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[Thegeet]

REMINDER: You guys can talk about I-49 at Shreveport in this topic you know   

In that case…will the ICC ever be built?

[bwana39]

REMINDER: You guys can talk about I-49 at Shreveport in this topic you know   

Yeah, but this thread is mostly about the ICC lately.

[Thegeet]

Well…When will I-49 be extended to Nola?

[bwana39]

Well…When will I-49 be extended to Nola?

Sooner than later. Meaning its completion is among the top if not the top priority in LA.  I cannot see the freeway not being complete in 15 years. More likely 10. A bigger issue is repairing the existing freeway portions to meet the standard to be able to sign it as Interstate.

[MikieTimT]

Well…When will I-49 be extended to Nola?

Sooner than later. Meaning its completion is among the top if not the top priority in LA.  I cannot see the freeway not being complete in 15 years. More likely 10. A bigger issue is repairing the existing freeway portions to meet the standard to be able to sign it as Interstate.

Has the EIS been completed on it?  Meaning, is there a chance that it's shovel-ready enough to be in the "infrastructure bill"?

[abqtraveler]

Well…When will I-49 be extended to Nola?

Sooner than later. Meaning its completion is among the top if not the top priority in LA.  I cannot see the freeway not being complete in 15 years. More likely 10. A bigger issue is repairing the existing freeway portions to meet the standard to be able to sign it as Interstate.

Has the EIS been completed on it?  Meaning, is there a chance that it's shovel-ready enough to be in the "infrastructure bill"?

They're still fighting over the section through Lafayette, but they're moving along pretty steadily on the rest of the route outside of Lafayette.

[Bobby5280]

They've eliminated a decent number of at-grade intersections along US-90 South of the Coteau Rd (LA-88) exit in Lafayette. There's still an at-grade railroad crossing just SE of the LA-85/Patout Rd exit. Other than that US-90 is completely limited access down to Calumet-Patterson-Bayou Vista area. Morgan City to Raceland is another fully limited access segment.

There's still quite a bit of work to do on the West Bank across from New Orleans and in towns like Boutte, Paradis and Des Allemands. At least the work along the West Bank Expressway should be easy. With all the endless nonsense going on in Lafayette those other sections of US-90 may be upgraded to interstate standards before the section in Lafayette is completed. It could very well come to pass that I-49 gets signed from I-10 in New Orleans leading up into the Lafayette area.

[bwana39]

They've eliminated a decent number of at-grade intersections along US-90 South of the Coteau Rd (LA-88) exit in Lafayette. There's still an at-grade railroad crossing just SE of the LA-85/Patout Rd exit. Other than that US-90 is completely limited access down to Calumet-Patterson-Bayou Vista area. Morgan City to Raceland is another fully limited access segment.

There's still quite a bit of work to do on the West Bank across from New Orleans and in towns like Boutte, Paradis and Des Allemands. At least the work along the West Bank Expressway should be easy. With all the endless nonsense going on in Lafayette those other sections of US-90 may be upgraded to interstate standards before the section in Lafayette is completed. It could very well come to pass that I-49 gets signed from I-10 in New Orleans leading up into the Lafayette area.

I agree. The part INSIDE Lafayette may be much longer. I was really thinking from Kaliste Saloom Rd or maybe Ambassador Caffrey  to New Orleans. The part north of that may be decades away.  South of Lafayette Parish really.

[triplemultiplex]

I'm strangely more sympathetic to I-49 punching thru Lafayette than I am for Shreveport's ICC.
Initially, I was on the side of I-49 using some sort of bypass around Layfayette, but over the years I've come back to the practicality of going straight through town in this case.  That is mainly due to the railroad track that already bisects the core of Lafayette.  I figure one could use the construction of I-49 as a reason to actually improve connectivity across this divide.

In a world where there was some pre-existing loop around the south end of Lafayette, though, I'd be all about using/improving that facility.

[bwana39]

I'm strangely more sympathetic to I-49 punching thru Lafayette than I am for Shreveport's ICC.
Initially, I was on the side of I-49 using some sort of bypass around Layfayette, but over the years I've come back to the practicality of going straight through town in this case.  That is mainly due to the railroad track that already bisects the core of Lafayette.  I figure one could use the construction of I-49 as a reason to actually improve connectivity across this divide.

In a world where there was some pre-existing loop around the south end of Lafayette, though, I'd be all about using/improving that facility.

The ICC would predominately use a disused rail corridor as well.

