I-49 Inner-city Connector(Shreveport)

[Anthony_JK]

The main issue with the other alignments, though, is that with the entire Allendale neighborhood about to be classified as a National Historical District, it would become next to impossible to route any centralized I-49 ICC alignment directly through it; which would strengthen significantly the case for the Loop It/Inner Loop/I-220 alternative. 3A may end up becoming a compromise alignment, if they really want I-49 built.

Incidentally, the Environmental Justice investigators at the USDOT/FHWA that launched an ongoing investigation of the ICC for possible racially discriminatory effects is the same one that is also investigating the Lafayette I-49 Connector project on similar grounds. No word as of yet on whether either investigation has been resolved to what conclusions.

[The Ghostbuster]

Is Allendale becoming a National Historic District to prevent Interstate 49 from being built through the neighborhood? Or did the proposal for the neighborhood to become a NHD predate the Interstate 49 proposal?

[bwana39]

Ironically the freeway will divide nothing significant. Whichever route it takes, 95+% of everything will be to the west of it. The only thing significant east of it will be new construction apartments and a handful of businesses.

Most of the people who own property in the previously proposed routes and points east want the freeway. Just like everywhere else, a handful of agitators fueled by out of town (out of state, out of geographic region...) leaders make problems that in themselves often cause expenses that cost as much to fight/ address/ cave-in to as the roadway they are arguing against.

[Anthony_JK]

Is Allendale becoming a National Historic District to prevent Interstate 49 from being built through the neighborhood? Or did the proposal for the neighborhood to become a NHD predate the Interstate 49 proposal?

I'm guessing that the Allendale designation as a NHD is directed at blocking I-49, since the neighborhood has been one of the strongest in opposition to the project going through, and it was only recently that they filed for NHD status. Though, Section 106 guidelines would still allow for alignments to go through if either mitigation was proposed and approved by everyone through a Memorandum of Agreement between the Feds, state, and local historical authorities, or it was determined that no feasible alternatives to going through the neighborhood existed.

[bwana39]

Is Allendale becoming a National Historic District to prevent Interstate 49 from being built through the neighborhood? Or did the proposal for the neighborhood to become a NHD predate the Interstate 49 proposal?

I'm guessing that the Allendale designation as a NHD is directed at blocking I-49, since the neighborhood has been one of the strongest in opposition to the project going through, and it was only recently that they filed for NHD status. Though, Section 106 guidelines would still allow for alignments to go through if either mitigation was proposed and approved by everyone through a Memorandum of Agreement between the Feds, state, and local historical authorities, or it was determined that no feasible alternatives to going through the neighborhood existed.

I am basically from Shreveport.  I have worked in Shreveport for 17 of the last 26 years. (Until the end of July! YEA!)  There isn't real opposition in Allendale. It is generally considered that the freeway is a good thing for both Shreveport AND Allendale. There are a handful of people who actually object to losing their homes, but most of them are long-term renters. This may be as much about the fear of losing the extremely low rent that goes with the substandard housing as having to move. There are outsiders who are suggesting the freeway money can be spent to improve Allendale. That the city or state could reallocate the highway funds for community redevelopment.  While this scenario is NOT possible, it looks attractive enough to get some token opposition.

As to the residents in the freeway paths (and there are no single family homes of note east of any of the proposed freeway tracks.) If rent stabilized housing were to be placed on any of the numerous vacant lots in Allendale, most of the renters would be more than pleased. The simple problem is the landlords will sell high and either take the money and run or either buy or build replacements with higher monthly rents.  These are indeed people who cannot put together moving costs. So as long as the status quo holds, they are better.

The big problem is not the freeway itself. It is the gentrification and or cost inflation that would come with it. There are probably twice as many vacant lots in Allendale outside the freeway path as there houses in the freeway path.

[The Ghostbuster]

Hopefully, an alignment through Shreveport north of Interstate 20 can be built without having to renumber the mileposts and exit numbers on Interstate 49 north of Interstate 220. As for the LOOP-IT group, they can take their Interstate 49 loop plan and dump it in Cross Lake (or in the Red River). Interstate 49 should be completed in-town as proposed.

[abqtraveler]

Hopefully, an alignment through Shreveport north of Interstate 20 can be built without having to renumber the mileposts and exit numbers on Interstate 49 north of Interstate 220. As for the LOOP-IT group, they can take their Interstate 49 loop plan and dump it in Cross Lake (or in the Red River). Interstate 49 should be completed in-town as proposed.

They can probably fudge things a little bit with the mileposts and exit numbers based on the exact alignment selected.  Indiana did that with the extension of I-69 from Indy to Evansville by simply adding 200 miles to the original section from Indy to Michigan, despite the fact that the extension from the southern end of the original section at the I-69/I-465/Binford Blvd interchange on the northeast side of Indianapolis to the Ohio River will be 184 miles when finished. There will be no need for a second renumbering of the original I-69 section once the extension is finished, as I-69's overlap with I-465 will use I-465 mileposts and exit numbers.

