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[ShawnP]

I guess we now know of US 71's last stealth visit to Louisiana.

[Grzrd]

I guess we now know of US 71's last stealth visit to Louisiana.

"Smokey and the Road Scholar"?  I guess the movie will come out about the time they allow the public to legally drive on it.  Can't wait to see the scene where he jumps over Mira-Myrtis Road.  

[Alps]

I see the Texarkana meet is covering Future I-49 from the LA 168 interchange south past Hosston to the US 71 interchange. What other sections of I-49 north of I-20 have enough progress to be worth looking at? In particular, 168 north to the beginning of 549, US 71 south to 169 (around Dixie), 173 and south?

[US71]

Here are the latest updates as of 3-23-2011:

LA 168: 99 percent complete

Mira-Myrtis Rd: 50 percent complete (still working on finishing bridges, paving ramps, realligning MM Rd

US 71 north of Hosston: 100 percent complete

LA 2 east of Hosston: 25 percent complete (embankments mostly finished, bridge work starting)

US 71 north of Gilliam: Maybe 10 percent complete (dirt work just beginning west of 71)

LA 169: dirt work just beginning on south side of the road

LA 173: dirt work on both sides of the roadway


ALSO: there appears to be preliminary work along US 71 north of Texarkana near Miller County Rd 55, on the east side of the roadway

[mgk920]

What's the latest on when we might see work start on the part from I-20 to I-220 in northwest Shreveport, LA?

Mike

[Grzrd]

What's the latest on when we might see work start on the part from I-20 to I-220 in northwest Shreveport, LA?
Mike

ICC still proceeding slowly.  Stage 0 feasibility study complete: http://www.i49shreveport.com/documents.php.  Got an e-mail update from Providence Engineering: ICC is high priority for NLCOG & they are trying to procure funding for Stage 1 & Interchange Justification studies. It is currently anticipated that those studies will begin in approximately 6 months.

I have not emailed Providence Engineering since above post (a little under 5 months ago), I have not noticed any recent articles, and the Inner-City Connector website does not reflect any recent progress.  The next "work" could possibly be Stage 1 and Interchange Justification studies in a couple of months.  Actual construction appears to be years away.

[Alps]

Here are the latest updates as of 3-23-2011:

LA 168: 99 percent complete

Mira-Myrtis Rd: 50 percent complete (still working on finishing bridges, paving ramps, realligning MM Rd

US 71 north of Hosston: 100 percent complete

LA 2 east of Hosston: 25 percent complete (embankments mostly finished, bridge work starting)

US 71 north of Gilliam: Maybe 10 percent complete (dirt work just beginning west of 71)

LA 169: dirt work just beginning on south side of the road

LA 173: dirt work on both sides of the roadway


ALSO: there appears to be preliminary work along US 71 north of Texarkana near Miller County Rd 55, on the east side of the roadway

Thanks - basically what Google Maps shows is what's out in the field, I suppose. I'll stick to the plan of seeing it all Friday afternoon, and since I'll be in Texarkana Saturday anyway... well... I have no idea!

[Grzrd]

Here are the latest updates as of 3-23-2011:
LA 168: 99 percent complete
Mira-Myrtis Rd: 50 percent complete (still working on finishing bridges, paving ramps, realligning MM Rd
US 71 north of Hosston: 100 percent complete
LA 2 east of Hosston: 25 percent complete (embankments mostly finished, bridge work starting)
US 71 north of Gilliam: Maybe 10 percent complete (dirt work just beginning west of 71)
LA 169: dirt work just beginning on south side of the road
LA 173: dirt work on both sides of the roadway ...

Thanks - basically what Google Maps shows is what's out in the field, I suppose. I'll stick to the plan of seeing it all Friday afternoon, and since I'll be in Texarkana Saturday anyway... well... I have no idea!

I took a look at website for Northwest Louisiana Council of Governments ("NLCOG" - their homepage proudly displays a non-neutered I-49 shield) and it has a link to a February 17 LaDOTD 7 1/2 minute video update of I-49 North construction progress.  I was underwhelmed by it, but you might find a couple of "video nuggets" to supplement US71's field report:

http://www.nlcog.org/

What's the latest on when we might see work start on the part from I-20 to I-220 in northwest Shreveport, LA?
Mike

ICC still proceeding slowly.  Stage 0 feasibility study complete: http://www.i49shreveport.com/documents.php.  Got an e-mail update from Providence Engineering: ICC is high priority for NLCOG & they are trying to procure funding for Stage 1 & Interchange Justification studies. It is currently anticipated that those studies will begin in approximately 6 months.

