Louisiana pushing to complete north, south ends of I-49

Every section of Interstate 49 North in Louisiana—except through the city of Shreveport—should be open to traffic in 2016, and work is under way to make U.S. 90 worthy of being I-49 South, Gannett Louisiana reports. Michael Bridges of the state Department of Transportation and Development has told the Joint Budget Committee that the $634.1 million construction of I-49 North from Interstate 220 to the Arkansas state line is fully funded and should be complete on time. Bids have been let on the final section north of Shreveport, and the only remaining portion would be the most expensive per-mile segment, through the city. The section linking Interstate 20 to I-220 is expected to cost $350 million, but an environmental impact study of the route has not been completed. State Rep. Roy Burrell, D-Shreveport, says the group doing the study is nearing completion and is to have a public hearing in December to review proposed routes. The process takes two years, he says, adding that he remains “optimistic” about it. Read the full story here.