Current new interstate projects

[bassoon1986]

Where are current NEW interstate construction projects happening? Not where plans or studies are ongoing but shovels in the ground. I'm not talking about expanded lanes or upgrades or bypasses of places that will eventually be part of an interstate corridor, but if the project were completed tomorrow, it would immediately have a new blue shield. Something like a Lufkin, TX bypass wouldn't count here since it doesn't connect to an existing portion of I-69.

In my general area:
I-49 between Bentonville AR and Pineville MO - roughly 20 miles

I-69 extending from Rosenberg to Kendleton, TX (SW of Houston metro)


iPhone

[3467]

You mean new not reconstruction of more lanes right?
Then I think of  69 in Indiana.
37 is being converted right now.

[sprjus4]

I-69 between Robstown and Driscoll, TX.
I-73 / I-74 Rockingham Bypass around Rockingham, NC.
I-74 Winston-Salem Beltway around Winston-Salem, NC.
I-840 Greensboro Urban Loop around Greensboro, NC.
I-885 East End Connector in Durham, NC.
I-295 Fayetteville Beltway around Fayetteville, NC.

[bassoon1986]

I-69 between Robstown and Driscoll, TX.
I-73 / I-74 Rockingham Bypass around Rockingham, NC.
I-74 Winston-Salem Beltway around Winston-Salem, NC.
I-840 Greensboro Urban Loop around Greensboro, NC.
I-885 East End Connector in Durham, NC.
I-295 Fayetteville Beltway around Fayetteville, NC.

Would the Driscoll TX segment include the section south of that too? Street view looked like work would also include the section down to Kingsville.


iPhone

[sparker]

This may be a slight stretch -- but the Loop 215/US 95 interchange construction ongoing just NW of Las Vegas is likely to be addressing I-11 unless the west Loop 215 routing option is selected, in which case there's an even chance that a cutoff between the NW corner of the loop and US 95 several miles northward will bypass the interchange under construction.  Even so, once completed, at least the north "leg" of the 215 loop is due to be signed as I-215 once fully completed.  Thus it's reasonably safe to say that the construction deals with a part of the Interstate network. 

[ET21]

I-490 west of O'Hare Airport in NE Illinois

[SkyPesos]

Closest one to me is I-69 between Martinsville and Indianapolis.

[roadman65]

If Future interstates count, then the spot constructions along US 90 near Lafayette, LA would count. That is if one person on this forum told me in person off the forum that LADOTD had started on upgrades to get the interstate going there.

[OCGuy81]

Is there any possibility of CA-99 becoming Interstate 7?

Last time I looked into this, I *think* there's still a few substandard stretches and interstates along 99.

[SkyPesos]

Speaking of future interstate projects, about 30 years ago, I-73 and I-74 extension were future interstate projects in Ohio.

[sprjus4]

Would the Driscoll TX segment include the section south of that too? Street view looked like work would also include the section down to Kingsville.

The current project is upgrading US-77 between Robstown and Bishop to interstate standards including a new terrain route around the east side of Driscoll. At the completion of that project, I-69 will be complete between I-37 and Kingsville. Additionally, more projects are currently planned to begin construction in the next 5-10 years that will extend I-69 to south of Riviera with a new terrain route around the east side of that town.

[ozarkman417]

To the east of me is the upgrading of US 67 to I-57, and to the west is the I-49 Bella Vista Bypass.

[sparker]

Is there any possibility of CA-99 becoming Interstate 7?

Last time I looked into this, I *think* there's still a few substandard stretches and interstates along 99.

Something of an understatement.  Pretty much all of the freeway from the Kern/Tulare county line north of Delano to the Tagus Ranch area north of Tulare is substandard, being among one of the oldest (built 1952-62) stretches of 99.  Underheight overpasses (some under 15 feet), rip-rap/unpaved inner shoulders, and a few almost-RIRO interchanges need to be addressed prior to any discussion of Interstate status.  That section of 99 constitutes the longest continuous stretch of the old oleander-in-the-median style; but that has largely been augmented by thrie-beam barriers flanking the bushes -- usually about 7-8 feet from the lane's edge, meaning that paving up to the barrier would be sufficient to meet the 4-foot minimum standard for inner shoulders.  But a lot of those underheight overcrossing bridges are of older-style concrete construction; they'll need to be fully replaced prior to any thoughts of I-status.  Besides the Tulare County segment, several overcrossings near downtown Fresno are underheight, as are the structures along the Chowchilla bypass north of there.  The stretch through Merced has narrow shoulders, while the very old Atwater bypass north of there essentially needs a complete rebuild.  A few Modesto bridges are too low clearance, as are those along the Manteca bypass north of there.  It hasn't been formally decided whether to continue the Interstate along CA 99 from CA 4 in Stockton to US 50 (erstwhile I-305) in Sacramento, but if that section is indeed included in the eventual Interstate designation, that'll add to the substandard feature list (low overheads in multiple places including Lodi, Galt, and Elk Grove).  But there are long stretches of 99 that are fully Interstate standard or in the process of upgrade, including from the south terminus at I-5 north to the Kern/Tulare county line, from south of CA 198 through south Fresno, most of Madera County north to CA 152, the new South Merced segment opened a couple of years ago, the segment from north of Atwater to south Modesto (as a result of many short upgraded segments) and from north of central Modesto to CA 120.  All in all, about 60% of 99 from Wheeler Ridge to Stockton is currently designation-ready; the remainder needs some work.   

