Would Natchez like a freeway? (Jackson, Clinton: transporting, safe, move)

[annie_himself]

The major cities it traverses through would be (from south to north) Houma, Baton Rouge, roughly following Hwy 61 (Airline Hwy) to Natchez, Monroe, possibly El Dorado, Pine Bluff, and using I-530 to connect to Little Rock/Conway.
The route could continue north to Springfield, MO using U.S. 65's route.

What do you all think about it? .

Keeping up with numbering rules, it would have to be either I-51 or I-53.

LA-MS-AR stretch, each blue dot is representative of each of the major cities.

I can't sign into my Flickr account so links will have to do for now.

All sizes | proposedinterstate | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/33630741@N07/5910946987/sizes/m/in/photostream/ - broken link)
All sizes | I-51 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/33630741@N07/5911539672/sizes/l/in/photostream/ - broken link)

[SonySegaTendo617]

That would actually be a excellent location for a north-south interstate(and I-51 would perfectly fit with the existing interstate numbering of other interstates), and would be even better once I-49 is opened between Lafayette and the New Orleans area. I love the idea of also using the existing I-530 inbetween Pine Bluff and Little Rock for your I-51 route.

What would be even better, is if such an interstate didn't just go northwest(via US 65 in Arkansas + Missouri) up to Springfield, but extended northwest all the way to Kansas City. Why not do one better, and have (a theoretical) I-51 route go all the way to KC? What I would propose north of Springfield, is for the route to use MO State Hwy. 13(until Clinton, MO), then use MO Hwy. 7 inbetween there and Harrisonville, MO(where it'd meet up with US 71, and also future I-49). Never hurts to dream....

[annie_himself]

Well, since this will most likely never materialize, I wanted to make it as realistic as possible. Going to KC would be wonderful, although I-49 would never get finished in Arkansas I'm sure. I would love to present this idea to the DOT's in LA, MS, and AR, although I don't know how to go about that process without it being taken as facetious.

[annie_himself]

No interest?

[GrandviewGloria]

Jackson is at the intersection of two interstates. It's a hellhole.

Being out of the way actually helps Natchez, I think. These days, being near an interstate means being along someone's 'drug distribution corridor' (as is Jackson). And with Mexican truckers set to be barreling down our interstates in unsafe vehicles (driving,one fears, in substandard ways, and under the influence), I'm thinking that being on an Interstate will not be as hotsy totsy as it used to be.

Natchez is very nice, despite its rather dismal demographics, and I think that being isolated helps keep it nice. The town needs to concentrate on attracting the wealthy, and not upon "growth". The kind of "growth" you'd get would be the kind that sends the wealthy somewhere else. Much of the town's charm lies in its insularity.

That whole region you've described would once have benefited from an interstate. It is soooooo isolated. But these days, with America dying, and people seeking out-of-the-way places which may offer refuge, I don't think "connectivity" is such a good thing, anymore.

One reason Portland is still OK, is that it is relatively isolated, and has no "Jobs". These days, easy access and "Jobs" just mean trouble and scary people.

[nancy thereader]

I don't think they use the term "freeway" East of the Rockies.

[WestbankNOLA]

Originally Posted by nancy thereader

I don't think they use the term "freeway" East of the Rockies.

We use both Freeway and Expressway down here and freeway is the defacto term in Houston. If I'm not mistaken they use that term in Atlanta as well.

Originally Posted by GrandviewGloria

Jackson is at the intersection of two interstates. It's a hellhole.

Being out of the way actually helps Natchez, I think. These days, being near an interstate means being along someone's 'drug distribution corridor' (as is Jackson). And with Mexican truckers set to be barreling down our interstates in unsafe vehicles (driving,one fears, in substandard ways, and under the influence), I'm thinking that being on an Interstate will not be as hotsy totsy as it used to be.

A hell hole in what way? There's virtually no traffic anywhere in the state.
...and you don't think that drugs aret being trafficked via non-interstates as well?

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by GrandviewGloria

Jackson is at the intersection of two interstates. It's a hellhole.

Being out of the way actually helps Natchez, I think. These days, being near an interstate means being along someone's 'drug distribution corridor' (as is Jackson). And with Mexican truckers set to be barreling down our interstates in unsafe vehicles (driving,one fears, in substandard ways, and under the influence), I'm thinking that being on an Interstate will not be as hotsy totsy as it used to be.

Natchez is very nice, despite its rather dismal demographics, and I think that being isolated helps keep it nice. The town needs to concentrate on attracting the wealthy, and not upon "growth". The kind of "growth" you'd get would be the kind that sends the wealthy somewhere else. Much of the town's charm lies in its insularity.

That whole region you've described would once have benefited from an interstate. It is soooooo isolated. But these days, with America dying, and people seeking out-of-the-way places which may offer refuge, I don't think "connectivity" is such a good thing, anymore.

One reason Portland is still OK, is that it is relatively isolated, and has no "Jobs". These days, easy access and "Jobs" just mean trouble and scary people.

It is a much safer route if you stay off interstate highways. Drugs move up the Mississippi, right into Natchez, as well as up 61. The interstate as the lone means of transporting drugs has never been true.

Originally Posted by nancy thereader

I don't think they use the term "freeway" East of the Rockies.

I used to call every one "the interstate" but I moved to Houston and have been calling them freeways ever sense. That's the term here.

[Listener2307]

Sometimes they are simply called 'four lanes'.
John Denver did:
There's a truck out on the four lane,
A mile or more away,
The whining of its wheels just makes it colder....

[BirdieBelle]

We don't say "freeway" in Tennessee. That's what Californians say

"Interstate" and "freeway" are not interchangeable unless you originally used "freeway."