Will This $25 Billion Future Interstate Ever Be Built? (I-69) 

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The only reason any of I-69 exists in MS is cuz the completed section leads to a casino and the casino basically payed for it. as far as the state taking initiative… they dont even have the initiative to provide clean water to their own capital!

Even if 69 is completed, will any shield signs not be stolen? 😉

You missed a very important part that hasn't been completed yet - the Ohio River bridge between the Indiana and Kentucky portions. The current connection, US 41 between Evansville and Henderson, is not only *not* a limited-access highway, one of the current bridges it uses to travel across the Ohio is old and structurally unsound. However, the new bridge is already well into the planning stages, construction on the Kentucky side from the current end of i-69 towards the bridge has already started, and construction on the new bridge itself is planned to start in 2027. Both state governments have traditionally been very pro-I-69, so there's almost no likelihood that the bridge project would fall through at any point. Once the bridge and the almost-completed Indianapolis portions are completed (and the last portion in KY gets its awaited designation), I-69 will run from Canada to the KY-TN border. Once the Union City bypass is complete, TN only needs to reconstruct the US 51 - US 45 interchange immediately south of the KY border in South Fulton and fill in a few miles between Troy and Union City for I-69 to reach Dyersburg and I-155 to hook back into the Interstate system again.

Honestly, seeing the current spending on Louisiana roads, I-69 isn’t likely to happen for a long time

The Texas portion, yes. Drove 77 (future 69E) recently from the border to Houston and the upgrades look almost completed!

I’ve been on a couple of parts in Indiana and Kentucky, some parts feel like a fresh new project, and some feel like they’ve been there just as long as any other interstate

Arkansas is prioritizing the completion of Interstate 57, which goes northeast of Little Rock towards Poplar Bluff, MO.

One thing you left out: I-69 appears again from Dyersburg to the KY-TN line, granted, it’s unsigned as I-69, but rather its signed as a state highway, Tennessee State Route 690. However, the 690 designation will likely be short-lived, as KY intends to rebadge the rest of the Purchase Parkway by December as the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet upgrades the remaining 21 miles of the Purchase Parkway by redesigning Exit 14 in Wingo, and improving Exits 1 and 2, among other spot improvements.

The portion through southern Indiana is actually really scenic. There are rolling hills and valleys coming up from the Ohio River and then the larger hills around Bloomington almost feel like you're in Appalachia. The northern Indiana stretch though... lots of corn.

I grew up in Michigan in the 70s and remember 69 ran from Lansing to Indy. Always amused to hear about grandiose plans for this route as this road was never heavily used. Last year I visited Memphis for first time and was surprised to see markers for I 69 there. It just seemed so random. And there's also a I 269! When I think Memphis and Interstates, I think 55 and 40.

The moment I heard the interstate number the only thing I could think was... "nice"

The Michigan portion was completed in the 1990s, long before anything south of Indianapolis was considered. Much of the route north of Fort Wayne is still paralelled by "Old US 27," a route that's retired in Michigan. (The portion of US-27 north of Lansing, MI was renumbered as an extension of US-127, making that route something of an orphaned spur route.)

In a few year I-69 will be completed from the Canadian border to the KY/TN border. IN & KY are currently working on the new bridge into Evansville & IN is nearing completion in their state.

Once the Gordie Howe Bridge opens between Windsor and Detroit, it will be interesting to see how much truck traffic gets diverted from the Ambassador and Blue Water Bridges and how that affects I-69. Likley Sarnia is going to take a big hit.

They've been working a lot on upgrading US 59 in both Lufkin and Nacogdoches, TX. Been seeing it on recent trips up that way

Great video😊

Honestly, I’ve been saying this for a long time now that they really should just give up on the Mississippi and Louisiana portions! Just reroute the interstate to Arkansas and along the Mississippi River to avoid another costly bridge. That way you still get the connection to Memphis via old routes and bridges. In Texas I would move it to Texarkana instead of going into Shreveport. The whole stretch from Memphis to Michigan/ Canada is probably the most realistic to get completely finished and is the most economically viable. The states of Louisiana and Mississippi simply are way too poor and overwhelmed with other projects to even look at this project.