[bassoon1986]

If Future interstates count, then the spot constructions along US 90 near Lafayette, LA would count. That is if one person on this forum told me in person off the forum that LADOTD had started on upgrades to get the interstate going there.

But those wouldn't be signed as I-49. If construction were happening from I-10 into downtown, then yes.


iPhone

[OCGuy81]

Thanks for that info on CA-99. It's been a while since I drove all of it, and I thought more improvements had been made than that.

Even without interstate status, I much prefer 99 to I-5. From about Stockton to the Grapevine, 5 is hundreds of miles of arguably the most boring stretch of interstate.

[sparker]

Thanks for that info on CA-99. It's been a while since I drove all of it, and I thought more improvements had been made than that.

Even without interstate status, I much prefer 99 to I-5. From about Stockton to the Grapevine, 5 is hundreds of miles of arguably the most boring stretch of interstate.

In full agreement there; also, the selection of "road food" is a lot better on 99 than it is 5, the latter dominated by fast-food chains (although the superior In-n-Out has a couple of outlets on 5, as does Andersen's Pea Soup restaurant at Santa Nella, which isn't half-bad).  Nevertheless, it's worth it to venture into Fresno for beerocks (nee' birocs) -- Armenian meat-filled pastries; also Bravo Ranch in Traver (between Goshen and Kingsburg) has great cheese!

[TheGrassGuy]

Thanks for that info on CA-99. It's been a while since I drove all of it, and I thought more improvements had been made than that.

Even without interstate status, I much prefer 99 to I-5. From about Stockton to the Grapevine, 5 is hundreds of miles of arguably the most boring stretch of interstate.

In full agreement there; also, the selection of "road food" is a lot better on 99 than it is 5, the latter dominated by fast-food chains (although the superior In-n-Out has a couple of outlets on 5, as does Andersen's Pea Soup restaurant at Santa Nella, which isn't half-bad).  Nevertheless, it's worth it to venture into Fresno for beerocks (nee' birocs) -- Armenian meat-filled pastries; also Bravo Ranch in Traver (between Goshen and Kingsburg) has great cheese!

That pea soup looks disgusting

[Henry]

I thought CA 99 was going to be upgraded to I-9; however, that would cause some uproar among those who are familiar with the well-established CA 9, while CA 7 has become a nomadic designation, having been assigned to a bunch of different routes in its lifetime. So I-7 would be the way to go if the upgrades ever went through.

[SeriesE]

I thought CA 99 was going to be upgraded to I-9; however, that would cause some uproar among those who are familiar with the well-established CA 9, while CA 7 has become a nomadic designation, having been assigned to a bunch of different routes in its lifetime. So I-7 would be the way to go if the upgrades ever went through.

Given how stingy AASHTO was regarding giving California 2dis, it would probably be I-705 or a southerly extension of I-305

[sparker]

Thanks for that info on CA-99. It's been a while since I drove all of it, and I thought more improvements had been made than that.

Even without interstate status, I much prefer 99 to I-5. From about Stockton to the Grapevine, 5 is hundreds of miles of arguably the most boring stretch of interstate.

In full agreement there; also, the selection of "road food" is a lot better on 99 than it is 5, the latter dominated by fast-food chains (although the superior In-n-Out has a couple of outlets on 5, as does Andersen's Pea Soup restaurant at Santa Nella, which isn't half-bad).  Nevertheless, it's worth it to venture into Fresno for beerocks (nee' birocs) -- Armenian meat-filled pastries; also Bravo Ranch in Traver (between Goshen and Kingsburg) has great cheese!

That pea soup looks disgusting

Looks can be deceiving.  It's actually quite good, if you can get used to the texture -- it's all pureed peas and pretty devoid of texture (no lumpy peas).  Tastes like real peas, though!

I thought CA 99 was going to be upgraded to I-9; however, that would cause some uproar among those who are familiar with the well-established CA 9, while CA 7 has become a nomadic designation, having been assigned to a bunch of different routes in its lifetime. So I-7 would be the way to go if the upgrades ever went through.

Given how stingy AASHTO was regarding giving California 2dis, it would probably be I-705 or a southerly extension of I-305

All of CA's 2dis (including two 1dis!) were commissioned back in '56 with the original system, with 15 being extended with the '68 batch of additions.  Caltrans or any other entity hasn't proposed any new trunk interstates in the interim, so AASHTO has no history of any actions regarding such.  The pending Interstate designation attached to HPC #54, the corridor extending along CA 99, was a congressional action within the 2005 SAFETEA-LU legislation but without a specified number.  If the actual Interstate designation is sought and a number selected, it would likely be simply appended to the existing legislative definition of the corridor; even Caltrans, in their CA 99 "master plan" for improvements to that route, has suggested that I-7 or I-9 will be the designation selected.  But don't hold your breath -- there's a lot of upgrades yet to be done before such a designation could become reality.     

[achilles765]

Near me is where the planned massive redesign of interstate 45/69/10 is being considered.

[OCGuy81]

I think I-7 would make the most sense for CA-99. That allows my fictional interstate wish of I-9 running roughly along US 97 available.