Louisiana

[agentsteel53]

that's them.

I had no idea that they were individually mounted letters.  button copy, in effect.

[roadman65]

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Golden+Meadow,+LA&hl=en&ll=29.252107,-90.222194&spn=0.006983,0.015278&sll=27.698638,-83.804601&sspn=7.174457,15.644531&oq=Golden+Mead&t=h&hnear=Golden+Meadow,+Lafourche,+Louisiana&z=16
Why is there a 90 degree curve on the new alignment of LA 1 between Golden Meadow and Leesville?  Is there some environmental issue that forced the state to do that instead of a traditional curve at this location?

[UptownRoadGeek]

Why is there a 90 degree curve on the new alignment of LA 1 between Golden Meadow and Leesville?  Is there some environmental issue that forced the state to do that instead of a traditional curve at this location?

The new alignment is incomplete. In time it will LA 1 will be extended forward past the "curve", which just serves as a connection to the old alignment and Golden Meadow. If you look to the south you can see where the same situation existed on the other side of Leeville before the new LA 1 was extended southward. The Leeville bridge was built first and the rest added from there in either direction.

[roadman65]

So I can assume that LA 3235 will eventually become LA 1 as well?

[UptownRoadGeek]

So I can assume that LA 3235 will eventually become LA 1 as well?

There could be some truth to that.

LA 1 Project Overview

[roadman65]

It should as LA 3235 is already a bypass and a designated truck route for LA 1.  The only thing is that it stops at LA 24, so it would need to cross the Intracoastal Waterway and somehow curve back to LA 1 north of there or continue on to US 90.  I know that High Priority corridor 44 is along LA 1 between Lockport and Raceland, so it would make sense.

[brownpelican]

The state us about to embark on a $46 million project to add 350 miles of cable median barriers to the interstate system. They will be added to Interstates 10, 12, 20 and 55:

* 27 miles on I-10 in West Baton Rouge and Iberville parishes
* 76 miles on I-12 and I-55 in Livingston and Tangipahoa parishes
* 8 miles on I-10 in New Orleans East
* 44 miles in Calcasieu and Jeff Davis parishes.
* 185 miles on I-20 in eight parishes

Installation should be done by June 2016

Source: http://theadvocate.com/news/acadiana/6494647-123/state-launching-more-cable-median

[brownpelican]

Gonzales officials have unveiled plans for four roundabouts on La. 30: I-10 (two), Tanger Blvd./Cabela's Pkwy and Saint Landry Ave.

No word on how much the project would be or when construction would start.

http://theadvocate.com/home/6537852-125/gonzales-roundabouts-planned-for-la

[froggie]

Wonder what their rationale was for selecting those Interstate segments for cable median barrier.

On that note, surprised I-59 wasn't included, unless cable median barrier is already installed on I-59.  It wasn't when I left in 2008.

[Grzrd]

For reference, we've had past discussions on the concept of deconstructing I-10 along Claiborne....one from a couple months ago in the Louisiana thread, and another from early 2009.

(above quote from NOLA gets grant to study possible teardown of I-10 over Claiborne thread)

This article reports that three alternative scenarios and a sub-alternative for the Claiborne elevated portion of I-10 will be presented in September:

"We're developing three alternative scenarios and a sub-alternative,"  Bill Gilchrist, the city's director of Place-Based Planning, said last week. "We're in the process of running transportation models on these alternatives and reviewing traffic behavior seen in the modeling."  
Several possibilities exist for the overpass. "They include retaining the structure, to alternatives showing the progressive removal of selected ramps, to the removal of the entire elevated portion along Claiborne,"  Gil­christ said. Ramps along the expressway are deteriorating and will need to be repaired soon if they are kept.
"The study is showing that progressive removal of ramps with the elevated structure in place can free up property along Claiborne for other uses,"  Gilchrist said. "Ramps along Claiborne from U.S. 90 to St. Bernard Ave. are built directly over city blocks. Initial findings indicate that removing some of these ramps might open up land for development."
Each scenario takes into account the Rampart streetcar line, scheduled to open in 2015, and other new projects, including the University Medical Center-VA Hospital complex and the Lafitte Greenway, Gilchrist said. "The study is taking into consideration traffic patterns, including those of the port,"  he said.
"We'll present the alternatives as part of the study's overall recommendations at a community meeting in September, with the date to be announced soon," he said. The alternatives will be submitted to the U.S. Dept. of Transportation this fall for an initial project analysis. No time line exists for that review, according to City Hall.

[brownpelican]

It took them long enough. I remember this stretch was jacked up when I was a kid in the late 80s.

