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I49 in LA

Started by rte66man, July 14, 2010, 06:52:15 PM

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richllewis

The Transportation secretary had the same message in Jackson, MS a few days ago.


RBBrittain

Quote from: Duke87 on April 21, 2014, 12:58:39 AM
Quote from: bassoon1986 on April 03, 2014, 10:09:40 AM
It's beyond stupid to build something near or in the proposed path of a major highway. I feel like the stuff and the red tape that keeps coming up in the way of the ICC is just out of spite. Why did we build I-49 into Shreveport to connect to I-20 in the first place if we weren't going to finish it northward to connect at I-220?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't I-49 originally intended to permanently end at I-20? If there were no plans interstate heading north out of town, there would be no reason to provision for one.

QuoteThe firm released preliminary findings on the loop option this month. Its analysis showed, among other things, the economic impact of an inner city connector would be greater than than of using the loop. The firm found the economic impact of constructing the inner city connector would be $802 million annually compared to $445 million annually for the loop option.
State Rep. Roy Burrell said that economic boom alone could help revitalize deteriorating communities throughout Shreveport and central Bossier City.

...did he really just argue that plowing a freeway through a city would "revitalize deteriorating communities"? :wow: This is 2014, not 1954, right?
The I-49/I-20 interchange was designed to handle a northern extension of I-49; those ramps are currently an "exit" to surface streets. (And that was in the 1990's, not 1954.)

Evidently someone still thinks a freeway could help inner-city Shreveport; that's why they keep bringing it up even after I-49 North was initially approved for LA 3132 & I-220.  Personally, I think the "freeway revolts" were stupid; I wish someone would have kept track of exactly how many people died in traffic accidents on I-40 in Memphis thanks to the treehuggers of Overton Park. (Burns Park in North Little Rock, AR was made, not destroyed, by building I-40 thru it.)

Anthony_JK

See my response to the previous thread: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=3321.msg294442#

Other than some developers who want to revive the Allendale low-income housing projects that were abandoned as a ruse to kill the ICC, and some New Urbanist advocates who oppose inner-city freeways on general principle, most folk in Shreveport do favor the ICC.

US71

Quote from: RBBrittain on April 23, 2014, 02:54:06 AM

Evidently someone still thinks a freeway could help inner-city Shreveport; that's why they keep bringing it up even after I-49 North was initially approved for LA 3132 & I-220.  Personally, I think the "freeway revolts" were stupid; I wish someone would have kept track of exactly how many people died in traffic accidents on I-40 in Memphis thanks to the treehuggers of Overton Park. (Burns Park in North Little Rock, AR was made, not destroyed, by building I-40 thru it.)

Every community is different. I have observed, though, that TDOT seems to always be fixing the 40/240 junctions. I was there in March and it appears EB 40 may finally be getting a real exit as opposed to the "squeeze into one narrow ramp and crawl".

Then again I-55 at Crump Blvd is a real clusterduck.
Like Alice I Try To Believe Three Impossible Things Before Breakfast

lamsalfl

I-49 north of Shreveport now shown on Google Streetview! 

Images taken December 2013.

US71

Quote from: lamsalfl on April 23, 2014, 11:43:28 AM
I-49 north of Shreveport now shown on Google Streetview! 

Images taken December 2013.

The satellite view misses the section south of LA 1 that's under construction (FWIW)
Like Alice I Try To Believe Three Impossible Things Before Breakfast

lamsalfl

Ok.  But I was talking about Streetview that the Google Truck drives.  Fresh meat. 

Grzrd

#782
Quote from: Grzrd on February 05, 2014, 08:47:21 PM
Quote from: Gordon on November 04, 2013, 06:10:09 PM
Caddo 2014-01-29 H.003495
455-09-0001 LA 3194, I-49 I-49 North (I-220-mlk Drive) Seg K Conc. New Pavement (Seg K) $30,000,000 to $50,000,000 2.06 Umeozulu, Joe      &      Caddo 2014-04-09 H.011111  I-220, I-49 I-49 North, Segment K - Phase 2 New I-49/I-220 Interchange With Roadways to Tie to Seg. J $100,000,000 to $125,000,000 4.03 Umeozulu, Joe , Looks like they have split the last section of I 49 north into 2 contracts.
The Bid Results for the February 5 Letting list the winning bid for Phase I coming in at approximately $31.5 million ....
The beginning of the last piece of the I-220 to I-30 section of I-49!

