I49 in LA

[Anthony_JK]

WOW.

I'm pretty sure this sets up a major battle between Allendale residents (and the New Urbanists lobby) who will attempt to force Shreveport locals to make SWEPCO Park ADA compliant in order to block the ICC and force the Loop It alternative + lesser surface boulevard) under Section 4(f); and ICC supporters who would say that closing down a park is worth building the most cost-effective means of connecting both segments of I-49. And, this battle could last a while due to lawsuits.

I still favor the ICC route through Shreveport, but there damn well better be a plan for replacing SWEPCO Park, or everything will be lost.

[Revive 755]

SWEPCO Park is/was actually a park?  It just looks like a patch of trees on Google Maps (link).  Is parking for it sharing the bank parking lot?

[J N Winkler]

SWEPCO Park is/was actually a park?  It just looks like a patch of trees on Google Maps (link).  Is parking for it sharing the bank parking lot?

It is a real honest-to-God city park with, (apparently) until their recent removal, a pavilion, barbecue pits, playground equipment, and shade trees galore.

http://heliopolis.la/is-the-city-trying-to-un-park-swepco-park/

This blog piece describes strange doings by Shreveport Parks & Recreation that may be a prelude to attempting to release it for I-49 construction.  I don't think it is necessarily impartial given the top picture that shows people holding signs reading "Smarter49.com," "Save our community," "Highways to boulevard" and so on.

I have a sneaky feeling that a lot of the juice will go out of the I-49 "throughpass" option once the I-49/I-220 interchange is finished since that will form a fully access-controlled connection between the two rural lengths of I-49, even if it is not completely up to Interstate standard and involves two TOTSOs.

(As an aside:  a stack in Shreveport of all places!  I have to update my stack list.)

[Anthony_JK]

I have a sneaky feeling that a lot of the juice will go out of the I-49 "throughpass" option once the I-49/I-220 interchange is finished since that will form a fully access-controlled connection between the two rural lengths of I-49, even if it is not completely up to Interstate standard and involves two TOTSOs.

Ummm...I don't think so. The Loop It alternative is still far more expensive than the "throughpass" option due to the need to upgrade LA 3132 (Inner Loop) to Interstate grade (it's already freeway, but nowhere near Interstate standard due to tight curves and interchange spacing) and the additional lane in each direction that would be needed for I-220 through Cross Lake. And then, there's the possible threat to Shreveport's drinking water that the latter construction may increase. Plus, far too many Shreveport business and local interests are backing the ICC.

Would it be possible to deck over the ICC at that point and rebuild SWEPCO Park above the mainline? That might be a suitable compromise.

[US-175]

I have a sneaky feeling that a lot of the juice will go out of the I-49 "throughpass" option once the I-49/I-220 interchange is finished since that will form a fully access-controlled connection between the two rural lengths of I-49, even if it is not completely up to Interstate standard and involves two TOTSOs.

Ummm...I don't think so. The Loop It alternative is still far more expensive than the "throughpass" option due to the need to upgrade LA 3132 (Inner Loop) to Interstate grade (it's already freeway, but nowhere near Interstate standard due to tight curves and interchange spacing) and the additional lane in each direction that would be needed for I-220 through Cross Lake. And then, there's the possible threat to Shreveport's drinking water that the latter construction may increase. Plus, far too many Shreveport business and local interests are backing the ICC.

Would it be possible to deck over the ICC at that point and rebuild SWEPCO Park above the mainline? That might be a suitable compromise.

Would the below-ground section (if done that way) be flood-prone, or not?

[Grzrd]

It is a real honest-to-God city park with, (apparently) until their recent removal, a pavilion, barbecue pits, playground equipment, and shade trees galore.
http://heliopolis.la/is-the-city-trying-to-un-park-swepco-park/

This TV video has some footage of the park and discusses the City's plans to close it.

[J N Winkler]

Ummm...I don't think so. The Loop It alternative is still far more expensive than the "throughpass" option due to the need to upgrade LA 3132 (Inner Loop) to Interstate grade (it's already freeway, but nowhere near Interstate standard due to tight curves and interchange spacing) and the additional lane in each direction that would be needed for I-220 through Cross Lake. And then, there's the possible threat to Shreveport's drinking water that the latter construction may increase. Plus, far too many Shreveport business and local interests are backing the ICC.

Need has both conceptual and political dimensions.  The LOS standard that presumably drives the argument that an additional lane needs to be provided for the Cross Lake bridge is a soft requirement, and it is easy to envisage an outcome where I-49 is connected at both ends and SR 3132/I-220 are simply left unimproved to operate at a worsened LOS.  SR 3132 does not fail to meet Interstate standards in a way that is obvious to the ordinary driver; closely spaced exits notwithstanding, it is still a freeway and still of relatively modern design.