[Anthony_JK]

Well…When will I-49 be extended to Nola?

Sooner than later. Meaning its completion is among the top if not the top priority in LA.  I cannot see the freeway not being complete in 15 years. More likely 10. A bigger issue is repairing the existing freeway portions to meet the standard to be able to sign it as Interstate.

Has the EIS been completed on it?  Meaning, is there a chance that it's shovel-ready enough to be in the "infrastructure bill"?

Going from north to south:

1) An EIS for the Lafayette Connector portion was completed and signed with a ROD in 2003. The current Supplemental EIS, along with the Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) design process and Functional Design studies, will result in a finalized Supplemental Draft EIS by hopefully the end of this year, with a Final SEIS/Supplemental ROD approved by spring of next year. Then (the inevitable lawsuits from opponents notwithstanding), the wait for funding and construction.

2) The segment just south of Lafayette Regional Airport to the LA 88 interchange with US 90 is slowly being upgraded, depending on funding. The Albertson Parkway/St. Nazaire Road/LA 182/LA 96 interchange/overpass is complete and open, and letting will commence soon on construction of both the Ambassador Caffery Parkway South interchange and the extension of one-way frontage roads over the current LA 182/BNSF-UP rail line via parallel bridges to the mainline overpass) to Ambassador Caffery South. Design and environmental approval is currently being done for the Verot School Road interchange just south of Lafayette; and design is currently starting on the section south of Ambassador Caffery, which would include a new interchange with LA 92/LA 92B (Youngsville Highway/Petroleum Parkway) and completion of the frontage road network to LA 88.

3) From LA 88 to the Ricohoc interchange west of Wax Lake Outlet, US 90 is essentially full Interstate grade except for eliminating some minor at-grade crossovers in Iberia Parish near Jeanarette, and removing that railroad spur grade crossing south of the LA 85 interchange serving the sugar processing mill. The latter has been let and will begin construction soon.

4) From Wax Lake/Ricohoc through Patterson/Bayou Vista to Berwick: That section was approved with a EIS/ROD in 2008, but new studies and a SEIS will have to be done for that section due to public feedback. No word there on when studies will be completed.

5) Berwick/Morgan City to Raceland: US 90 is fully Interstate grade and complete; all that's needed is to slap on the I-49 shields.

6) Raceland to Westbank Expressway/NOLA: This might be the most unfinished segment of the overall project. An EIS/ROD was completed in 2008 for a fully elevated freeway due to concerns of climate change flooding and evacuation, but the costs were considered too prohibitive. A slimmed down proposal cannibalizing most of US 90 is now under study, but there's no timetable for completion of a ROD or funding at this time.



TL;DR: I-49 South has separate EIS's for the unfinished segments, the Lafayette Connector is the closest to being completed and "shovel ready" when construction funds come around. The remaining uncompleted sections will take some more time. I'd say maybe 15 - 20 years before it is fully finished.

[Anthony_JK]

I'm strangely more sympathetic to I-49 punching thru Lafayette than I am for Shreveport's ICC.
Initially, I was on the side of I-49 using some sort of bypass around Layfayette, but over the years I've come back to the practicality of going straight through town in this case.  That is mainly due to the railroad track that already bisects the core of Lafayette.  I figure one could use the construction of I-49 as a reason to actually improve connectivity across this divide.

In a world where there was some pre-existing loop around the south end of Lafayette, though, I'd be all about using/improving that facility.

The Evangeline Thruway was originally designed as a one-way couplet to host an eventual elevated freeway through the city; the only adjustments that had to be made were to shift the alignment westward alongside the railroad near downtown to avoid displacements and mitigate impacts on the Sterling Grove Historical District, which flanks the proposed highway to the east. Given that it serves many important destinations (ULL, LFT, downtown), and that the Thruway is currently choked with traffic and is pretty much an ugly barrier to begin with, I'd say that the Connector would be a major improvement, even notwithstanding adding the CSS process and redeveloping the Thruway as a much more pedestrian, bicycle, and neighborhood friendly corridor. It would also give the opportunity to reconnect neighborhoods that were originally segmented by both the railroad and the Thruway.

Really, a bypass corridor would be not only prohibitively expensive, but due to the placement and natural barriers and growth vectors in greater Lafayette, would not generate enough traffic to pull people off the Evangeline Thruway. Because it connects to current I-49 to the north and US 90 to the south, and directly serves the main destinations within Lafayette, the Thruway essentially serves as the main thoroughfare (along with Johnston Street and Pinhook Road) serving most of the city. Ambassador Caffrey Parkway serves as a sort-of arterial bypass between I-10 and US 90, but it has it's own source of traffic and cannot be improved due to development. There is the proposed Lafayette Metro Expressway loop, but it would be hugely expensive to build even from I-10 to US 90, let alone the connection to I-49 North (near Carencro) that would be needed to effectively function as an I-49 bypass.