The Bid Results from the April 30 letting list an apparent winning bid for Phase II coming in at approximately $138 million:



Let the work on the I-49/I-220 interchange begin!

RBBrittain

Quote from: US71 on April 23, 2014, 08:22:22 AM
Then again I-55 at Crump Blvd is a real clusterduck.
Always has been.  Crump was the original surface street leading to the Memphis & Arkansas Bridge; but rather than feed I-55 directly to the bridge, TDOT ran I-55 into a cloverleaf at Crump just shy of the bridge and rebuilt the last few blocks of Crump as I-55.  AHTD at least managed to feed I-55 directly into the bridge even though it meant upgrading the old causeway from West Memphis, parts of which were originally built in the late 1920's to reach the Harahan Bridge auto decks.  (Speaking of which, Memphis is converting one of the Harahan decks into a bicycle & pedestrian bridge, which is necessary since I-40 & I-55 are the only highway bridges at Memphis.)

mcdonaat

#784
For what it's worth, I noticed a while back that most frontage roads along I-49 in Natchitoches Parish are signed as parish roads, with JCTs, arrows, and those three digit wide parish pentagons. They look very nice, too, unlike the LA 547 shield. Yuck!

PR 620 is at the Natchez exit, PR 829 is at LA 119, and PR 820 is at LA 490.

Edit: I noticed just now that on the Flatwoods exit, "Zimmerman" is blanked out, but also, LA 8's West plate is on a green out. Also, LA 478's entire shield is a green out.

Double edit: Here's some photos of I-49 at LA 478 (formerly Parish Road XX), and the Zimmerman green out.




Grzrd

Quote from: txstateends on December 06, 2011, 05:38:58 PM
Are there plans at all for welcome centers on I-49 for either side (or both) of the state line?
Quote from: Urban Prairie Schooner on August 30, 2013, 04:19:53 PM
Quote from: lamsalfl on August 28, 2013, 02:50:09 PM
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:

Quote
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.

lamsalfl

Great news!  I was hoping these wouldn't go the way of rest areas.  I hope rest areas come back one day, esp. in rural areas.

txstateends

Quote from: lamsalfl on May 11, 2014, 06:32:57 PM
Great news!  I was hoping these wouldn't go the way of rest areas.  I hope rest areas come back one day, esp. in rural areas.

Any state that has tourist bureaus (state line or not) would be dumb to get rid of them.  If they want to promote their state to the driving public, it's a perfect way to do it.
\/ \/ click for a bigger image \/ \/

jbnv

Quote from: lamsalfl on May 11, 2014, 06:32:57 PM
I hope rest areas come back one day, esp. in rural areas.

Not going to happen. Not with the plethora of modern travel centers that are both trucker- and non-trucker friendly. Not with these businesses competing for the family dollar with restrooms that they actually clean. Mayyybeeee in some isolated areas where services are few and far between for hundreds of miles, but let's face it, are there really that many such places left?
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lamsalfl

I understand that.  Especially in the East where you'll see a Pilot or TA regularly it doesn't make much sense for the government to spend tax dollars on them.   I am REALLY surprised Mississippi just refurbished the rest area near Mile 57 on I-10.  There are plenty of cities along I-10 and the state is only 77 miles wide on I-10 anyway. 

rte66man

Quote from: jbnv on May 11, 2014, 08:13:27 PM
Quote from: lamsalfl on May 11, 2014, 06:32:57 PM
I hope rest areas come back one day, esp. in rural areas.

Not going to happen. Not with the plethora of modern travel centers that are both trucker- and non-trucker friendly. Not with these businesses competing for the family dollar with restrooms that they actually clean. Mayyybeeee in some isolated areas where services are few and far between for hundreds of miles, but let's face it, are there really that many such places left?

That is why OK never had many rest areas to begin with.  The few on I35 have all been Closed or converted to "parking" areas (with the exception of the Welcome Centers at Thackerville and Blackwell.  I40 only has the one just east of Shawnee and I suspect it will be closed soon.  I was told by someone who knew the history that the local towns were anxious to divert traffic down into the towns for rest stops and had the political muscle to see that no rest areas were ever built.
When you come to a fork in the road... TAKE IT.