I would frankly take the concerns about contamination of Cross Lake more seriously if Shreveport did not already have the absolute worst-tasting tap water I have found in over 30 years of travel spanning 49 US states and DC (though admittedly not to places like Flint and the West Virginia mountains where tap water is confirmed to be actively dangerous and is noticeably discolored, flammable, or so lead-laden as to produce rapid deterioration in cognitive function).

Two weeks ago I stayed in a budget motel near the airport and was taken aback by how awful the tap water was.  Though it was clear without any visible discoloration, it had strong tasting notes of mold and mildew, and smelled bad not just at the motel (which might have had dodgy plumbing--it was undergoing remodelling and I was initially mistakenly put in a room that had been torn down for renovation), but also at the nearby Waffle House restaurant and gas station.  It was so bad that I didn't refill my water bottles before I left, knowing that I could find much better-tasting water further along the road.  I actually did some Web searches to find out why Shreveport city water tasted so awful, and found a local TV news story about coliform bacteria being found in testing where the TV reporters took the city water officials at their word when they said "Not a problem"--a model of how not to do investigative journalism.

[cjk374]

The big argument for building I-220 over Cross Lake in the 80s was fear of an 18-wheeler full of haz-mat turning over & contaminating the city water supply.

What they fail to see was the super-busy KCS mainline running on the lake's eastern levee. Are they not afraid of a train derailment spilling tons more haz-mat into the lake? (The railroad was there before they made Cross Lake the city's drinking water supply I think.)

[Anthony_JK]

There is more to that story as well; quoting from this post from the Shreveport ABC-TV affiliate KTBS website:

Once the Federal Highway Administration takes a closer at the two alternatives, Louisiana DOTD Public Information Officer, Erin Buchanan, said it is on to the next and near final step, "A draft of the final impact statement will be drawn up and that will be offered for public comment and public meeting. That's also a part of this process that has to be put out there for the public to give their input."

The city of Shreveport recently determined SWEPCO Park is not significant and could be used as part of the project.

Members are now awaiting approval from the FHWA. A determination on whether Cross Lake is considered significant was also requested by the FHWA.

Cross Lake is also being questioned as potentially a roadblock for the Loop It/Alternative 5 bypass due to its status as a sole source for Shreveport's drinking water supply. If Shreveport's council does go forward with its plans to close or relocate SWEPCO Park, that would grease the wheels for the Alignment 1/Throughpass to be selected, notwithstanding any potential lawsuits from Allendale or the housing project operators or the New Urbanist/boulevard proponents.

[Anthony_JK]

Need has both conceptual and political dimensions.  The LOS standard that presumably drives the argument that an additional lane needs to be provided for the Cross Lake bridge is a soft requirement, and it is easy to envisage an outcome where I-49 is connected at both ends and SR 3132/I-220 are simply left unimproved to operate at a worsened LOS.  SR 3132 does not fail to meet Interstate standards in a way that is obvious to the ordinary driver; closely spaced exits notwithstanding, it is still a freeway and still of relatively modern design.

"The ordinary driver" does not enforce Federal Interstate design standards; FHWA and LADOTD do. And, even if the Inner Loop already is a freeway, the fact that it does not meet essential standards for an Interstate facility and would need some expensive modifications to do so is not irrelevant to the ICC selection process.

Also, if you run I-49 through the Inner Loop/I-220, what happens to existing I-49 between the loop and I-20 (plus any at-grade boulevard extension to connect with I-49 at I-220 North)? LA 3049? US 71?? Business I-49??

[J N Winkler]

"The ordinary driver" does not enforce Federal Interstate design standards; FHWA and LADOTD do. And, even if the Inner Loop already is a freeway, the fact that it does not meet essential standards for an Interstate facility and would need some expensive modifications to do so is not irrelevant to the ICC selection process.

I don't disagree.  But the fact remains that completion of the I-49/I-220 wye currently under construction is all that is required to complete a freeway route for I-49 traffic in the vicinity of Shreveport, even if it is not in full compliance with Interstate design standards and thus cannot be signed as I-49 in its entirety.  If the planning folks in Shreveport aren't careful with the 4(f) and environmental justice issues surrounding Swepco Park and the surrounding neighborhood, they could find themselves dealing with another Somerset Freeway situation.

Also, if you run I-49 through the Inner Loop/I-220, what happens to existing I-49 between the loop and I-20 (plus any at-grade boulevard extension to connect with I-49 at I-220 North)? LA 3049? US 71?? Business I-49??

Any of those solutions would work.  I think I-149 (for the freeway segment only) is also available.