There was an alternative proposal for an east bypass, the Teche Ridge proposal, that would have run along the ridge near LA 31 just west of St. Martinville to near Breaux Bridge. But while that proposal briefly was the go to alternative for opponents of the Connector alignment, it has its own issues of bisecting Cypress Lake and the adjorning swamps, providing no access to Lafayette proper, and not taking enough traffic from the existing US 90/Thruway corridor to be economically effective.

[MikieTimT]

Thanks for the detailed explanation of what remains.  Sounds like there's really just one shovel-ready segment that could be bundled into anything imminent federally.  Hopefully the state could come up with matching funds to actually cause shovels to turn dirt.

[bwana39]

Thanks for the detailed explanation of what remains.  Sounds like there's really just one shovel-ready segment that could be bundled into anything imminent federally.  Hopefully the state could come up with matching funds to actually cause shovels to turn dirt.

Seemingly, the only project with more priority in Louisiana seems to be widening I-10. This project might even fall ahead of widening the Atchafalaya bridges on I-10.

At some point, the proposed loop around the southern side of Baton Rouge might come into play, but the costs for that are big enough there will need to be a lot more funding available before they start. While there may be some work on the ICC or the Port Connector in NW Louisiana, I-49 south of I-10 seemingly has a much larger priority.

[sprjus4]

This project might even fall ahead of widening the Atchafalaya bridges on I-10.

Is this an official proposal? While I agree both bridges need to be at least 3 lanes in each direction with full left and right shoulders, I'm not aware of an actual project for this.

I know they've been rapidly expanding portions of I-10 leading up to the bridge, however.

[bwana39]

This project might even fall ahead of widening the Atchafalaya bridges on I-10.

Is this an official proposal? While I agree both bridges need to be at least 3 lanes in each direction with full left and right shoulders, I'm not aware of an actual project for this.

I know they've been rapidly expanding portions of I-10 leading up to the bridge, however.

Well widening I-10 has been in discussion for quite a while.  No there is not a FORMAL proposal to widen the bridges across the Atchafalaya Basin, it is discussed and pretty much dismissed based on cost. When the rest of I-10 is 3x3 the large  bridges WILL come next.

Regardless, the plan for I-49 south of I-10 is not going anywhere as long as they are building ANY roads in Louisiana.

[Plutonic Panda]

This project might even fall ahead of widening the Atchafalaya bridges on I-10.

Is this an official proposal? While I agree both bridges need to be at least 3 lanes in each direction with full left and right shoulders, I'm not aware of an actual project for this.

I know they've been rapidly expanding portions of I-10 leading up to the bridge, however.

Well widening I-10 has been in discussion for quite a while.  No there is not a FORMAL proposal to widen the bridges across the Atchafalaya Basin, it is discussed and pretty much dismissed based on cost. When the rest of I-10 is 3x3 the large  bridges WILL come next.

Regardless, the plan for I-49 south of I-10 is not going anywhere as long as they are building ANY roads in Louisiana.

I’ve been watching traffic on I-10 throughout the day and it’s been awful. I49 south of I-10 seems like a no brainer for me.

[sparker]

This project might even fall ahead of widening the Atchafalaya bridges on I-10.

Is this an official proposal? While I agree both bridges need to be at least 3 lanes in each direction with full left and right shoulders, I'm not aware of an actual project for this.

I know they've been rapidly expanding portions of I-10 leading up to the bridge, however.

Well widening I-10 has been in discussion for quite a while.  No there is not a FORMAL proposal to widen the bridges across the Atchafalaya Basin, it is discussed and pretty much dismissed based on cost. When the rest of I-10 is 3x3 the large  bridges WILL come next.

Regardless, the plan for I-49 south of I-10 is not going anywhere as long as they are building ANY roads in Louisiana.

I’ve been watching traffic on I-10 throughout the day and it’s been awful. I49 south of I-10 seems like a no brainer for me.

