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[Grzrd]

here is AHTD's press release about the ribbon cutting.

This Texarkana Gazette article (behind paywall) reports on one speaker looking to the future with both I-49 and I-69 in Texarkana and another speaker reminiscing about how John Paul Hammerschmitt brought home the bacon for the Arkansas I-49 side of the Northern Loop:

The celebration actually started more than two hours earlier at Copeland’s restaurant in Texarkana, Ark ....
“This is more than just about a celebration of a road opening,” said Texarkana Chamber of Commerce President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Cork to the Copeland’s crowd. “This is a celebration of community spirit 28 years in the making. We are looking at one day having three interstates connecting right here—I-30, I49 and I-69. This can only result from the vision of all you people in this room that make things like this happen.” ....
Curt Green, president of the I-49 International Coalition .... then welcomed former Texarkana Chamber President Robert E. “Swede” Lee to speak.
Lee recalled his introduction to I-49 being a newspaper article about the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce meeting addressing the roadway’s possible future northern expansion.
“I cut the article out and taped it to my desk and I later called the Shreveport Chamber president and suggested we get together and discuss extending I-49 northward and he agreed,” Lee said. “From there it became a long and hard learning process about how highways are built. I found out you have to go to Washington D.C. to get it done.”
While in Washington D.C. attempting to get whatever money he could, Lee said he met Arkansas’ U.S. Sen. John Paul Hammerschmitt.
“John Paul told me it might cost as much as half-a billion dollars to build the interstate through Arkansas and I asked him if he was crazy,” Lee said. “But John Paul was able to get as much as $300 million for the Arkansas portion and earmarked $70 million out of it to help pay for I-49’s loop around Texarkana on the Arkansas-side.”

At least Texarkana benefitted from the earmark era.

[US71]

Mr Hammerschmidt did indeed bring home the "bacon" for I-49 in NW Arkansas, though "Prissy" Hickerson is pretty much credited for the Texarkana Loop.

[apjung]

Google Maps has updated I-49, now waiting for the updated satellite maps. It still looks so beautiful to see I-49 as one continuous stretch from Texarkana to Shreveport.
http://goo.gl/maps/9G0nC

[MikeSantNY78]

Google Maps has updated I-49, now waiting for the updated satellite maps. It still looks so beautiful to see I-49 as one continuous stretch from Texarkana to Shreveport.
http://goo.gl/maps/9G0nC

Open Street Map has that stretch filled in, too; showing as U.C. (dotted blue) from LA 1 to I-220, and proposed (dotted teal) from I-220 down to N. Hearne (the upper half of the ICC)...

[US71]

Google Maps has updated I-49, now waiting for the updated satellite maps. It still looks so beautiful to see I-49 as one continuous stretch from Texarkana to Shreveport.
http://goo.gl/maps/9G0nC

North of Doddridge, I see Google has it dually-signed I-49/ AR 549.

[bugo]

I want an authentic AR 549 shield. If I were going to get Jake to make me a sign, it would be something odd like a US 412 cutout.

[dfwmapper]

North of Doddridge, I see Google has it dually-signed I-49/ AR 549.

Took a few days to get it approved, but 549 is gone now.

[dariusb]

I've heard that Fouke, Ark wants to capitalize on it's location along the route by opening a hotel, truck stop or both.

[NE2]

I've heard that Fouke, Ark wants to capitalize on it's location along the route by opening a hotel, truck stop or both.

They could have done that at any time in the past 90 years.

[US71]

I want an authentic AR 549 shield. If I were going to get Jake to make me a sign, it would be something odd like a US 412 cutout.

I have an Arkansas "STATE 471 ROAD"  cut-out I had made

[dariusb]

I've heard that Fouke, Ark wants to capitalize on it's location along the route by opening a hotel, truck stop or both.

They could have done that at any time in the past 90 years.

