235 replies to this topic

[Mith242]

Okay looks like you got the pic fixed before I finished my post.  I think I see what kind of divided highway it is now.  I've seen a number of these divided highways in Oklahoma but I don't think Arkansas has many.  I think they are good cheaper alternatives to interstate type roads.  Arkansas has used it some in Hwy 412 in northwest Arkansas, but outside of there I haven't recalled seeing any other area in Arkansas with a divided open access highway.

[Rural King]

Yep I-10 is the southernmost east-west interstate. It stretches from California Highway 1 in Santa Monica to I-95 in Jacksonville. It goes through cities like Pheonix, Houston, New Orleans, Gulfport/Biloxi, Mobile, Jacksonville, and several others.

[Rural King]

Mith242, on Jul 18 2005, 03:09 PM, said:

Okay looks like you got the pic fixed before I finished my post.  I think I see what kind of divided highway it is now.  I've seen a number of these divided highways in Oklahoma but I don't think Arkansas has many.  I think they are good cheaper alternatives to interstate type roads.  Arkansas has used it some in Hwy 412 in northwest Arkansas, but outside of there I haven't recalled seeing any other area in Arkansas with a divided open access highway.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Really? Tennessee has these type of roads all over. West Tennessee for example has US 51 (a lot of which is to become the new I-69), US 412, US 45/US 45E/US45W, TN 22.....which are the ones I can think of off the top of my head. Tennessee is all about some four-lane divided highways. Not to mention its getting pretty hard to find dirt or gravel roads in West Tennessee anymore, which means the counties like to pave alot too.

Edited by Rural King, 18 July 2005 - 02:24 PM.

[Mith242]

Rural King, on Jul 18 2005, 03:23 PM, said:

Really? Tennessee has these type of roads all over. West Tennessee for example has US 51 (a lot of which is to become the new I-69), US 412, US 45/US 45E/US45W, TN 22.....which are the ones I can think of off the top of my head. Tennessee is all about some four-lane divided highways. Not to mention its getting pretty hard to find dirt or gravel roads in West Tennessee anymore, which means the counties like to pave alot too.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Arkansas does have four lanes highways of course but rarely seem to use the divided type.  Not sure why that is to be honest.

[johnnydr87]

Rural King, on Jul 18 2005, 02:23 PM, said:

Really? Tennessee has these type of roads all over. West Tennessee for example has US 51 (a lot of which is to become the new I-69), US 412, US 45/US 45E/US45W, TN 22.....which are the ones I can think of off the top of my head. Tennessee is all about some four-lane divided highways. Not to mention its getting pretty hard to find dirt or gravel roads in West Tennessee anymore, which means the counties like to pave alot too.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That was my reaction... I'm pretty sure we have them all over Arkansas.....unless I'm totally confused on the topic...which may be the case..

[Mith242]

johnnydr87, on Jul 18 2005, 03:58 PM, said:

That was my reaction... I'm pretty sure we have them all over Arkansas.....unless I'm totally confused on the topic...which may be the case..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maybe I just haven't been around the right areas of the state but I have rarely seen open access divided four lane highways in Arkansas.  The only example I can think of is Some of Hwy 412 in northwest Arkansas.  Now I'm not talking about closed access as in interstates or expressways.  Almost all the four lanes roads I have seen are not divided.  Now like I said this isn't including interstates and such that have overpasses and exit ramps and so on.  Perhaps I just haven't been to the right areas of the state to see this.

[Arkansawyer]

sleepy, on Jul 18 2005, 08:11 AM, said:

They may re-sign it to I-49, but that road has existed for years as a freeway--Hwy 90--through Houma, Morgan City, and New Iberia.  In New Orleans, it's called the WestBank Expressway.  And it certainly won't be used as a route connecting New Orleans to Arkansas, unless you want to go 100 miles out of your way.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No need to be miffed, but Mith asked if I-49 would extend to New Orleans, and if US 90 is upgraded to meet the status of an interstate highway, then it will. As you pointed out, it will not be a new route, and would not be the route taken from I-49 out of Arkansas. Coming from Little Rock, the best route is probably to take I-55 South from Jackson, MS.

