Originally proposed in the 1960s and 1970s as a freeway connecting Interstate 110 with Interstate 12 via U.S. 61-190/Airline Highway in Baton Rouge, Interstate 410 (unofficial designation) recently resurfaced as a modern version of a Baton Rouge bypass. This new, tolled freeway would extend from Interstate 10 west of Louisiana 415 in West Baton Rouge Parish near Port Allen east to Interstate 12 in Walker in Livingston Parish via the U.S. 190 bridge over the Mississippi River and through Central and Denham Springs. A consultant's study, commissioned by the Capital Region Planning Commission (CRPC) and released in 2004, indicates it would cost $910 million to construct the freeway, including spending $300 million for upgrading the U.S. 190 bridge.1 This high price tag, coupled with an expected completion date in 2020 and the prospect of tolls, has raised some skepticism about the project's viability.
According to the consultant's study released in November 2004, the recommended central route for the bypass would begin at Interstate 10 a few miles west of Louisiana 415 in West Baton Rouge and connect with U.S. 190 just west of Louisiana 1145. The bypass would then continue east along with U.S. 190 east and cross the Mississippi River via the upgraded U.S. 190 bridge (built in 1940). From there, the freeway would connect to the intersection of U.S. 190 and U.S. 61, then continue northeasterly across the parish a few thousand feet north of existing Hooper Road. The freeway would cross Blackwater Road, Sullivan Road, Hooper Road, Greenwell Springs Road, the Amite River, Louisiana 1026, Range Road, and Louisiana 447/Walker Road. The freeway would then curve back down to Interstate 12 between the Walker exit and the Satsuma exit on Interstate 12.1
The report recommends a six-phase approach toward building the highway:
Phase One - Plank Road east to Louisiana 16/Range Road, $263 million, open 2012
Phase Two - Louisiana 16/Range Road east to Louisiana 447/Walker North Road, $76 million, open 2014
Phase Three - Louisiana 447/Walker North Road east to Interstate 12, $87 million, open 2014
Phase Four - Interstate 10 east to U.S. 190/Louisiana 1, $93 million, open 2016
Phase Five - upgrade U.S. 190 from Phase Four segment east to Mississippi River Bridge, $72 million, open 2018
Phase Six - upgrade U.S. 190 Mississippi River Bridge and extend freeway through northern Baton Rouge along U.S. 61-190 east to Plank Road, $319 million, open 2020
The Northern Baton Rouge Bypass is listed as Megaproject Item LSTP-051 in the Louisiana Statewide Transportation Plan Update (December 2003). Megaprojects are listed in the report under the first chapter, which lists all of the state's megaprojects currently being considered for construction. A southern bypass route was considered but was later removed from the plan due to the substantial environmental cost of constructing such a freeway over sensitive lands. U.S. 190 between U.S. 165 and the Northern Baton Rouge Bypass (via Kinder, Eunice, Opelousas, and Krotz Springs) is also being considered for upgrade to freeway standards as part of projects LSTP-056 and LSTP-057
Florida Avenue Freeway from Interstate 10/Interstate 610 interchange east to Louisiana 47 south of Interstate 510 (LSTP-007)
Louisiana 3139/Earhart Expressway extension from River Ridge west to Interstate 310, resulting in a parallel corridor to Interstate 10 between the New Orleans airport and downtown (LSTP-006)
U.S. 165 Freeway from Interstate 10 near Lake Charles north to Interstate 20 at Monroe via an overlap with Interstate 49 near Alexandria (LSTP-021)
McArthur Drive in Alexandria near Interstate 49 (LSTP-049)
The Northern Baton Rouge Bypass is planned as a future Interstate highway based on this excerpt from page C-1 of the Louisiana Statewide Transportation Plan Update report: "Break out the Baton Rouge North Bypass from I-10 to I-12 (LSTP-051) to Priority A and B: Priority A – new Interstate I-12 from I-10 west of LA 415 to US 190 and bridge rehabilitation to Airline Highway, stop at Plank Road interchange. Move project from Priority B to Priority A 'mega' projects. Priority B – Plank Road interchange to I-12, build/upgrade to 4-lane interstate standards" (emphasis added). Based on this statement, the bypass could be designated as possibly even Interstate 12, but that may be unlikely if the bypass is constructed as a toll facility.
The November 9, 2004, report issued by the Capital Region Planning Commission (CRPC) brings such high costs to the construction of the bypass that many believe that the road should be deferred in favor of improving existing roads around the Baton Rouge metropolitan area, especially Interstate 12 and main arteries serving downtown. One of the project's chief critics, State Representative William Daniel, a Democrat from Baton Rouge, sued the CRPC to get the information about the costs of the corridor prior to the official release date of the study. Due to the costs of the corridor, coupled with the cost-benefit impact, it is possible that this project will see some changes before it is finalized, if it is constructed at all.
History of Interstate 410 in New Orleans
The designation Interstate 410 was originally considered for a freeway to be constructed in the New Orleans area as a connector route between Interstate 310 and Interstate 510. This freeway was canceled in the 1970s, but it has resurfaced as part of the Louisiana Statewide Transportation Plan Update (December 2003) project number LSTP-029 as an extension of Interstate 510 to the south and west from its current terminus.
Contributor Steven Delery wrote an article detailing the history of the original Interstate 410 proposal for New Orleans. It is a PDF file: Interstate 410 Louisiana - History.
This terminus location is just an approximation at the current time. Therefore the concept of trying to photograph the location is impractical and not requested at this time.
This terminus location is just an approximation at the current time. Therefore the concept of trying to photograph the location is impractical and not requested at this time.
