Interstate 49 currently is a 206 mile Interstate extending from Lafayette to Shreveport in Louisiana. Reasons such as industry, highway safety, hurricane evacuation, traffic counts, etc. call for the road to be extended to New Orleans along the US 90 corridor.
The Future Corridor--High Priority Corridor 37 is about 60% completed to Interstate standards. Around $2 billion is needed to complete the highway. The routing through Lafayette has sparked much controversy, as there are neighborhoods and businesses along the proposed routing. Today, the road is up to Interstate standards from I-10 (New Orleans) along the Westbank Expressway to Westwood Dr. near Westwego, LA; Raceland to Berwick; and Calumet to Sorrell. In between Sorrell and the Lafayette Regional Airport are many at-grade diamonds without overpasses, as well as a few recently completed interchanges. Two new interchanges should be opening near the end of 2004. No construction has begun from I-10 (Lafayette) to the airport, although a Record of Decision has been issued by the Louisiana DOTD on the route.
Photos taken July 17, 2002, Nov. 2003, Dec. 2004 Page last updated December 22, 2004.
