Interstate 220 Louisiana

History

Western Terminus

Eastern Terminus

Routing

Interstate 220 in Louisiana is the 17-mile, northern loop of Shreveport. The western terminus is a stack interchange at the junction of Interstate 20 and Louisiana 3132 (otherwise known as the Inner Loop). The last section of Interstate 220 to open was the nearly three-mile long bridge over Cross Lake in the 1980s.

History

Originally, Interstate 220 and Louisiana 3123/Inner Loop Expressway were planned to be united as one beltway. According to Anthony Kennerson, the belt route was to be "a full loop with the eastern quadrant slicing through property of Barksdale Air Force Base and crossing the Red River about a mile south of the existing Jimmie Davis (LA 518) Bridge. More than likely, both lack of cash and the difficulties with negotiating with the US Air Force regarding using ROW from Barksdale contributed to cutting the full loop short."

Future Aspirations

It is possible that Interstate 220 may extend south of the current eastern terminus to unite with the Louisiana 3132/Inner Loop Expressway. At the present time this concept is still in the debate stages. An alternative to this would be to connect the Inner Loop expressway and Interstate 20 with the proposed Interstate 69. The connection between Interstate 69 and Interstate 220 would be afforded via Interstate 20. Interstate 69 would connect to Interstate 20 east of Shreveport at a location near Haughton. Under this scenario, the existing Louisiana 3132/Inner Loop Expressway would travel southeastward to connect with Interstate 69 near the Port of Shreveport, thus making a complete loop (although the loop would not interchange cleanly with Interstate 220 at the east end).³

As for the western terminus, Interstate 220 was shown in some American Automobile Association (AAA) maps from the 1980s extending south and then east to meet then-proposed Interstate 49 via the Inner Loop Expressway (Louisiana 3132). Louisiana 3132 was never upgraded to Interstate 220 as shown on those AAA maps, and it is still being extended east, with the present planned terminus currently at Louisiana 523, Flournoy Lucas. The City, municipal planning organization (MPO), and the availability of funding will control the extension of the Inner Loop beyond this point, and it may be extended northeast to rejoin Interstate 220 at its eastern terminus. Construction of Louisiana 3132 is underway to extend the highway to Louisiana 1/Youree Drive at this time.²

Presently Interstate 49 terminates at Interstate 20 near downtown Shreveport. Interstate 49 is proposed to shift onto Louisiana 3132/Inner Loop Expressway or follow its existing alignment through the city. If Interstate 49 is routed onto Louisiana 3132 and Interstate 220, the western portion of Interstate 220 would become part of the Interstate 49 corridor between Shreveport and Arkansas. Under this scenario, the existing segment of Interstate 49 between the symmetrical stack interchange at Louisiana 3132 to Interstate 20 will have to be renumbered. It is possible that this may become Interstate 149. Interstate 49 would depart Interstate 220 from a new interchange one mile to the west of the current U.S. 71/Louisiana 1 interchange (Exit 7).¹ Another possibility has Interstate 49 continuing north from its Interstate 220 northern terminus and traveling into Arkansas.