I have not emailed Providence Engineering since above post (a little under 5 months ago), I have not noticed any recent articles, and the Inner-City Connector website does not reflect any recent progress.  The next "work" could possibly be Stage 1 and Interchange Justification studies in a couple of months.  Actual construction appears to be years away.

NLCOG website also has a "I-49 ... Then & Now" page that has a brief discussion of the Inner-City Connector, including a rounded off to the dollar cost estimate of $281,428,002. , but no indication as to the timing of the next step in the process.  This page also has photos of I-49/La 168 completed interchange and a view from state line looking at the Arkansas construction of I-49 (I believe the photos are circa late September/early October 2010):

http://www.nlcog.org/pdfs/I-49_then_now.pdf

NLCOG appears to do a good job of updating their info and is probably a good place to check for updated ICC information.

[Anthony_JK]

There's also the official I-49 Shreveport ICC page:  http://www.i49shreveport.com/

A final public meeting for the Stage 0 Feasability Study and Environmental Inventory is scheduled for tonight in Shreveport. I'm assuming that they will get funding for future studies, and an EIS will be forthcoming.

The fact that LaDOTD is using I-20 west to I-220 (rather than LA 3132 Inner Loop) for the internim route for I-49 once the segments from I-220 north to Arkansas is completed, says to me that they want this to be finished.


Anthony

[Grzrd]

A final public meeting for the Stage 0 Feasability Study and Environmental Inventory is scheduled for tonight in Shreveport. I'm assuming that they will get funding for future studies, and an EIS will be forthcoming.

By coincidence, the final public meeting was held on March 25 last year.  At this point, I think it is simply a matter of finding the money to proceed to Stage 1, etc.

Final Public Meeting Scheduled!

When: March 25, 2010
Where: J.S.Clark School Cafeteria
Time: 4:30pm to 6:30pm
Format: Open House
(come and go as you please)

http://www.i49shreveport.com/

[Anthony_JK]

Oh, darn it...I misread it then....I was under the impression that that was THIS year.  Oh, well...never mind. 


Anthony

[Grzrd]

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20110119/NEWS01/110119015/Jindal-announces-legislation-for-I-49-segment
"Gov. Bobby Jindal announced Wednesday plans to construct a 4.25 mile stretch of Interstate 49 connecting Martin Luther King Boulevard and Louisiana Highway 1.

In order for Jindal to secure the $60 million needed for the J Segment of I-49, Rep. Jane Smith will author legislation expanding the purposes for using the unclaimed property leverage fund, allowing the state to bond out the fund to for the project ..."

website for Northwest Louisiana Council of Governments ... has a link to a February 17 LaDOTD 7 1/2 minute video update of I-49 North construction progress.
http://www.nlcog.org/

LaDOTD video referenced above has two interesting pieces of information.  First, at about the 4min30sec mark, Sherri LeBas comments that Arkansas is expecting to "do" its I-49 project from the state line up to AR 549 in 2015. (I think she means that it is expected to open to traffic in 2015, which in turn will allow LA to open Segment A in 2015).  Next, at about the 5min mark, she mentions that LaDOTD will use the unclaimed property leverage fund to bond out the funds for Segment J of the project and that Segment J construction is anticipated to begin in Summer 2012.

She mentions that one-mile Segment K will cost $100 million and that much of the cost will result from construction of the I-49/I-220 interchange, but Segment K is still currently unfunded.

No mention of either Shreveport Inner-City Connector or I-49 South.

[Anthony_JK]

That would make sense, since LaDOTD is still awaiting funding to continue the environmental process for the ICC, and still waiting for the Feds to bring down some funds as well for I-49 South. I'd figure that securing funding for Seg. K and completing I-49 North is Priority #1 right now.


Anthony

[Grzrd]

NLCOG website also has a "I-49 ... Then & Now" page that has a brief discussion of the Inner-City Connector, including a rounded off to the dollar cost estimate of $281,428,002. , but no indication as to the timing of the next step in the process.

