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 from I-20 and Louisiana Highway 3132 (LA 3132) in Shreveport to a second interchange with I-20 in Bossier City. 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.

Route description

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

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

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. 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. 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; 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. It will be designated as LA 1267.

The I-220 routing is one of five options currently in contention for closing the gap in I-49 in Shreveport. 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.

Exit list

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:I220
20-2 Louisiana
220
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Transportation in Bossier Parish, Louisiana
Transportation in Caddo Parish, Louisiana
Transportation in Shreveport, Louisiana