DOTD has started on an $8.7 million project to resurface US 190 between I-12 and La. 22. An auxillary lane will be added northbound between La. 22 and Fairway Drive and Fairway and I-12 northbound, with another one created between Fairway and La. 22 southbound. One lane should be open at all times in both directions.

The work should be finished in February 2014.

http://www.nola.com/traffic/index.ssf/2013/08/repairs_to_begin_on_us_190_bet.html#incart_river

[brownpelican]

One million bucks has been earmarked to conduct a study on the feasibility of extending Hooper Road (La. 408) across the Amite River to La. 16 in Watson. If built, the road would connect La. 16 and I-110 via Harding Blvd.

http://www.wafb.com/story/23200102/another-road-planned-to-connect-livingston-and-ebr?utm_source=buffer&utm_campaign=Buffer&utm_content=buffer9588c&utm_medium=facebook

[Brian556]

Are there any websites with old Louisiana highway maps?

[NE2]

Are there any websites with old Louisiana highway maps?

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=8424.msg229873#msg229873
http://research.archives.gov/description/821491
https://docs.google.com/folderview?id=0Bz23eC3o6S-fZmJhNGQ4YzAtM2Q2ZC00MDE3LWIyODYtY2U2NDE0NDQxNTBh

[mcdonaat]

Anyone know where parish shields are located in Louisiana? I have Natchitoches, EBR, WBR, St James, Richland, Desoto, Rapides, Grant, and Winn photographed already.

[formulanone]

If you mean the MUTCD-standard pentagons, then Iberia Parrish has a bunch. Saint Mary and Washington Parrishes had a few.

[bassoon1986]

Anyone know where parish shields are located in Louisiana? I have Natchitoches, EBR, WBR, St James, Richland, Desoto, Rapides, Grant, and Winn photographed already.

I know there is one in my hometown of Blanchard (Caddo Parish), but I can't remember which road. It's either Blanchard Furrh Rd or Blanchard Latex Rd just over the railroad tracks from LA 173. I'd wager that there may also be some in SW Caddo Parish near Greenwood, Bethany, or Springridge.

Webster Parish has them on Goodwill Rd at I-20 and plenty along the side roads of Pine St/Dorcheat Rd (unsigned LA 3008) north of Minden.


Other Interstate exits that have them on a BGS or immediately off the highway are Exit 145 on I-20 (Holly Ridge/ Richland Parish) and I-12 at Satsuma/Colyell (Livingston)

[Urban Prairie Schooner]

Anyone know where parish shields are located in Louisiana? I have Natchitoches, EBR, WBR, St James, Richland, Desoto, Rapides, Grant, and Winn photographed already.

Cameron Parish - your parish shield cup will runneth over.

[Sanctimoniously]

Anyone know where parish shields are located in Louisiana? I have Natchitoches, EBR, WBR, St James, Richland, Desoto, Rapides, Grant, and Winn photographed already.

There aren't any in Union anymore? Or were you not counting that because of its proximity to Monroe? I remember a few in the area around LA 552...

[mcdonaat]

Anyone know where parish shields are located in Louisiana? I have Natchitoches, EBR, WBR, St James, Richland, Desoto, Rapides, Grant, and Winn photographed already.

There aren't any in Union anymore? Or were you not counting that because of its proximity to Monroe? I remember a few in the area around LA 552...

Not counting it because of the sheer number, the same with Cameron, Terrebonne, and Webster. I'm in the process of buying some from local police juries.

[Grzrd]

LaDOTD has posted links to the FY 2014-15 Draft Highway Plans for the various districts:

http://www.dotd.la.gov/pressreleases/Release.aspx?key=2379

[UptownRoadGeek]

Nice to see the Earhart interchanges at Causeway and Dakin in there, as well as the study for the light rail to the airport.

[pctech]

LA DODT proposing light rail? Time to buy lottery tickets!! 

[froggie]

To be fair, it's a corridor where light rail makes some sense.  It's not like they'd be running it out to an empty swamp or something...

[Grzrd]

Anticipating more freight traffic at the Port of South Louisiana resulting from the Panama Canal expansion, officials in St. Charles Parish are apparently working to try and get an I-x10 spur directly to the port:

http://www.heraldguide.com/details.php?id=13196

The transportation infrastructure in St. Charles Parish is in questionable shape when it comes to handling up to three times more freight traffic that is expected to be shipped through the area after the expansion of the Panama Canal is completed .... Sen. Gary Smith recently traveled to the Panama Canal as part of a group of legislators from the Southern Legislative Conference to examine the canal and hear more about its potential economic impact on southeast Louisiana .... Smith, who is on the Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works .... He said the legislature is already looking at building highway access directly to the Port of South Louisiana.
"We're working to try and get a spur off the interstate there in Reserve so in the future maybe we can have traffic go right to the interstate in the port," he said.