[Mith242]

Arkansawyer, on Jul 19 2005, 01:32 AM, said:

No need to be miffed, but Mith asked if I-49 would extend to New Orleans, and if US 90 is upgraded to meet the status of an interstate highway, then it will. As you pointed out, it will not be a new route, and would not be the route taken from I-49 out of Arkansas. Coming from Little Rock, the best route is probably to take I-55 South from Jackson, MS.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

After I finally looked at an atlas I saw what he meant.  There is a Hwy 90 that extends past I-10 that seems almost and extension of I-49.  But it also takes a very roundabout route over towards New Orleans.  You'd be better off just getting onto I-10 and heading towards New Orleans on it.  So unless you wanted to do something trivial like resign that section of I-10 to I-10/I-49 there's not really any need to extend I-49 towards New Orleans.  Now maybe if you wanted to head another direction, then again you're already pretty far south.  Any other major area you wanted to go you'd probably be better off just getting on I-10 from that point on.

[sleepy]

Mith242, on Jul 18 2005, 02:05 PM, said:

  Yeah it looks like you'd be better off just taking I-10 towards New Orleans.  Unless they were going to do something superficial like rename that section to I-10/I-49 there's not really much need it looks like to change Hwy 90 to I-49 because you could simply take I-10 and have a much more direct route to New Orleans.  I obviously didn't know my Louisiana roads very well.  I did not know there was a I-49 from Shreveport to Lafayette.  Is I-10 a major interstate like I-40 just out of curiousity?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, I-10's a major interstate--it connects Florida, Texas, and California.

If you're coming from Arkansas down I-49, you still wouldn't go all the way south to Lafayette to get on I-10 if you were going to New Orleans.  You'd get off on Hwy 169 at Opelousas which is a four lane expressway all the way to Baton Rouge where it connects to I-10.  It would be about 30 or 40 miles nearer.

That southern section of I-49/Hwy 90 is basically to connect Lafayette with New Iberia, Morgan City, and Houma.  If you were going from Lafayette to New Orleans you would take I-10.

Edited by sleepy, 19 July 2005 - 02:29 PM.

[Mith242]

sleepy, on Jul 19 2005, 03:26 PM, said:

Yeah, I-10's a major interstate--it connects Florida, Texas, and California.

If you're coming from Arkansas down I-49, you still wouldn't go all the way south to Lafayette to get on I-10 if you were going to New Orleans.  You'd get off on Hwy 169 at Opelousas which is a four lane expressway all the way to Baton Rouge where it connects to I-10.  It would be about 30 or 40 miles nearer.

That southern section of I-49/Hwy 90 is basically to connect Lafayette with New Iberia, Morgan City, and Houma.  If you were going from Lafayette to New Orleans you would take I-10.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I guess I was looking at it more of a perspective of if I-49 could potentially become a major interstate or if it will remain just a interstate in this particular area of the country.  It's easier to say something like it extends from New Orleans to Kansas City (okay one day in the future).

[NCB]

Just giving you guys an update; construction is about to start on I-49 from Lafayette to New Orleans.
I am hoping it would also help to relieve the traffic in Baton Rouge from everyone going to New Orleans and further westward, it would allow people coming west on I-10 to contunue on through Baton Rouge to New Orleans or get onto I-12 and skip N.O., and people coming south on I-49 to continue down through Lafayette and through Houma towards New Orleans instead of going through B.R. Anyone who travels on I-49 or I-10 frequently knows BR rush hour+heavy traffic on I-10 means little or no movement for a long time... so the new area of I-49 would allow for much of the traffic on I-10 from Lafayette to N.O. to clear up.   I-49 is supposed to either connect directly to I-10 near the north side of downtown N.O. near the superdome, or connect to I-610 allowing for less traffic along I-10 in downtown New Orleans.

But....Louisiana doesnt seem to be working on I-49 from Shreveport to Texarkana, I drove up HW 71 recently to visit some family near Texarkana, and nothing is really happening on the LA side. Once you get across the border however, AR is really working on it and the construction came down to Fouke. I cant see Louisiana having I-49 going from New Orleans and just stopping in Shreveport, espesially if it is completed on the AR side..