I called NLCOG's offices during lunch and received following info:

(1) NLCOG received a $250,000 HUD grant on March 18 to help develop a plan going forward for distressed neighborhoods of Allendale and Ledbetter Heights (NLCOG's grant application: http://www.nlcog.org/pdfs/Choice_Neighborhoods_Grant_Final.pdf [map of Allendale and Ledbetter in relation to I-49/I-20 interchange is on page 67/95 of the application pdf]) and they are currently trying to figure out the scope of what that grant actually covers;

(2) Funding is in place for Stage 1 and Interchange Justification studies, but the HUD grant will expand the scope of the overall study, which they are still formulating;

(3) The current thinking is that the study will begin by the beginning of summer;

I'd figure that securing funding for Seg. K and completing I-49 North is Priority #1 right now.

(4) NLCOG's new slogan is "One More Mile!" (in reference to Segment K)

Regarding overall progress on I-49, they believe that controversy over Alaska's "Bridge to Nowhere" helped jumpstart I-49 progress because I-49 was second largest project on the list.

Also, the combination of highway corridor/HUD neighborhood study seems very similar to what is currently going on in Memphis with Lamar Corridor study (in which Lamar Corridor will in some revised form or fashion connect Memphis Airport to I-22 and I-240).

EDIT

Here is reference to Inner-City Connector in HUD application:

 I-49 Inner City Connector Study: NLCOG has historically recognized the need to develop a connection between existing Interstate 49 (I-49) to the I-49 North interchange with Interstate-220. This 3.8 mile section was part of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement developed in 1976 for the I-49 Corridor. The inner-city section was removed in the Final Environmental Impact Statement. Recently, the I-49 North route received environmental clearance, and NLCOG has received over $3million from the State to design the connection. NLCOG has taken a comprehensive view of the project area, and incorporated livability principles into the planning effort; an extensive public involvement plan has been developed. Public participation is fostered through multiple means of outreach, public meetings and survey tools. Stakeholder interviews, public input surveys and community meetings have been utilized to ensure the public has been engaged in the process of determining the feasibility of the plan. Far too often planners consider the public after planning and design has begun, with preconceived ideas. The intent of this extensive outreach has been to enter the project with “eyes wide open/a blank page”  with a simple request “you tell us.”  This method has become a model for other projects in the region.

[pages 7-8/95 of the HUD application pdf linked above]

[Alex]

Thanks to lamsalfl for the update.

Speed limit increasing to 75 mph on I-49 in DeSoto

BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development announced today that the speed limit on the rural portion of I-49 DeSoto Parish will be raised from 70 mph to 75 mph.

The new speed limit will be in effect from 1.5 miles south of the state Highway 175 interchange to the Natchitoches Parish line. The highway features on this section of roadway can safely accommodate higher speeds.

DOTD engineers study speed limits on state maintained roadways to ensure they are set correctly. Recently, the DOTD traffic engineering office in Shreveport launched a traffic study to help determine what the safest and most efficient posted speed limit should be on the rural portions of I-49.

After reviewing the results of the study, it was determined that 85 percent of all drivers traveling on this section of I-49 are traveling at or below 75 mph. The new speed limit will go into effect in the next two weeks.

National studies and practices have shown that setting the speed limit at the 85th percentile can help to reduce crashes along the roadway. Speed limits set higher than the 85th percentile are not considered reasonable and safe, and speed limits set below the 85th percentile do not move traffic efficiently. In addition, speed limits set below the 85th percentile cannot be enforced effectively and are not voluntarily observed by motorists.

To ensure the safety of motorists, DOTD personnel will install automated speed and count stations along the roadway to monitor speeds and crashes along this section of I-49. DOTD will reexamine the speed limit increase if at any time data supports a new study.

[agentsteel53]

is this the furthest east in the country that will have a speed limit of 75?

[Revive 755]

^Yes, since it appears to be further east than the 75mph Turnpike section of I-44 in Oklahoma.