[Anthony_JK]

I don't disagree.  But the fact remains that completion of the I-49/I-220 wye currently under construction is all that is required to complete a freeway route for I-49 traffic in the vicinity of Shreveport, even if it is not in full compliance with Interstate design standards and thus cannot be signed as I-49 in its entirety.  If the planning folks in Shreveport aren't careful with the 4(f) and environmental justice issues surrounding Swepco Park and the surrounding neighborhood, they could find themselves dealing with another Somerset Freeway situation.

The City of Shreveport has made it plain that they plan to close down SWEPCO Park in order to clear the way for Alternative 1 to be approved. If there is no park there, there is no 4(f) case. Loop It/Allendale can then try to sue to make the "environmental justice" case and reverse course, but it could be a tough sell.

Also, if you run I-49 through the Inner Loop/I-220, what happens to existing I-49 between the loop and I-20 (plus any at-grade boulevard extension to connect with I-49 at I-220 North)? LA 3049? US 71?? Business I-49??

Any of those solutions would work.  I think I-149 (for the freeway segment only) is also available.

Considering that it is a connection between 2 freeways (I-49 and I-20), the freeway section could get an even I-x49 designation. If the boulevard extension is built, it would have to be a state highway (LA 3049), since it would not be possible to reroute US 71 or US 171 onto it.

[Grzrd]

One more small section of I-49 to clinch! This May 30 TV video reports that the northbound lanes from MLK to LA 1 will open to traffic today. The southbound lanes will remain closed, presumably until the I-220 interchange opens. Four photographs of the work on the I-220 interchange accompany the article.

[I-39]

And with the recent gas tax defeat in Louisiana, don't expect any more sections of I-49 to be completed anytime soon.

[Gordon]

I don't see any future U.S. 90 construction projects on LaDOTD 6 month schedule. When the 2 design build projects are finished is it on hold until the I 49 South Lafayette connector is decided?

[silverback1065]

I apologize for coming in late here, but what is the routing for 49 inside Shreveport?

Nexus 6P

[mgk920]

I apologize for coming in late here, but what is the routing for 49 inside Shreveport?

Nexus 6P

The current and, IMHO, most likely routing (now in the environmental review stage of planning) is called the 'Inner City Connector', a fairly straight-shot between the ends of I-49 at I-20 and I-220.  The neighborhood north of I-20/49 is very 'marginal' at best and there is little opposition from within it.  It is planned to go straight north from the existing I-20 interchange, then turn northwestward after about 10-12 blocks and then back to due northward to line up with the now opening I-49 end at I-220.

Mike

[yakra]

What is the exit number going to be for the MLK interchange?

[silverback1065]

That's surprising that there isn't much opposition, that's great.

Nexus 6P

[I-39]

I'd focus on getting the Shreveport inner city connector finished before going any further on I-49 south. Worst-case scenario, traffic will have to use Interstate 10 to get over to New Orleans for a while.

[NE2]

I'd focus on getting the Shreveport inner city connector finished before going any further on I-49 south. Worst-case scenario, traffic will have to use Interstate 10 to get over to New Orleans for a while.

How is that worst case? It's shorter and faster than future I-49.

[jbnv]

I'd focus on getting the Shreveport inner city connector finished before going any further on I-49 south.

Please explain how you, from middle Tennessee, know more about the needs of Louisiana than those of us who live in Louisiana.

[I-39]

I'd focus on getting the Shreveport inner city connector finished before going any further on I-49 south.

Please explain how you, from middle Tennessee, know more about the needs of Louisiana than those of us who live in Louisiana.

Um...... I never claimed that, it was just a general observation? The Shreveport Connector is a lot less miles than the I-49 south, and does not have quite as much opposition.

[I-39]

I'd focus on getting the Shreveport inner city connector finished before going any further on I-49 south. Worst-case scenario, traffic will have to use Interstate 10 to get over to New Orleans for a while.

How is that worst case? It's shorter and faster than future I-49.

It's about the same, but my point is I-49 south isn't getting completed anytime soon with the gas tax hike defeat.

[Bobby5280]

From Lafayette I-10 is definitely a faster and shorter route to New Orleans. BUT! If you're heading to some destinations along the West Bank across from New Orleans (Gretna, Belle Chasse, etc) then I-49 South could act as a convenient bypass to New Orleans traffic. And then there's all those communities along the I-49 South route. That Interstate would serve as a more efficient hurricane evacuation route for the Southern New Orleans metro and other areas close to the Louisiana coast.

I agree the Shreveport inner city connector needs to get built much sooner than later. Once the connection to I-220 is complete next year then the ICC needs to get fast tracked while it has momentum. The I-49 South projects in Lafayette need to get finished too, but that's a tougher battle. Once the court battles can finally end and I-49 starts getting fleshed out through Lafayette then it will be possible to finish it the rest of the way to the West Bank Expressway across the river from New Orleans.