[Mith242]

NCB, on Jul 25 2005, 09:28 PM, said:

Just giving you guys an update; construction is about to start on I-49 from Lafayette to New Orleans.
I am hoping it would also help to relieve the traffic in Baton Rouge from everyone going to New Orleans and further westward, it would allow people coming west on I-10 to contunue on through Baton Rouge to New Orleans or get onto I-12 and skip N.O., and people coming south on I-49 to continue down through Lafayette and through Houma towards New Orleans instead of going through B.R. Anyone who travels on I-49 or I-10 frequently knows BR rush hour+heavy traffic on I-10 means little or no movement for a long time... so the new area of I-49 would allow for much of the traffic on I-10 from Lafayette to N.O. to clear up.   I-49 is supposed to either connect directly to I-10 near the north side of downtown N.O. near the superdome, or connect to I-610 allowing for less traffic along I-10 in downtown New Orleans.

But....Louisiana doesnt seem to be working on I-49 from Shreveport to Texarkana, I drove up HW 71 recently to visit some family near Texarkana, and nothing is really happening on the LA side. Once you get across the border however, AR is really working on it and the construction came down to Fouke. I cant see Louisiana having I-49 going from New Orleans and just stopping in Shreveport, espesially if it is completed on the AR side..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the update NCB.  Hearing about the traffic problems also provides a reason as to why you'd continue I-49 to New Orleans even if it doesn't look to be the most direct route.  I'd think Louisiana will eventually work on the section between Shreveport and the border.

[NCB]

GOOD NEWS!
Louisiana was just granted $200 million by congress under the highway bill...and the first thing on the list is to  complete I-49 from Shreveport to Arkansas..some of the money will also be used for I-49 south(most of the funding for I-49 south is already complete)
So it seems I-49 is one step closer to being complete in Louisiana....finally

[Mith242]

Great, so sometime in the near future I-49 will pretty much be finished in Lousiana going from New Orleans to the border near Texarkana.  I guess the next big hurdle will be getting it done between Texarkana to Ft Smith, through the Ouachita Mtns.  Sounds like there are plans set to eventually get the last small section in northwest Arkansas done.  Also sounds like there are plans for I-540 (the eventual I-49 when it gets up here) to connect to I-44 or get pretty close to it.  Possibly even getting it connected to Kansas City.

[Mith242]

As far as the big highway bill that was passed in the house I have learned that $37 Mil is earmarked for I-540/'I-49' around Bella Vista.  I haven't seen where all the money is going throughout the state.  But as far as northwest Arkansas is concerned that is the biggest share of the money for road projects up here.

[Aporkalypse]

Mith242, on Jul 29 2005, 06:54 PM, said:

Great, so sometime in the near future I-49 will pretty much be finished in Lousiana going from New Orleans to the border near Texarkana.  I guess the next big hurdle will be getting it done between Texarkana to Ft Smith, through the Ouachita Mtns.  Sounds like there are plans set to eventually get the last small section in northwest Arkansas done.  Also sounds like there are plans for I-540 (the eventual I-49 when it gets up here) to connect to I-44 or get pretty close to it.  Possibly even getting it connected to Kansas City.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The I-49 corridor supposedly will replace US 71 which runs all the way to KC already.  Only a short portion near the AR border hasn't already been converted to quality 4-lane highway but unlike the construction of 4-lane U.S. Highways running from LR to Pine Bluff (now I-530) and LR to Newport (US 67/167), this road was not made "interstate ready" meaning it has roads cross it without true exits.  It's also pretty desolate until you reach KC.  I'm not sure that Missouri is too excited about forking up the dough to convert it right after they spent quite a bit to finish out converting it to 4 lanes.

As for Arkansas, it will be very expensive to go through these mountains and really won't connect any important communities other than Ft Smith and allowing Texarkanans to get to Fayetteville for games.  The river bridge in Ft Smith alone will cost $100 million.  The cost to build the whole section in AR is projected to be $25,000 for every taxpayer in Arkansas.  A lot of thought has gone into making this a toll road and it's really not a bad idea if they really end up building it.  For a while there was consideration given to making the last piece of loop left around LR (which is fully federally funded) into a toll road to help pay for I-49 but this had central Arkansans up in arms as most of them will never use I-49.

Hey, I live in Dallas and go to Razorback games often so I'm all for it, there are just a ton of obstacles.