[pianocello]

Hopefully, an alignment through Shreveport north of Interstate 20 can be built without having to renumber the mileposts and exit numbers on Interstate 49 north of Interstate 220.

They can probably fudge things a little bit with the mileposts and exit numbers based on the exact alignment selected.  Indiana did that with the extension of I-69 from Indy to Evansville by simply adding 200 miles to the original section from Indy to Michigan, despite the fact that the extension from the southern end of the original section at the I-69/I-465/Binford Blvd interchange on the northeast side of Indianapolis to the Ohio River will be 184 miles when finished. There will be no need for a second renumbering of the original I-69 section once the extension is finished, as I-69's overlap with I-465 will use I-465 mileposts and exit numbers.

See also: I-39 Wisconsin, I-41 Wisconsin, and I-70 Illinois. The current exit numbering of the existing northern section will be fine.

At least until they have to go back and renumber them all due to the southern extension.

[bassoon1986]

The mile markers are not far off at all from the current endpoints if I-49. I think the numbers on mile markers north of I-220 were made with the ICC in mind. Counting the miles around the loop and I-220 put it over.


iPhone

[Anthony_JK]

I don't know if I am wrong, but rather than using the Inner Loop, aren't they using I-220 and I-20 as the temporary "through route" for I-49 until the ICC is built? That would probably validate the mileposts and remove any need to change them, right?

[The Ghostbuster]

Maybe the mileposts and exit numbers not fully corresponding to exact mileage of Interstate 49 north of Interstate 220 will eventually be a moot point. After all, Interstate 49 is planned to be extended southward and eastward towards New Orleans. Then all exit numbers and mileposts on existing Interstate 49 will be renumbered, which means 49 can be built on any alignment between Interstates 20 and 220 in Shreveport.

[bassoon1986]

I don't know if I am wrong, but rather than using the Inner Loop, aren't they using I-220 and I-20 as the temporary "through route" for I-49 until the ICC is built? That would probably validate the mileposts and remove any need to change them, right?

The official through route that is signed is awful. From I-49 southbound coming into Shreveport, they sign "to I-49"  along I-220 west then onto I-20 EAST to the current I-49 terminus in downtown Shreveport then south along existing 49 from there. They avoid LA 3132 entirely even though it is freeway and the shortest route.

[Anthony_JK]

I don't know if I am wrong, but rather than using the Inner Loop, aren't they using I-220 and I-20 as the temporary "through route" for I-49 until the ICC is built? That would probably validate the mileposts and remove any need to change them, right?

The official through route that is signed is awful. From I-49 southbound coming into Shreveport, they sign "to I-49"  along I-220 west then onto I-20 EAST to the current I-49 terminus in downtown Shreveport then south along existing 49 from there. They avoid LA 3132 entirely even though it is freeway and the shortest route.

Probably because the Inner Loop/LA 3132 is not Interstate standard, even if it is fully access controlled, and the I-20 routing goes directly to the current I-49 terminus. Those wanting a quick bypass can use the Inner Loop, but those wanting to access the neighborhoods immediately south of downtown can still use this alternative for continuity's sake. I see no problem with it.

[roadman65]

I don't know if I am wrong, but rather than using the Inner Loop, aren't they using I-220 and I-20 as the temporary "through route" for I-49 until the ICC is built? That would probably validate the mileposts and remove any need to change them, right?

The official through route that is signed is awful. From I-49 southbound coming into Shreveport, they sign "to I-49"  along I-220 west then onto I-20 EAST to the current I-49 terminus in downtown Shreveport then south along existing 49 from there. They avoid LA 3132 entirely even though it is freeway and the shortest route.

Probably because the Inner Loop/LA 3132 is not Interstate standard, even if it is fully access controlled, and the I-20 routing goes directly to the current I-49 terminus. Those wanting a quick bypass can use the Inner Loop, but those wanting to access the neighborhoods immediately south of downtown can still use this alternative for continuity's sake. I see no problem with it.

Yet NB signs Texarkana on the Loop LA 3132 from the south.

[The Ghostbuster]

And Dallas. I don't see a problem with that. Texarkana is the nearest major city to the north, and Dallas is the nearest major city to the west.

[debragga]

And Dallas. I don't see a problem with that. Texarkana is the nearest major city to the north, and Dallas is the nearest major city to the west.

The point is that signing Texarkana on the loop isn't consistent with the signing southbound. If they wanted to be consistent, Dallas would the only control city for the loop and Texarkana would be signed for staying on I-49 north to I-20.

