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Lawmakers pressed on long‑running I‑49 inner‑city connector as DOTD and NLCOG outline delays, NEPA steps and funding
Summary
Officials told the House Transportation Committee that cultural resource reviews and a SHPO referral have lengthened the NEPA review for the 3.5‑mile I‑49 inner‑city connector in Shreveport; DOTD and NLCOG outlined high‑level cost ranges, phased funding sources and a civil‑rights complaint that could affect schedules.
State and local transportation officials briefed the House Transportation Committee on Sept. 20 about the I‑49 inner‑city connector in Shreveport, telling lawmakers that federal environmental review, potential historic‑district findings and a pending civil‑rights complaint have repeatedly extended the project timeline.
Jay Kent Rogers, executive director of the Northwest Louisiana Council of Governments (NLCOG), said NLCOG holds the environmental contract for the roughly 3.5‑mile gap through Shreveport and described the procedural hurdles the project has faced. "Federal Highway's got to review everything we do," Rogers said, noting that SHPO (the State Historic Preservation Office), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and other agencies must clear cultural and environmental documents before a preferred alternative can be finalized.
Dr. Tim Magner of…
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