports that a public meeting regarding a two-mile flyover ramp from eastbound US 90 to northbound I-310 will soon be scheduled: [snip]

Here is a snip of an illustration of the proposed ramp accompanying the article;

Interesting. Consider that I-49 will not follow the current route of US 90 at this intersection but lie some ways to the south, to bypass multiple communities. I-310 won't end at this point but continue southward to I-49. Meanwhile, this stretch of US 90 won't be serving through traffic any more, just local traffic. Will this flyover ramp still be needed then?

I would think that traffic from Hahnville High School and Mosella and Paradis would still need that offramp in order to access I-310 North and vice versa; so even if I-49 South was fully built, the directional flyover would still be necessary.

For the sake of posterity, here's the proposed ultimate buildout for that segment, including both I-49 South and the extended I-310 interchange/connection with US 90 (also from the I-49 South Implementation Study of 2014).




It's actually a major improvement over the original proposal that was approved in the 2008 Record of Decision, which would have created a new connection between I-49 South and I-310 independent of the current terminus at US 90.


I am wondering, though, whether a SPUI between I-310/LA 3137 and US 90 would be more cost-efficient here, eliminating the need for that flyover. At least, you could build 1/2 of the SPUI now as a temporary connection to existing US 90, and then the other half when the remaining I-49 South/extended I-310 interchange is built.


UPDATE (8-29-15): OK, I see now why a SPUI probably wouldn't work here: it would create an excessive grade issue for the on-ramp to northbound I-310 from eastbound US 90 due to the proximity of the BNSF Railway overpass. The flyover is much more efficient because it evens the grade much better, and provides a smoother connection.

[Anthony_JK]

It should also be noted here that the alignment for proposed I-49 South between Des Allemands and Boutte has undergone some major changes since the ROD was approved in 2008, due to the initiative to reduce the costs of construction. To break down the changes, which were announced in January 2014 based on the Implementation Study completed then:


1) The ROD alignment would have bypassed Des Allemands well to the south, crossing Dufrene Ponds and Bayou Des Allemands on an elevated viaduct which would have bisected the swampland south of Des Allemands and Paradis. The revised alignment now uses the existing US 90 corridor through Des Allemands and the current US 90 Bayou Des Allemands bridge, only upgrading the bridge to modern Interstate standards with wider right shoulders, then utilizing a short bypass south of East Des Allemands. An interchange with a realigned LA 632 is provided for local access.


2) The ROD alignment would have passed well south of Paradis, only approaching US 90 at its closest point near the LA 635 intersection; an interchange with an extension of LA 635 would have provided access to both Paradis and East Des Allemands. Now, the alignment not only is closer to US 90, but actually takes over the US 90 corridor for a brief distance between Des Allemands and Bayou Gauche Road. Access would be completely severed for local traffic by dead-ending the existing US 90 at both ends of the concurrence and cutting off the existing LA 635 intersection. The proposed alignment would then divert from the US 90 corridor to the south again to bypass Paradis and cross the protection levee; an interchange with Bayou Gauche Road is planned for direct access to Paradis.


Naturally, this change has pissed off locals the most; and they are petitioning FHWA/LADOTD to at least allow a frontage road on that segment to maintain local access and the continuity of US 90. Personally, I'd prefer they simply just leave US 90 alone and build a standalone ROW immediately paralleling US 90, thusly seperating local from Interstate traffic.


3) The 2008 ROD alignment would then have crossed over to the north side of US 90 just before Mosella/Hahnville High School in order to create a more direct interchange with I-310, using new connection ramps. The existing I-310 connection would have been downgraded to a mere extension of LA 3127, and would have lost its control of access between the direct connection with existing I-310/LA 3127 and US 90. A local interchange with the old connection would have been integrated into the full system interchange between 310 and 49 for local access to Mosella and Boutte.


The new alignment radically differs in that it keeps I-49 South on the south side of US 90 until Boutte, and instead simply extends I-310/LA 3127 south of the existing terminus to a system interchange, while also retaining the proposed flyover from eastbound US 90 to northbound I-310/LA 3127. A full interchange is also included with US 90 for access to Boutte and Mosella, with typical diamond interchange ramps completing the movements. I-49 would then recurve to the northeast to pass over US 90 at the intersection with Paul Malliard Road/Magnolia Ridge Road to run parallel to the BNSF rail
line for the pass through of Boutte. The BNSF rail line is also scheduled now to be realigned slightly northward through Boutte in order to allow the I-49 ROW to remain to its south, avoiding two unnecessary rail crossings.


A Supplemental EIS is in the works to analyze the changes in alignment and design for this portion of proposed I-49 South; another SEIS will be done for the Ricohoc (formerly Wax Lake Outlet) to Berwick segment going through Patterson/Bayou Vista/Berwick due to similar modifications in design. There are some major issues on that segment, too....but that's another thread.

[Anthony_JK]

Here's an article from the Lafayette Daily Advertiser on the selection of a consultant team for the I-49 Connector Corridor Plan, which would involve mitigation of impacts to the neighborhoods affected by the proposed I-49 Connector freeway through Lafayette.


This is the plan development that is being funded by the TIGER Grant that was won last Feburary, and will run parallel and simultaneously with LADOTD's design work for the actual freeway ROW.


Some snippage from that article:

It has been exactly one year since parish officials returned from Washington, D.C., and U.S. lawmakers announced a $304,250 federal grant to begin the planning stages of the proposed 5.5-mile connector. The elevated interstate would begin near the intersection of Interstate 10 and I-49, skirt downtown Lafayette and end south of Lafayette Regional Airport.