[Alps]

Construction updates for y'all, as of yesterday (4/15/11), cross street by cross street:

LA 1/LA 538: Just clearing so far. They were burning some evergreens in a large heap, which smelled wonderful. Didn't bother going up Albany Rd. because it would just be more of the same.
LA 173: Worth a stop. There's a good amount of active construction here, with one bridge pier in and another slowly taking shape from the ground up. Mainline is graded, ramps are already base-paved for construction vehicle access.
LA 169: Just grading at this point, surprising given the activity just to the south on 173.
US 71: Same thing, just grading here.
Hosston River Rd.: Definitely worth a stop. The I-49 overpass girders are in, but not yet the deck. Pavement is in on either side. Don't walk across, but you can walk up either side and take plenty of photos. It's a nice, remote location if you wanted to get out onto the old alignment, compared to most of the other crossings.
LA 2: Most of the overpass girders are in, but there's still part missing where LA 2 sneaks by. Worth at least a drive-by.
US 71 (take 2): 71 is on the new overpass, and the highway is complete beneath it except for striping. Worth a photo in either direction.
Mira Myrtis Rd.: The new alignment of Mira Myrtis is right next to the existing one and is basically complete starting at US 71. It doesn't look like a twinning, unless the old alignment is going to be completely rebuilt once the new one opens. Certainly possible. I-49 construction is ongoing here, a lot closer to completion than at LA 173 but not to the same degree as Hosston River Rd. (And not only is construction more active, but the road is too - would not recommend stopping here for too long.)
Munnerlyn Chapel Rd.: The road is closed at the new bridge over I-49, but it looks like construction is pretty close to complete.
LA 168, Ida State Line Rd.: Everything's complete at both locations.
Miller CR 2 (Arkansas): There's only grading in at this point, but it looks like construction is about to heat up. I guess because Louisiana is dragging its feet north of Shreveport, Arkansas saw no pressing need to extend AR 549 to the state line - just means that it'll be awhile before any new length of highway opens, even though several miles will be otherwise ready for traffic this year.

[Grzrd]

NLCOG recently posted draft minutes from early April Transportation Committee meeting.  Stage 1 studies are beginning in conjunction with other studies:

http://www.nlcog.org/pdfs/MPOPolicy_mins/MPO_04_07_11.pdf

Task B-5 I-49 Inner City Connector Stage 1
Goal: Stage 1 of the I-49 Inner City Connector is to obtain environmental clearance consistent with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for a controlled access highway to connect the existing Interstate 49 (I-49)/Interstate 20 (I-20) interchange to the proposed I-49/Interstate-220 (I-220) interchange within the city of Shreveport in Caddo Parish, Louisiana. This corridor is approximately 3.8 miles long.

Mr. Rogers stated NLCOG with the completion of the enhanced Stage 0 for this project would be moving into the next phase which will include Stage 1 Environmental and coordination with the next few Tasks.

Task B-6 HUD Choice Neighborhood Planning
Goal: The NLCOG Choice Neighborhood Partnership’s vision is for two inner-city neighborhoods marked by high abandonment, urban decay, severe poverty, elevated crime, high unemployment and low educational attainment: Allendale and Ledbetter Heights in Shreveport.

Mr. Rogers was pleased to announce that NLCOG and the City of Shreveport have been awarded a HUD Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant for the Allendale Ledbetter Heights area. Northwest Louisiana Council of Governments will receive $250,000 under the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative to implement a comprehensive approach to transforming distressed areas of poverty into viable and sustainable mixed-income neighborhoods.

Task B-7 I-49 Inner City Connector and HUD Choice Neighborhood Coordination
Goal: To promote a comprehensive, continuing and coordinated approach to transforming distressed areas of poverty into viable and sustainable mixed-income neighborhoods through carefully planned projects and developments.

Mr. Rogers noted that there are many planning efforts beginning and/or in the process for the area surrounding the I-49 Inner City Corridor including NLCOG’s Stage 1 Environmental, I-49 Corridor Land Use Development and the HUD Choice Neighborhood project. He also noted that HUD, DOT, and EPA have signed an agreement to encourage coordination of projects within a common area. He stated that the purpose of this task is to make sure that all of these efforts are coordinated together and to be sure that their efforts do not contradict each other.
Mr. Altimus asked how where things going with these and how did we feel these are being received and if everyone was on board. Mr. Rogers noted that the outcome of the I-49 study showed nearly 90% approval and that the Choice Neighborhood group was the same basic group that had submitted for the regional grant. Mr. Rogers reiterated the HUD/DOT/EPA agreement and the need for better coordination. Mayor Glover concurred.