                                                               -Yogi Berra

jbnv

Quote from: rte66man on May 11, 2014, 09:30:21 PM
I was told by someone who knew the history that the local towns were anxious to divert traffic down into the towns for rest stops and had the political muscle to see that no rest areas were ever built.

There's economic wisdom to that.
🆕 Louisiana Highways on Twitter | Yes, I like Clearview. Deal with it. | Redos: US | La. | Route Challenge

vtk

Quote from: jbnv on May 11, 2014, 11:46:31 PM
Quote from: rte66man on May 11, 2014, 09:30:21 PM
I was told by someone who knew the history that the local towns were anxious to divert traffic down into the towns for rest stops and had the political muscle to see that no rest areas were ever built.

There's economic wisdom to that.

Did they build public rest areas in the towns then?

Rest areas are a vital resource for drivers who need a nap or a bathroom break.  A business that welcomes only paying customers, and only during certain hours, is no substitute for this resource.
Wait, it's all Ohio? Always has been.

mcdonaat

Quote from: vtk on May 12, 2014, 12:16:48 AM
Quote from: jbnv on May 11, 2014, 11:46:31 PM
Quote from: rte66man on May 11, 2014, 09:30:21 PM
I was told by someone who knew the history that the local towns were anxious to divert traffic down into the towns for rest stops and had the political muscle to see that no rest areas were ever built.

There's economic wisdom to that.

Did they build public rest areas in the towns then?

Rest areas are a vital resource for drivers who need a nap or a bathroom break.  A business that welcomes only paying customers, and only during certain hours, is no substitute for this resource.
I agree 100%. I stop at the rest areas along I-20 between Ruston and Monroe, and they're ALWAYS packed! An abandoned rest area ramp thing sits along I-49 between Natchitoches and Alexandria, near Lena, and would be an amazing asset if it's ever built.

Here's the kicker - I-49 between Shreveport and Alexandria only killed Boyce. Coushatta is a parish seat and serves US 71 and 371, while Natchitoches is still a destination. There's not any towns to divert the traffic to, and plus, you can't send traffic 10 minutes off of the Interstate just to take a break. The more rest areas, the better, in my opinion.

Does a welcome center count as a rest area, though?

jbnv

These are valid points. However, public rest stops cost money to maintain and for security. That money has to come from somewhere.

For the record, I can support the state owning a service plaza with gas, food, etc. that pays for itself with the services rendered. Even on a freeway, in a remote area where even towns are some distance from the road. (Also on tollways in urban areas. I'm still a fan of the Chicagoland oases even though I have no reason to go there any more.)
🆕 Louisiana Highways on Twitter | Yes, I like Clearview. Deal with it. | Redos: US | La. | Route Challenge

vtk

Quote from: jbnv on May 12, 2014, 02:38:55 PM
These are valid points. However, public rest stops cost money to maintain and for security. That money has to come from somewhere.

For the record, I can support the state owning a service plaza with gas, food, etc. that pays for itself with the services rendered. Even on a freeway, in a remote area where even towns are some distance from the road. (Also on tollways in urban areas. I'm still a fan of the Chicagoland oases even though I have no reason to go there any more.)

As long as motorists can nap and/or expel waste there without buying something or being made to feel guilty about not buying something, I'm fine with that.
Wait, it's all Ohio? Always has been.

US71

I see LADOTD is planning a Welcome Center for the Ida area.

I wonder if AHTD will follow suit around Doddridge?
Like Alice I Try To Believe Three Impossible Things Before Breakfast

pctech

I have no problem with a public-private arrangement with rest areas, but they would have to provide some amenities without charge. Parking, access to bathrooms and water,perhaps access to wifi.

roadman65

At Cove Fort, UT they actually have private owned Rest Stops off the interstates accessible from both I-15 and I-70.  Maybe this should tell other states what to do like NJ who hates rest areas totally!  Get some private business to allow to operate a rest area off an interchange and the State put up signs like UT does.

BTW, is the one Travel Plaza on I-95 in Baltimore private or public?  This one too counts as a good type of rest area full with hotel and a Greyhound Bus Terminal.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

Brandon

Quote from: pctech on May 13, 2014, 11:08:14 AM
I have no problem with a public-private arrangement with rest areas, but they would have to provide some amenities without charge. Parking, access to bathrooms and water,perhaps access to wifi.

We call it a service area.  Unfortunately, the fucking feds won't allow service areas to be built on non-toll interstates.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg



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