[bwana39]

And Dallas. I don't see a problem with that. Texarkana is the nearest major city to the north, and Dallas is the nearest major city to the west.

The point is that signing Texarkana on the loop isn't consistent with the signing southbound. If they wanted to be consistent, Dallas would the only control city for the loop and Texarkana would be signed for staying on I-49 north to I-20.

But it is. From I-20 EB it says LA-3132 To Alexandria.
The signage on SB i-220 is unchanged since the 90's.

[bassoon1986]

But I-220's end at LA 3132 and I-20 has changed. Since I-49 has been connected at the northern terminus, now at I-220's end in West Shreveport, the pull through just says LA 3132 Inner Loop Expressway. And the exit for I-20 east says Monroe To I-49

[Dave H]

https://www.ktbs.com/news/new-alternative-for-i-49-inner-city-connector/article_01685870-6d61-11ee-9d15-6bcdf0bd9990.html#tncms-source=infinity-scroll-summary-siderail-latest

[The Ghostbuster]

Which alternative do any of you think would work best for the proposed Interstate 49 corridor between Interstates 20 and 220?

[Anthony_JK]

The new alignment 3A was their attempt to compromise with the Loop-It folks by bypassing Allendale, but that fell flat instantly; because the LoopIt/AllendaleStrong folks simply don't want the freeway going through downtown; they insist on threatening Cross Lake and driving a mere 4-lane boulevard up Pete Harris Drive just to spite Shreveport residents and rescue a few housing developments for urban removal. What's next after diverting I-49 to the Inner Loop and I-220....tearing down all of I-49 from the Inner Loop to I-20? I mean, gotta reunite the neighborhoods and make driving so hostile that everyone moves over to rail and bicycles, right?


At this point, I'm for giving them what they deserve: nothing. Ditch this and spend the money on extending I-49 through Lafayette to NOLA.

[bwana39]

This is so absurd.

Loop it destroys more housing and business than if every single family home on or east of the "A" route were torn down  and the businesses that do not front Common or Texas Avenue were all removed.

It does separate Allendale from downtown, BUT... Allendale is already separate from downtown.

Most of the housing east of Pierre should be torn down and replaced even if there were no thought of a freeway.

This is all about outside agitators stirring the pot.  It is not about no freeway in my back yard. It is about no freeway ANYWHERE.

If they built this freeway with Texas style frontage roads where the current Allen Avenue and Pete Harris Blvd are there would be greater access and more economic development. They might even build a real supermarket (the supermarkets north of I-20 and south of I-220 are all second-rate regional chains except for a single Super1 which is older and smaller than most of the stores in that chain (or just Brookshire Grocery Company as a whole.)

There are NO supermarkets within 2 miles of the current Milam at Pete Harris intersection.  There are a handful of busy bodegas.  This may be the point. The bodegas are mostly black-owned.  A supermarket in the vicinity might close several of them down (some would remain as they often extend credit.) The true issue may be that improving access adjacent to Allendale might change some of the character that comes with urban blight and poverty.  To some people, ESPECIALLY anthropologists and urbanists, this character may be desirable.

[Bobby5280]

The only worthwhile defense I see in favor of the Loop-It effort is the threat of gentrification. Just about every "downtown redevelopment" effort that incorporates mixed use properties always makes the new housing units priced only for high income earners. None of the housing is built (or renovated) to accommodate a variety of income classes. If a downtown redevelopment effort gains momentum it spreads to other existing housing properties, leading to existing units being renovated or replaced with new construction. Either way the equation usually involves existing tenants being priced out and forced to relocate elsewhere. Little if any help is provided to the people who are displaced. That's the ugly truth of so-called "new urbanism."

But freeways on their own don't cause gentrification. Zoning policies at City Hall do it. They're the ones choosing which building permits to approve. The "strategy" seems to be making the next big deal on a new development and then letting the chips fall where they may afterward. There isn't a plan about maintaining any sort of balance with the needs of existing residents or small business owners.

In the meantime, it might be best for LA DOT to do what Anthony_JK suggests: spend the money meant for Shreveport's ICC on other parts of I-49 elsewhere in the state. There's a bunch of it they could build pretty quickly between New Orleans and Lafayette.

[The Ghostbuster]

The future Interstate 49 extension between Lafeyette and New Orleans seems to be a very slow-moving process to upgrade US 90 to freeway and Interstate Standards. The portion within Lafeyette is the most difficult portion of the corridor and will likely to be the last segment that will be constructed. I think both the ICC and the US 90 upgrade should be priorities as I see both projects as very important.

[Plutonic Panda]

I disagree with abandoning this project in favor of the southern route. Both are equally as important IMO. This needs to go through Allenwood. It needs to be as direct as possible. 3A is just moronic and in no way should be taken seriously.