Maybe any logistical fallout coming from Hurricane Ida might point out deficiencies in the South LA road network that could be at least in part ameliorated by a fully operational Interstate-grade facility along US 90.  One of the original selling points for that corridor back in the '90's was as an additional evacuation route; essentially extra lanes for the I-10/I-55 configuration NW of NOLA, which because of its extensive bridge structure is problematic for expansion.  I guess we'll see if the current weather situation compounds the original argument! 

[Road Hog]

This project might even fall ahead of widening the Atchafalaya bridges on I-10.

Is this an official proposal? While I agree both bridges need to be at least 3 lanes in each direction with full left and right shoulders, I'm not aware of an actual project for this.

I know they've been rapidly expanding portions of I-10 leading up to the bridge, however.

Well widening I-10 has been in discussion for quite a while.  No there is not a FORMAL proposal to widen the bridges across the Atchafalaya Basin, it is discussed and pretty much dismissed based on cost. When the rest of I-10 is 3x3 the large  bridges WILL come next.

Regardless, the plan for I-49 south of I-10 is not going anywhere as long as they are building ANY roads in Louisiana.

I’ve been watching traffic on I-10 throughout the day and it’s been awful. I49 south of I-10 seems like a no brainer for me.

Maybe any logistical fallout coming from Hurricane Ida might point out deficiencies in the South LA road network that could be at least in part ameliorated by a fully operational Interstate-grade facility along US 90.  One of the original selling points for that corridor back in the '90's was as an additional evacuation route; essentially extra lanes for the I-10/I-55 configuration NW of NOLA, which because of its extensive bridge structure is problematic for expansion.  I guess we'll see if the current weather situation compounds the original argument!

An improved US 90/I-49 South will help evacuation from the West Bank, but the crossovers from the East Bank will still be a choke point.

[Plutonic Panda]

This project might even fall ahead of widening the Atchafalaya bridges on I-10.

Is this an official proposal? While I agree both bridges need to be at least 3 lanes in each direction with full left and right shoulders, I'm not aware of an actual project for this.

I know they've been rapidly expanding portions of I-10 leading up to the bridge, however.

Well widening I-10 has been in discussion for quite a while.  No there is not a FORMAL proposal to widen the bridges across the Atchafalaya Basin, it is discussed and pretty much dismissed based on cost. When the rest of I-10 is 3x3 the large  bridges WILL come next.

Regardless, the plan for I-49 south of I-10 is not going anywhere as long as they are building ANY roads in Louisiana.

I’ve been watching traffic on I-10 throughout the day and it’s been awful. I49 south of I-10 seems like a no brainer for me.

Maybe any logistical fallout coming from Hurricane Ida might point out deficiencies in the South LA road network that could be at least in part ameliorated by a fully operational Interstate-grade facility along US 90.  One of the original selling points for that corridor back in the '90's was as an additional evacuation route; essentially extra lanes for the I-10/I-55 configuration NW of NOLA, which because of its extensive bridge structure is problematic for expansion.  I guess we'll see if the current weather situation compounds the original argument!

I tell you what I’m watching is the levee system. I’ve heard some modes say this sucker could get to a cat 4. Hopefully this won’t end up as another Katrina. Personally, New Orleans is one of my favorite cities.

[sparker]

This project might even fall ahead of widening the Atchafalaya bridges on I-10.

Is this an official proposal? While I agree both bridges need to be at least 3 lanes in each direction with full left and right shoulders, I'm not aware of an actual project for this.

I know they've been rapidly expanding portions of I-10 leading up to the bridge, however.

Well widening I-10 has been in discussion for quite a while.  No there is not a FORMAL proposal to widen the bridges across the Atchafalaya Basin, it is discussed and pretty much dismissed based on cost. When the rest of I-10 is 3x3 the large  bridges WILL come next.

Regardless, the plan for I-49 south of I-10 is not going anywhere as long as they are building ANY roads in Louisiana.

I’ve been watching traffic on I-10 throughout the day and it’s been awful. I49 south of I-10 seems like a no brainer for me.

Maybe any logistical fallout coming from Hurricane Ida might point out deficiencies in the South LA road network that could be at least in part ameliorated by a fully operational Interstate-grade facility along US 90.  One of the original selling points for that corridor back in the '90's was as an additional evacuation route; essentially extra lanes for the I-10/I-55 configuration NW of NOLA, which because of its extensive bridge structure is problematic for expansion.  I guess we'll see if the current weather situation compounds the original argument!

An improved US 90/I-49 South will help evacuation from the West Bank, but the crossovers from the East Bank will still be a choke point.