They've also expressed interest in having an Arkansas Travel Center open near them in hopes of increasing visibility of Fouke and maybe even  bringing development. Don't know how ambitious/serious they are in pursuing these projects but it would be nice to see the town grow.

[O Tamandua]

I'm very happy for you all down there with last week's "grand opening" on I-49, Darius! 

[dariusb]

I'm very happy for you all down there with last week's "grand opening" on I-49, Darius! 

Oh most definitely. It's great driving down to Shreveport without being stuck behind slow pokes, 18 wheelers and having to slow down/stop in every little town. More importantly I hope this highway along with the I-69 spur give Texarkana the shot in the arm they've needed for a long time.

[codyg1985]

I've heard that Fouke, Ark wants to capitalize on it's location along the route by opening a hotel, truck stop or both.

They could have done that at any time in the past 90 years.

They've also expressed interest in having an Arkansas Travel Center open near them in hopes of increasing visibility of Fouke and maybe even  bringing development. Don't know how ambitious/serious they are in pursuing these projects but it would be nice to see the town grow.

I wonder if AHTD has any plans for a Welcome Center in that area? Same for LaDOTD on their side of the state line?

[roadman65]

I've heard that Fouke, Ark wants to capitalize on it's location along the route by opening a hotel, truck stop or both.

They could have done that at any time in the past 90 years.

They've also expressed interest in having an Arkansas Travel Center open near them in hopes of increasing visibility of Fouke and maybe even  bringing development. Don't know how ambitious/serious they are in pursuing these projects but it would be nice to see the town grow.

They need to do that as none of the I-49 interchanges have many motorists services at them between Shreveport and Texarkana.  Even Texarkana itself has no motels at the interchanges with I-49 yet. 

That would be a wise idea to take advantage of that opportunity.

[bassoon1986]

I've heard that Fouke, Ark wants to capitalize on it's location along the route by opening a hotel, truck stop or both.

They could have done that at any time in the past 90 years.

They've also expressed interest in having an Arkansas Travel Center open near them in hopes of increasing visibility of Fouke and maybe even  bringing development. Don't know how ambitious/serious they are in pursuing these projects but it would be nice to see the town grow.

They need to do that as none of the I-49 interchanges have many motorists services at them between Shreveport and Texarkana.  Even Texarkana itself has no motels at the interchanges with I-49 yet. 

That would be a wise idea to take advantage of that opportunity.

LA 1 is the only one that has gas stations right off the exit, and that's still considered Shreveport to me. Fouke has one IIRC and it's maybe a mile north of the US 71 exit. There was one gas station years ago in Belcher along US 71, but it was very old.

[Grzrd]

I wonder if AHTD has any plans for a Welcome Center in that area? Same for LaDOTD on their side of the state line?

Re AHTD and Fouke:

I recently had an email Q & A with the Tourism Research & Information Services of the Arkansas Dept. of Parks & Tourism in order to see if Arkansas had any plans to build a Welcome Center counterpart to the one under study in Louisiana:

Q: Louisiana is now conducting a site study for a Welcome Center on southbound I-49 near the AR state line.  Is Arkansas planning on a new Welcome Center on northbound I-49 north of the state line?
A: Arkansas operates a Welcome Center in Texarkana; currently there is not another one planned for this area.

This TV video reports that Fouke leaders ... are working to get a Welcome Center in Fouke:

Interstate 49 promises economic growth across the country, as well as, in some of our own communities.
The City of Fouke is hoping to take advantage of that potential growth ....
Pat Allen of Fouke is the president of the "Citizens for a Better Community" group.
"I believe I-49 will quadruple the size of Fouke within five to ten years," said Allen ....
Community leaders say they're working to get a visitor welcome center in Fouke, but no final decision has been made.

Re LaDOTD:

Are there plans at all for welcome centers on I-49 for either side (or both) of the state line?

Will there be a Louisiana Welcome Center on I-49 southbound?

