Interstate 220 (Louisiana)

Interstate 220 (I-220) in Louisiana is an east–west bypass route around Shreveport which is in the northwestern corner of the state. It runs 17.62 miles (28.36 km) from I-20 and Louisiana Highway 3132 (LA 3132) in Shreveport to a second interchange with I-20 in Bossier City.[1][2] The highway serves as a northern bypass of the downtown area for through traffic traveling on I-20, and, with LA 3132, the highway helps to carry through traffic between the two currently disconnected portions of I-49, the area's main north–south route.

Interstate 220 marker

Interstate 220

Joseph D. Waggoner Jr. Memorial Highway
Johnny Wyatt Memorial Highway
Map
I-220 highlighted in red
Route information
Auxiliary route of I-20
Maintained by Louisiana DOTD
Length17.62 mi[1] (28.36 km)
Existed1971[citation needed]–present
History1991 (completed)
NHSEntire route
Major junctions
West end I-20 / LA 3132 in Shreveport
Major intersections
East end I-20 / LA 1267 in Bossier City
Location
CountryUnited States
StateLouisiana
ParishesCaddo, Bossier
Highway system
  • Louisiana State Highway System
I-210 LA 300

Route description edit

I-220 begins at an interchange with I-20 and LA 3132 near Shreveport Regional Airport in western Shreveport. From here, the highway heads northeast toward and crosses Cross Lake. The highway continues northeast through northern Shreveport, where it has a currently partially opened interchange with I-49. At an interchange with U.S. Route 71 (US 71), the highway curves east before crossing the Red River near Shreveport Downtown Airport. East of the Red River, I-220 enters Bossier City and continues east through its northern areas before curving south at Shed Road. The highway ends at an interchange with I-20 and LA 1267 at the southwest corner of the Louisiana Downs racetrack.

History edit

Together, I-220 and LA 3132 were both planned together as a full loop of Shreveport. However, because of Barksdale Air Force Base being in the way of the proposed route of the southeast quadrant, the two highways were both split into their respective designations and LA 3132 being truncated.

The first segment of I-220 was completed and signed in 1971, and the entire highway was completed in 1991.

Future edit

There have been proposals to extend the highway eastward over the Red River and then northward to complete the loop by reaching I-20, but Barksdale Air Force Base is in the way of a direct route to join up with the beginning of I-220.[citation needed] Instead, LaDOT decided to build a connector road to connect the I-20/I-220 interchange in Bossier City to the Barksdale Air Force Base.[3] The connector was seen as a vital way to enter the base without the need to cross railroad tracks, as all the other gates onto the base are intersected by a grade crossing. It was also seen as way to accommodate the growing population in the region. A ground-breaking ceremony for the project was held on May 15, 2019;[4] the official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the completion of the $80.5 million project was held on February 8, 2023. Work on the new Barksdale gate was set to begin immediately afterwards with its completion expected by December 2025.[5]

The I-220 routing is one of five options currently in contention for closing the gap in I-49 in Shreveport.[6] Four of these options involve the construction of a new alignment extending from the existing I-49/I-20 interchange to the I-49/I-220 interchange. This direct connection, known as the Inner-City Connector, is controversial due to its path being projected through a residential neighborhood, which would necessitate the displacement of many of its residents. The fifth option involves routing through traffic via the existing LA 3132 and I-220 alignments after necessary improvements to those highways are carried out.[7][8][9]

Exit list edit

ParishLocationmi[2]kmExitDestinationsNotes
CaddoShreveport0.0–
0.6
0.0–
0.97
1B–C  
 
 
 
 
I-20 / LA 3132 east to I-49 south – Dallas, Monroe, Alexandria
Western terminus of I-220 and LA 3132; signed as exit 1B to Dallas and 1C to Monroe; I-20 exit 11
1.1–
1.5
1.8–
2.4
1AJefferson Paige RoadEastbound to US 79/80 and Shreveport Regional Airport; Jefferson Paige Road is PR 18 (not signed)
2.1–
2.6
3.4–
4.2
2Lakeshore Drive
Shreveport3.1–
5.0
5.0–
8.0
Bridge over Cross Lake
5.0–
5.4
8.0–
8.7
5  LA 173 (Hilry Huckaby III)
6.5–
7.4
10.5–
11.9
6 
 
I-49 north – Texarkana
Southern end of I-49 segment; exits 210A–B on I-49
7.5–
8.2
12.1–
13.2
7A–B   US 71 / LA 1 (North Market Street)Signed as exit 7A (south) and 7B (north)
CaddoBossier
parish line
8.3–
8.9
13.4–
14.3
Bridge over Red River
BossierBossier City10.8–
11.3
17.4–
18.2
11  LA 3 (Benton Road)
11.7–
12.3
18.8–
19.8
12  LA 3105 (Airline Drive)
13.6–
14.2
21.9–
22.9
13Swan Lake Road
14.7–
15.7
23.7–
25.3
15Shed Road
16.7–
16.9
26.9–
27.2
17A   US 79 / US 80 (East Texas Street)
17.4–
18.0
28.0–
29.0
17B-C  I-20 – Shreveport, Monroe
 
 
LA 1267 south – Barksdale AFB
Eastern terminus; eastbound exit and westbound entrance; signed as exit 17B to I-20 west and 17C for I-20 east; northern terminus of LA 1267; roadway continues as LA 1267 southbound; I-20 exit 26; I-20 has no access to LA 1267; temporary turbine tri-stack interchange for now.
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References edit

  1. ^ a b Staff (October 31, 2002). "Table 1: Main Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System Of Interstate and Defense Highways as of October 31, 2002". Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  2. ^ a b Google (July 14, 2013). "Overview Map of I-220" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
  3. ^ Staff reports. "Work begins on I-220 extension onto Barksdale Air Force Base". The Times. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  4. ^ "Groundbreaking ceremony held for I-20/I-220 BAFB Interchange". www.ksla.com. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  5. ^ Tinsley, Stacy. "Ribbon cutting held for long awaited I-20/I-220 Barksdale Air Force Base Interchange | Bossier Press-Tribune". bossierpress.com. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  6. ^ Duvernay, Adam (October 18, 2023). "New route for I-49 connector aims to avoid Allendale". The Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  7. ^ Warner, Doug (February 25, 2015). "Filling the Gap: Will I-49 go through Shreveport, or around?". Shreveport: KSLA-TV. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  8. ^ Warner, Doug (March 21, 2015). "CC to DC: I-49 inner city connector "It's a no brainer"". Shreveport: KSLA-TV. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  9. ^ "I-49 Inner-City Connector–Shreveport". I-49 Inner-City Connector–Shreveport. 2013. Retrieved October 4, 2015.

External links edit

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