[Mith242]

Aporkalypse, on Jul 31 2005, 11:26 AM, said:

The I-49 corridor supposedly will replace US 71 which runs all the way to KC already.  Only a short portion near the AR border hasn't already been converted to quality 4-lane highway but unlike the construction of 4-lane U.S. Highways running from LR to Pine Bluff (now I-530) and LR to Newport (US 67/167), this road was not made "interstate ready" meaning it has roads cross it without true exits.  It's also pretty desolate until you reach KC.  I'm not sure that Missouri is too excited about forking up the dough to convert it right after they spent quite a bit to finish out converting it to 4 lanes.

As for Arkansas, it will be very expensive to go through these mountains and really won't connect any important communities other than Ft Smith and allowing Texarkanans to get to Fayetteville for games.  The river bridge in Ft Smith alone will cost $100 million.  The cost to build the whole section in AR is projected to be $25,000 for every taxpayer in Arkansas.  A lot of thought has gone into making this a toll road and it's really not a bad idea if they really end up building it.  For a while there was consideration given to making the last piece of loop left around LR (which is fully federally funded) into a toll road to help pay for I-49 but this had central Arkansans up in arms as most of them will never use I-49.

Hey, I live in Dallas and go to Razorback games often so I'm all for it, there are just a ton of obstacles.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I do see your point about it going through many sizeable cities.  I also didn't realize Missouri had built it as an 'open' instead of 'closed' interstate road.  But Arkansas wouldn't have to build a bridge over the Arkansas River at Ft Smith.  I-540/I-49 already exists and has already gone over the river connecting to I-40 for a while before it heads north again near Alma.  It sounds like the section around Bella Vista near the Missouri border will probably end up a toll road.  But I'm pretty sure it's to pay for that particular section of road itself, not pay for any future sections of I-49.  I also don't see them making the section of I-49 through the Ouachitas a toll road because I'm not sure if there would be enough traffic, at least for a while, to pay much of anything off.  But yes the biggest obstacle is still left between Texarkana to Ft Smith through the Ouachitas.  I-540 through the Ozarks cost a lot of money because of the rough terrain.  The Ouachitas may not be as bad but it's still not going to come cheap through there either.

[Aporkalypse]

Mith242, on Jul 31 2005, 10:58 AM, said:

I do see your point about it going through many sizeable cities.  I also didn't realize Missouri had built it as an 'open' instead of 'closed' interstate road.  But Arkansas wouldn't have to build a bridge over the Arkansas River at Ft Smith.  I-540/I-49 already exists and has already gone over the river connecting to I-40 for a while before it heads north again near Alma.  It sounds like the section around Bella Vista near the Missouri border will probably end up a toll road.  But I'm pretty sure it's to pay for that particular section of road itself, not pay for any future sections of I-49.  I also don't see them making the section of I-49 through the Ouachitas a toll road because I'm not sure if there would be enough traffic, at least for a while, to pay much of anything off.  But yes the biggest obstacle is still left between Texarkana to Ft Smith through the Ouachitas.  I-540 through the Ozarks cost a lot of money because of the rough terrain.  The Ouachitas may not be as bad but it's still not going to come cheap through there either.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Take a trip up to KC sometime, it's an easy 3 hr drive from NWA and it's great town to visit if you've never been there.  It's 4 lane divided for all but the first county north of AR (McDonald Co).  The talk is of making all of the stretch from Texarkana to Ft Smith a toll road though counts as you said will be low (which also is an argument not to build it as it is so cost prohibitive).  Terrain is rough but not as rough as the Ozarks, I guess, but it has to go much further.  Missouri's contribution is only for the Bella Vista part, which I think AR should ante up for and keep from being a toll road.  I don't see any of us paying a toll to bypass that short, and very scenic, segment.

[vbfl85]

The Arkansas Highway Commission has apporved the Bella Vista Bypass to become a toll road.  They said with a toll of $1.50 it could pay for the $211 million, 15 mile road.  They said the first bond could be sold as soon as January and construction could be finished by 2010.

Toll Road Approved

Edited by vbfl85, 13 April 2006 - 07:38 AM.

[strmchsr77]

vbfl85, on Apr 13 2006, 08:33 AM, said:

The Arkansas Highway Commission has apporved the Bella Vista Bypass to become a toll road.  They said with a toll of $1.50 it could pay for the $211 million, 15 mile road.  They said the first bond could be sold as soon as January and construction could be finished by 2010.

Toll Road Approved

Thanks for the update vbfl85, I wish they could have gotten this started years ago.  At least it seems like it is going to become a reality finally.