Task B-8 I-49 Corridor Land Use Study
Goal: A preferred future land use plan for the I-49 corridor with practical control mechanisms to help achieve the desired results.

Mr. Rogers noted that this is the final component to the I-49 work and that there is potential to expand the scope of this to include other areas of the parish. The expanded portion would be paid for by the parish.

[Grzrd]

Today, Bobby Jindal announced funding for completion of I-49 North.  Construction should begin on Segment J in Summer 2012 and on Segment K as soon as Summer 2013:

http://www.ksla.com/story/14556230/jindal-announces-funding-for-completion-of-i49

... Governor Jindal announced Monday morning that his 2012 capital outlay bill includes the funding needed to complete the final section of the interstate in Louisiana.
That bill, HB 2, was filed Monday morning in Baton Rouge.  "Around four years ago, I said during my campaign that as Governor I would make sure we did everything we could to complete I-49 North and keep Northwest Louisiana growing. Today, we fulfill that commitment by announcing the last amount of new funding needed for the K Segment - $73 million — to finish I-49 North to Arkansas."
LA Rep. Jane Smith, (R) Dist. 8, introduced legislation in January to bond out $7.5 million from the state's Unclaimed Property Fund in order to invest the estimated $60 million needed to construct one of the two remaining segments for I-49 North.  
Depending on conditions of the financial market, Jindal says this bonding effort could generate $87 million - $27 million more than would be needed for Segment J, leaving additional funds for Segment K to cover the $100 million estimated cost of the final section.
Segment K will run from I-220 to Martin Luther King Boulevard, a distance of approximately one mile. Construction is expected to begin on Segment J in summer 2012 and segment K as early as summer 2013 ...
Governor Jindal also took a moment Monday to congratulate President Barack Obama, his national security team and the military for the death of Osama bin Laden, calling it a "great day for America, a great day for justice around the world."

This article has a bit more detail about the funding:

http://www.katc.com/news/governor-jindal-announces-funding-to-complete-i-49-north/

... The Governor's capital outlay bill for 2012 includes $73 million in new Priority 5 funds for I-49 to complete the project, in addition to the advancement of $14 million in Priority 5 funds and $22.5 million in Priority 2 bond funds announced last year ...

EDIT

Shreveport Times indicates that, if proposed legislation passes, Segments J & K (thus all of I-49 North) will be completed in 2016.:

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20110503/NEWS01/105030326/1060/Jindal-proposes-funding-final-stage-49

Gov. Bobby Jindal announced Monday that he plans on introducing legislation that would complete the final section of long-awaited Interstate 49 north, linking Louisiana to Arkansas .... Jindal said the first nine phases of the project, which have been previously worked on, would be completed by 2013. The final two phases, which is the money earmarked in the proposed bill, would be finished by 2016 if passed.

[ShawnP]

Congrats to LA in getting it done. Took time, energy but now I see I-49 coming thru Shreveport much quicker.

[Anthony_JK]

And in the meantime, folks down here in Lafayette are still twiddling their fingers waiting for Jindal to free up some cash for our segments.

Hopefully, he'll be as aggressive in completing at least some of I-49 South as he is for the Shreveport segments.

In any rate, congrats to Shreveport in getting it finally done this decade.


Anthony

[ShawnP]

One would think that would be a priority given the Hurricane evacuation issues. However maybe the endless enviromental issues are slowing things and him down.

[Anthony_JK]

One would think that would be a priority given the Hurricane evacuation issues. However maybe the endless enviromental issues are slowing things and him down.

What environmental issues???

Most of US 90 (the portion between Morgan City and Raceland) is already Interstate grade; the segment between New Iberia and Wax Lake is nearly complete with only spot frontage roads to be completed and a couple of intesections needing to be replaced with grade-seperated interchanges; and the remaining segments have already gotten enviromental approvals through ROD's.

The only real issue is money....granted, with a price tag of $5 billion to complete the entire route between Lafayette and New Orleans, that's a plenty.

I'll settle for completing the segments through Lafayette and the segment through Patterson/Bayou Vista to Berwick, if I can get it.


Anthony

[ShawnP]

Was thinking west of New Orleans.........I know the Lafayette is ready to go............I say once the north is complete LA should find a steady revunue stream and bond it out.