Even though they're all multilane (and hopefully set up for all-single-direction), the three crossings from the Quarter to I-310 will get crowded really fast.  But if Ida hits west of NOLA, and the levees don't breach, the evac may just be north/east over the river rather than the other way around.  Since the whole thing will be on CNN over the next day or two (or 3, 4; whatever the situation dictates) we'll have the answer soon enough!

[Bobby5280]

Aside from the very slow progress at converting US-90 to I-49 and the discussions of widening very old (and long) I-10 bridges over the Atchafalaya River and swamp, there may be other highway concerns with highways in aftermath of Hurricane Ida.

I lived in the New Orleans area back in the early 1980's. I was just a kid then. Some of the fond memories I have of the region include numerous road trips to Grand Isle to go fishing. I'm really worried about what will happen to Grand Isle as well as Port Fourchon when Ida makes landfall shortly. As of 9:00am CDT Ida's top sustained winds are 150mph, just short of category 5 status. Grand Isle appears to be directly in the path of the right front quadrant of Ida. That means Grand Isle is going to get the very worst this hurricane has to offer -the strongest winds and maximum storm surge. Ida is likely to hit Grand Isle with much more ferocity than what Katrina did 16 years ago. Obviously those towns had mandatory evacuation orders. Anyone ignoring those orders and staying in Grand Isle is putting their lives in great danger.

Hurricane Katrina did enough damage to Grand Isle back then. Back in the 1980's we did a lot of our fishing off a really long pier at the East end of Grand Isle. That pier was destroyed by Katrina, as was most of the homes and businesses back then. A lot of Grand Isle has been re-built since then. They built a new pier at that state park (although the end of it is not covered like the original). Ida will likely erase all of that new development. The land there is pretty fragile and has been eroding. I think it's possible the enormous storm surge could alter some of the coast line. Ida won't lose much strength as it makes landfall at Port Fourchon since the area is mostly sparse swamp land and lots of open areas of water.

I wonder how Hurricane Ida will affect the roads leading to Port Fourchon and Grand Isle, mainly LA-1. They built one leg of the Gateway to the Gulf Expressway bridge to replace a lot of damage LA-1 suffered with Katrina. I wonder how that new-ish bridge will fare in this storm. If all the structures in Grand Isle and Port Fourchon are wiped away will they even bother to re-build?

I-10 has definitely been bottle-necked going both East and West of New Orleans. It underscores the need for the federal government to get off its @$$ and directly address some of the highway issues in Louisiana. I-10 is a NATIONAL highway, not one to be solely funded by state projects. That means projects to widen I-10, including those aging, narrow bridges over swamp land, need a LOT of federal funding help. The same goes for improving US-90 into becoming I-49 as an alternative escape route for New Orleans. US-90 going West of New Orleans is insufficient. The West Bank Expressway is still not finished, 40 years after the project started. The towns of Avondale, Boutte, Paradis and Des Allemands are bottlenecks along US-90. Outside of the work in Lafayette those are the most difficult remaining projects of the US-90/I-49 conversion. The freeway projects in Patterson and Bayou Vista will be easier since there is more available ROW to use.

[Plutonic Panda]

It looks like the storm is about halfway over for grand isles. The eye is about me over Leeville. One thing I’d like to experience in my life is to be in the eye of a hurricane. I’d risk my life to do it. It looks amazing.

[sparker]

At this point (6:30 pm PDT) according to the reports it looks like Ida's doing what previous hurricanes have done and followed distinct waterways inland -- in this case, heading for the Atchafayala River.  We'll have to see how the I-10 bridge system holds up when the eye passes over it.  I'd expect extensive flooding over the I-49/South corridor length, particularly between Morgan City and Lafayette.  Wouldn't be surprised to see the area from Baton Rouge west to about US 165 resembling one huge shallow lake by the end of the day.   

[bassoon1986]

At this point (6:30 pm PDT) according to the reports it looks like Ida's doing what previous hurricanes have done and followed distinct waterways inland -- in this case, heading for the Atchafayala River.  We'll have to see how the I-10 bridge system holds up when the eye passes over it.  I'd expect extensive flooding over the I-49/South corridor length, particularly between Morgan City and Lafayette.  Wouldn't be surprised to see the area from Baton Rouge west to about US 165 resembling one huge shallow lake by the end of the day.

I’m sorry, what? The threat from Lafayette north and west is far less now. The eye of Ida went just to the west of New Orleans metro, and is traveling north between Baton Rouge and Hammond. It won’t cross the Mississippi River going west again or the Atchafalaya River.


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