Lawmakers pressed on long‑running I‑49 inner‑city connector as DOTD and NLCOG outline delays, NEPA steps and funding

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 the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce described long local support for completing the segment and quantified community sentiment at the public open houses: "Over 90% of the community is in support of this project," he said, clarifying that figure referred to responses submitted at open houses and written comments collected through the NEPA process. Representative Jackson pressed Magner on whether that was a representative sampling; Magner replied the 90% figure reflected participants at the meetings and written comments.

Rogers and DOTD officials said recent SHPO referrals required cultural resource surveys for roughly 500 additional structures, each documented in multi‑page reports, and that SHPO typically has about 30 days to review such submissions (with adjustments for storm disruptions). Rogers said that once SHPO concurs, consultants can finalize the draft alternatives chapter of the environmental impact statement and submit the draft EIS to FHWA for review, after which statutorily mandated public‑notice periods and hearings would follow.

Committee members also asked about costs and funding. Rogers and DOTD gave high‑level ranges for build alternatives in the $700 million to more than $1 billion range, depending on the route and required relocations. DOTD described several revenue sources already dedicated to I‑49 elements: a stream of BP settlement payments, unclaimed‑property allocations, and a share of motor‑vehicle sales tax proceeds earmarked for four 'mega' projects. DOTD said the mega‑project allocation structure will flow for years and that while funding is phased, there is no current DOTD plan to make the route a toll facility.

DOTD also confirmed it is handling materials related to a civil‑rights complaint that was filed in connection with I‑49 North, I‑49 South and I‑10; officials said the complaint adds to review requirements that could affect timing. The department and NLCOG pledged to provide regular updates to the MPO and the committee as cultural reports and FHWA reviews advance.

A representative for Allendale Strong, a neighborhood group, told the committee that many residents cannot attend Baton Rouge hearings and urged lawmakers to weigh community hardship for neighbors who would be displaced by a build‑through option.

Next steps identified by presenters include SHPO concurrence on the cultural report, finalization of the draft alternatives chapter, FHWA legal sufficiency and civil‑rights review, and subsequent public notice and hearings required under NEPA. Several members urged continued oversight and clear public communication.