Shreveport Debates a Highway Proposal

Strong Towns is rolling out an in-depth analysis of a controversial proposal in Shreveport, Louisiana to build a new connector for Interstate 49 North in the heart of the city.

1 minute read

February 22, 2017, 5:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Louisiana

Andrei Tudoran / Shutterstock

"For the past seven years, a David & Goliath struggle has taken place in Shreveport—Louisiana’s third largest city—over a proposal to build a 3.6 mile long innercity connector (ICC) for Interstate 49 North," writes Jennifer Hill.

Hill sets an examination of the proposal's planning and route alternatives amongst the political context of Shreveport. According to Hill, "both sides—those for its construction and those against it—see the I-49 ICC having long-term ramifications for Shreveport as a city."

The proposal is currently in limbo, as the Providence Engineering Group, hired to conduct in-depth studies of the proposal, has been unable to reduce five route alternatives down to two preferred options. According to a spokesperson, the company doesn't think the route would pass Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) regulations for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). According to Hill's explanation, "[a]ll five routes had public structures or spaces, such as historical landmarks, parks and churches, which cannot legally be removed, harmed or destroyed in order to allow a federal highway to be built."

Hill goes on to examine the debate surrounding the I-49 ICC proposal in more detail, placing it context of the current thinking about downtown highways as a benefit or an obstacle to economic development.

Hill's article is part of a series of articles and coverage from Strong Towns on the subject of the I-49 ICC proposal. 

Monday, February 20, 2017 in Strong Towns

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20 - Streetsblog USA

Close-up on BLM sign on Continental Divide Trail in Rawlins, Wyoming.

BLM To Rescind Public Lands Rule

The change will downgrade conservation, once again putting federal land at risk for mining and other extractive uses.

April 20 - Public Domain

Calvary Street bridge over freeway in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Indy Neighborhood Group Builds Temporary Multi-Use Path

Community members, aided in part by funding from the city, repurposed a vehicle lane to create a protected bike and pedestrian path for the summer season.

April 20 - Smart Cities Dive