From Google imagery there is a telltale cleared space adjacent to the future I-49 SB lanes, just south of the LA 170 interchange, that may correspond to a future rest area/potential welcome center - it looks too large to be a weigh station.

This May 9 article reports that a twelve-month study has begun to determine the best location for a welcome center along southbound I-49 North in Louisiana, no farther south than just below Ida:

A continual ribbon of I-49 concrete will soon transport visitors out of Arkansas into Shreveport. Now a study is under way for a new roadside welcome center.
The 12-month study will review the best location along the southbound lanes of Interstate 49. The visitor center would be located no farther south than just below Ida.
The Coordinating & Development Corporation that helps finance a number of government construction projects will conduct the study.
Once a site is located and designed, a state appropriation would have to be sought through the Department of Transportation and Development. DOTD would construct and maintain the center. Staffing would fall under the tourism arm of the lieutenant governor’s office.
In addition to welcoming tourists, the visitors information center would be important as part of a designated Hurricane Evacuation Route once I-49 is completed through Lafayette and beyond.

(above quote from I49 in LA thread)

[Grzrd]

I've heard that Fouke, Ark wants to capitalize on it's location along the route by opening a hotel, truck stop or both.

This December 5 Texarkana Gazette article (behind paywall) reports that some University of Arkansas graduate students are completing their assessment of how Fouke can capitalize on its economic potential, which includes two exits on I-49:

Fouke’s mayor said he is looking forward to a preliminary report from University of Arkansas students that will hopefully give his town the tools it needs to create a stronger community and economy.
Mayor Terry Purvis will travel to Little Rock on Wednesday to visit with UA Clinton School of Public Service economics students whose fall class project was a study of Fouke’s potential for economic development.
The graduate students began their project in September, and they will present their findings to the mayor, city council and the public in January, Purvis said.
Five students of Professor Ellen Fitzpatrick visited Fouke in October to interview residents and learn more about the local economy. They were accompanied by Sedef Akgungor, visiting Fulbright Fellow and professor of economics at Dokuz Eylul University in Izmir, Turkey.
“I don’t know what they’re going to say, but I’m super exited they picked Fouke to study in their class on economic development,” Purvis said. “They’ve been working on this for a couple of months. I went up to Little Rock, and they came here to talk to our citizens. -They asked us how we would like to see our community 10 years from now and what kind of economic development we would like to see.” ....
Fouke, 13 miles south of Texarkana, has a population of 865 and its own school district. Purvis said the town’s commercial tax base includes a grocery store, a dollar store, a couple of convenience stores and two restaurants.
“With the opening of I-49 from Texarkana to Baton Rouge, we’ve got a transportation hub that makes us look even better. We’ve got two interstate exits here in Fouke, and when this highway is done, it’s going to connect Canada to New Orleans.”

[dariusb]

Since Fouke is fairly close to Texarkana, they could also use the "great place to raise a family" angle to attract new residents/businesses there as well.

[bugo]

Fouke will become a bedroom community to Texarkana, if it isn't already one. If so, it will become even more of one. I expect for some gas stations to be built at the interchanges and possibly some burger joints and maybe even a motel or two. The population will explode. In a few decades, they might even get a Walmart.

[Anthony_JK]

[...] from Texarkana to Baton Rouge...

UGH. 


Lafayette, people. I-49 goes to Lafayette. Google Maps is your friend.

[dariusb]

^Lol!

[dariusb]

Fouke will become a bedroom community to Texarkana, if it isn't already one. If so, it will become even more of one. I expect for some gas stations to be built at the interchanges and possibly some burger joints and maybe even a motel or two. The population will explode. In a few decades, they might even get a Walmart.

I can see that happening.

[apjung]

Fouke will have to expand its city limits. Currently it's only a square mile town but I can see it expand to 4 square miles and surround I-49.

[dariusb]

^Right. I can see them then maybe opening a motel/hotel or truck stop.