Last week, LGC conducted interviews for five city planning consultants, a list that will be trimmed to three before being presented to Lafayette City-Parish President Joey Durel.

"We will tabulate the score and then send those to the Professional Services Review committee, which is our normal process for service contracts,"  LCG Public Works Direct Kevin Blanchard said. "The meeting for that will be in mid-September."

Consultants interviewed were Philadelphia-based firm Wallace Roberts & Todd; Pond & Co. of Metairie; Lafayette-based Design Workshop; Gateway Planning of Fort Worth, Texas; and local firm Architects Southwest.

The $304,250 federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant, or TIGER grant and roughly $400,000 of local dollars are going toward the planning process of the I-49 South connector.

Lafayette Consolidated Government is expected to approve the winning bidder by mid-September.

[KamKam]

Looks like a lot of work for Interstate 49 going through the City of Lafayette

[Anthony_JK]

And, that work is about to get seriously cranked up very soon. LADOTD just dropped this press release announcing the official beginning of the design and planning stages for the I-49 Connector through Lafayette. Quoting from their press release:

(LAFAYETTE, La.) — The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), along with federal, state, regional and local partners, recently began the next phase of the I-49 Lafayette Connector project. Over the next 18 months, the public and various government, business and community stakeholders will be invited to participate in a collaborative decision-making process to complete the planning and conceptual design for the Selected Alternative for construction of the I-49 Lafayette Connector on the alignment selected and approved in the 2003 FHWA Record of Decision (ROD) along the Evangeline [Thruway] between I-10 and Lafayette Regional Airport.

To kick off the project, DOTD will host a Public Launch Event at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at the Rosa Parks Transportation Center. Following remarks by DOTD Secretary Sherri H. LeBas, Lafayette City-Parish President Joey Durel and others, an overview of the scope of activities planned for the next 18 months will be presented. Immediately following will be a Public Information Meeting (also at Rosa Parks) from 4-7 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend this open-house format to learn more about the project and provide comments. (The public comment period continues until Oct. 16.)


The I-49 Lafayette Connector, part of DOTD's Geaux South program, is a future 5.5-mile segment of highway that is a critical transportation link for Lafayette and the state as a whole. Recognizing the significance of this project, DOTD has initiated a planning and conceptual design study to complete the Functional Plan for the Connector utilizing a Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) approach.


The CSS approach is designed to fulfill 21 commitments established by the I-49 Lafayette Connector ROD. This will include addressing key project-related features where mitigation and other measures to minimize impact need to be considered. The goal is to achieve a project design that's affordable, acceptable to all key stakeholders and will become a valued community asset. The project team is working closely with local government and city officials to ensure that the project is successful and meets the needs of the community.


Comprehensive communications, public relations, community involvement and stakeholder outreach programs are being developed for the I-49 Lafayette Connector so that all members of the Lafayette Community (residents, businesses, property owners, civic and service organizations) have a variety of opportunities to participate in the CSS process. This will include working community and technical committees, focus groups, stakeholder interviews, design charrettes, neighborhood walkabouts, educational forums and other public meetings and workshops, as well as a website, e-newsletters, a project office and social media.


Along with the CSS and public outreach program, this phase of the project will also include engineering work such as topographic surveys and aerial photography, soil borings, traffic studies and bridge design studies. An environmental re-evaluation will address any relevant laws or regulations, new information or changes in circumstances that might affect the project.


"Completing I-49 South is a top priority for DOTD,"  said Secretary LeBas. "We're committed to completing the Functional Plan for the I-49 Lafayette Connector, as we work to improve our infrastructure and support economic development throughout the state."


DOTD's Geaux South program is a $3 billion, multi-year construction initiative to convert approximately 160 miles of the current U.S. 90 corridor to Interstate 49 South. When completed, I-49 will extend from the current terminus at I-10 in Lafayette to the West Bank Expressway in New Orleans. Geaux South will support economic growth, improve access, reduce traffic congestion, and improve connectivity throughout the state's transportation system.

I am assuming that the Lafayette Consolidated Government's I-49 Corridor Plan, which involves the adjacent neighborhoods affected by this project, will be coordinated with LADOTD's design process.


Also....the business group One Acadiana, formerly the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, has opened up their own I-49 South website, which aims to sell important people on the need to finish the entire project ASAP. This excellent graphic shows how the project has progressed, and what needs to be done to finish it...and how much it would cost.

[apjung]

Google Maps now has updated aerials of most of the I-49 construction in Shreveport at I-220 and LA 3194. The aerials appear to be around the time when the Red River was at flood stage a couple of months ago.
https://goo.gl/maps/gLy3s6AW6z42

[wdcrft63]

Google Maps now has updated aerials of most of the I-49 construction in Shreveport at I-220 and LA 3194. The aerials appear to be around the time when the Red River was at flood stage a couple of months ago.
https://goo.gl/maps/gLy3s6AW6z42

I don't see a connection from westbound I-220 to northbound I-49.

[txstateends]

Google Maps now has updated aerials of most of the I-49 construction in Shreveport at I-220 and LA 3194. The aerials appear to be around the time when the Red River was at flood stage a couple of months ago.
https://goo.gl/maps/gLy3s6AW6z42

I don't see a connection from westbound I-220 to northbound I-49.

It is still under construction, but the worksite corridor does show on the aerial just west of US 71 on I-220.

[yakra]

I don't see a connection from westbound I-220 to northbound I-49.

Maybe it'll be just north of Phelps Rd, in order to get around the pond?