I-49 Connector Project

The I-49 Lafayette Connector is a future 5.5-mile segment of highway that will extend I-49 from I-10 to the Lafayette Regional Airport.  The future I-49 will consist of an elevated roadway from the Willow intersection to the Vermilion River and elevated interchange at Kaliste Saloom.  Along each side of the future I-49 will be a frontage road system to allow local access and connectivity.  The I-49 Lafayette Connector is a key component of the I-49 south, which will:

• Function as a Critical Hurricane Evacuation Route; more than one-third of Louisianas live in parishes along the I-49 South corridor.  We must ensure a safe and efficient route to evacuate our fellow citizens when facing threatening storm.
• Complete a major energy and trade corridor to the nation,
• Enhance safety by providing new interstate connectivity within the Acadiana region and to New Orleans,
• Strength infrastructure,
• Improve multi-modal transportation.

The current corridor was adopted by a Lafayette City-Parish resolution as a locally preferred corridor in 2001 and was approved in the 2003 Record of Decision (ROD).  in 2015, the DOTD began the Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) and preliminary engineering process to implement the I-49 Connector through Lafayette.  As a regional partener APC holds a seat on the Lafayette Connector Advisory Group and Lafayette Connector Executative Committee where we are able to provide feedback on the project.  During the process, substantial input was recieved by the public, so the DOTD initiated a Supplemental EIS (SEIS) to evaluate refined alternativies.

To learn more about the I-49 Connector project visit the Lafayette Connector click here