Highway Guides

• Interstate 220 Louisiana

	Western Terminus - Interstate 20 and Louisiana 3132 - Shreveport, Louisiana Perspective from Interstate 220 west Westbound Interstate 220 at Exit 1C for Interstate 20 east. Traffic for Interstate 20 west has already departed. Mainline Interstate 220 traffic directly transitions to Louisiana 3132 east, the Inner Loop Expressway. Interstate 49 can be access by Louisiana 3132 in four miles. Photo taken by Jeff Morrison, 2001. Perspective from Louisiana 3132 west Westbound Louisiana 3132 at Interstate 20 and the terminus/transition to Interstate 220. There is a tall flyover for traffic from westbound Louisiana 3132 to westbound Interstate 20. Views from the ramp are quite striking. The control point of Texarkana is in use via the connection with U.S. 71 north of Shreveport. Vidcap taken by Alex Nitzman (1/96). Perspective from Interstate 20 east Eastbound Interstate 20 at Interstate 220/Louisiana 3132 east. The control point is "TO Alexandria". The same format is used on Interstate 49 northbound for Louisiana 3132 west, displaying "TO Dallas, TO Texarkana". Photo taken by Jeff Morrison, 2001. Perspective from Interstate 20 west After leaving the U.S. 171 interchange at Exit 16A, Interstate 20 westbound sees this centerline upcoming exits sign. The overhead includes mileage for Exit 14/Jewella Road; Exit 13/Monkhouse Drive; and Exit 11/Interstate 220-Louisiana 3132/Inner Loop Expressway. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (06/20/03). 0.75 miles to the east of Interstate 220/Louisiana 3132 within the Exit 13/Monkhouse Drive diamond interchange. This interchange serves Shreveport Regional Airport. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (06/20/03). Interstate 20 westbound at the western terminus of both Interstate 220 and Louisiana 3132. The interchange is indeed stacked, with a large flyover facilitating the movements between Louisiana 3132 westbound to Interstate 20 westbound. Traffic bound to Dallas, Texas is directed from Interstate 49 north to the Inner Loop Expressway/Louisiana 3132 south of Shreveport. Photo taken by Justin Cozart (09/02). Detail of the Exit 11 overhead from Interstate 20 westbound Pictured in the above photograph. The Inner Loop Expressway receives its own exit numbers between Interstate 20 and Interstate 49. Photo by Jeff Royston (01/18/02). Same signage Pictured in the above photobox, only six years earlier. Vidcap taken by Alex Nitzman (01/96). An auxiliary guide sign for Exit 11 reminds motorists that the right-hand lane is exit-only for Interstate 220 and Louisiana 3132 east. The ramp departs as a c/d lane, but a c/d roadway with no return to Interstate 20 west. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (06/20/03). Interstate 220 eastbound beginning from Interstate 20 west. A cloverleaf ramp is ahead for the eastbound beginning of Louisiana 3132. The aforementioned flyover ramp can now be seen over the Pines Road/Exit 10 overhead to the left. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (06/20/03). Next Three Interstate Junctions for Interstate 20 west Interstate 635 167 miles at Balch Springs, TX Interstate 45 174 miles at south Dallas, TX Interstate 35E 180 miles at Lancaster, TX Eastern Terminus - Interstate 20 - Bossier City, Louisiana Perspective from Interstate 220 east The final mainline interchange of Interstate 220 eastbound is Exit 17A with the U.S. 79/80 overlap. Since U.S. 79/80 parallel Interstate 20 from downtown Shreveport to Minden, the control point of Racetrack is given for a facility situated nearby. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/08/03). Within the final mile of Interstate 220 eastbound at Exit 17A. This interchange is a half-cloverleaf interchange as the junction with Interstate 20 is very close in proximity. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/08/03). Traffic on Interstate 220 veers hard to the right as a stub end for a planned southward extension continues straight. This overhead is situated just before Interstate 220 partitions into east and westbound ramps for Interstate 20. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/08/03). Exit 17B ramp partition on Interstate 220 east. Interstate 20 trailblazers are installed in lieu of full fledged guide signs. Three miles to the west is the next Shreveport area interchange of Interstate 20. Eastbound Interstate 20 travels to Minden and Ruston before entering the Monroe metropolitan area. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/08/03). Perspective from Interstate 20 west Interstate 20 westbound at the two mile guide sign for Exit 26/Interstate 220 west. The is the first of 16 interchanges to serve the city of 200,145. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/08/03). One-mile overhead of Exit 26 on Interstate 20 west. Downtown Shreveport is another eight miles to the west via Interstate 20. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/08/03). Interstate 20 westbound expands with an exit-only lane for Interstate 220 west. Interstate 20 meets the current northern terminus of Interstate 49 in nine miles. Interstate 220 travels ten miles to its future overlap with Interstate 49. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/08/03). Westbound Interstate 20 at Interstate 220 west/Exit 26. The northern bypass of Shreveport also allows convenient access to U.S. 71 for traffic bound to Texarkana and points north. Photo taken by Jeff Royston (02/02). Closer gander at the Interstate 20/220 split sign bridge for Exit 26. No control city is used for Interstate 220, a similar practice utilized for the Lake Charles Interstate 210. Photo taken by Jeff Royston (02/02). The ramp for Interstate 220 west from Interstate 20 west takes its time before sweeping to the north. A reassurance sign bridge is in place to remind motorists that this ramp is indeed for Interstate 220. The sign bridge may also be used to display directions to a future Interstate 220 south (see the ghost ramp to the left). The first interchange for westbound travelers is situated within one mile and is for U.S. 79/80. Photo taken by Jeff Royston (02/02). Perspective from Interstate 20 east The eastern terminus interchange of Interstate 220 is full access. Therefore traffic on Interstate 20 east can turn around via Interstate 220 west. This photograph shows the two mile guide sign for Exit 26 of Interstate 220 west. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/08/03). Now within one mile of the eastern terminus of Interstate 220 on Interstate 20 east. This is the last Shreveport metropolitan area interchange. The next interchange of Interstate 20 is in seven miles at Louisiana 157 near Fillmore. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/08/03). Interstate 20 eastbound at the departure of Interstate 220 west. Continuing east on Interstate 20 will take motorists 90 miles to downtown Monroe. The city of Monroe was once touted for a second bypass loop of Interstate 20 in the Pelican State - Interstate 420. This routing can be found on early planning maps of the Interstate system.2 Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/08/03). Exit 26 ramp from Interstate 20 eastbound. A sign bridge is in place at the ghost ramp for the never built Interstate 220 south. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/08/03). Next Three Interstate Junctions for Interstate 20 east Interstate 220 205 miles at west Jackson, MS Interstate 55 overlap begin 208 miles at Jackson, MS Interstate 55 overlap end 210 miles at Jackson, MS

Sources:

1. Email from Richard Savoie (LADOTD) 01/03.
2. Interstate 420 mentioning obtained from Stephen Summers' now defunct Interstate system route numbering page.
3. "Re: Question regarding I-220 Shreveport," post by Anthony Kennerson on South East Roads (Yahoo!Groups)

Page Updated July 23, 2007.