I so love this Channel

Looking forward to have I-69W in Laredo, this city has a lot of potential due to nearshoring

Love it as always 😊

When do they realize that the real cost of a freeway is the upkeep. This will be a pothole parking lot in 20 years. Spend money on important things.

Regardless of whether or not it ever reaches Mexico, for Indiana at least it was worthwhile to give the southwest quarter of the state more direct access to Indianapolis.

I-69 will be complete between Martinsville Indiana and I-465 in Indianapolis Indiana fall of this year. Michigan is the only state which I-69 is completed, and follow by Indiana, except for Ohio River Bridge.

You should check out I-516, as part of a weird highway series.

Wait a minute. I follow many US stories and was under the impression that the "build back better" bill was to be the panacea for all the roads and highways there. What a scam.

You did not discuss the short gap between Henderson KY and Evansville IN, including a new Ohio River Bridge. This section is being engineered now with the Kentucky side already under construction.

I always thought it quite weird that I-69 takes a sharp left into Memphis rather than go around along the beltway with a new route running direct up from where the beltway curves west strsight to Highway 51.

Route 281 from Three Rivers to Edinburg is already so close to Interstate standard, it just needs a few bypasses for a handful of towns along the way.

I wonder if anyone remembers the very obscure i-3. I literally cannot find any info on that planned interstate besides the wikipedias thing on it. which is info from around like when it was originally planned. other then that theres no info on i-3. none. or it was cancelled silently. (that could be the reason why theres no info besides the time when it was announced)

Nice

Frankly, the portion between Texarkana and Memphis is duplicitous and porky. Spend the money on new Mississippi River crossings in the Memphis metro instead.

We're still awaiting the arrival of IR-73 from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Ohio upgraded the highways & interchanges around the state capital. A usr was upgraded from the Ohio River to the capital city. 30 years and no IR-73.

I look forward to the completion as far as Memphis. I currently live in Toledo, Ohio, and my nephew and his family live in Baton Rouge. 69 to Memphis would be a more direct route there than the routes my sisters have taken in the past. I used to live in Indianapolis and I went to the nephew's wedding in Vicksburg, Mississippi some years back to go there the computer program I used then recommended taking I-70 to Effingham, Illinois and I-57 io the junction of I-55 in Missouri and following 55 through Arkansas to Memphis. The new I-69 makes that route from Indianapolis more direct.I am guessing it would shorten the time by a minimum of 3 hours, and maybe more.

So, what are they planning to do with that stretch of US-59 between Refugio, TX and the outskirts of Houston? Orher than the at grade crossovers and a few county road junctions, it's already an expressway.

It would be nice if the Federal Govt allocated some money to finish I-69 through Tennessee. It will likely be decades before LA/AR/MS finish their portions (if they ever do). But a complete highway from Memphis to the Canadian border can be achieved within 10 years. The last 20 miles of the highway in Southern Kentucky, plus the portions around Indianapolis, will be done by the end of this year.

Ooops! The complete portion in the Memphis metro picks back up in Mississippi, not Arkansas as you said.

I live in a town on I 69 in Northern Indiana. The interstate doesn't seem any different than another one, and is used quite frequently by NE IN natives.

I think it looks like a good idea. This corridor is booming.

When Indiana started building from Evansville to Indianapolis, on the northern section they simply increased the mileposts/exit numbers by 200...I think they should remeasure the entire route from Evansville to Fremont once the roadway is complete I also think once the road turns to the east after the I-96 concurrency in Lansing, those mileposts are incorrect

I think it would be cool if you did a video about Virginia 267.

The interstate travels mostly through ‘podunk’ land, so there is not a lot of state interest in connecting Monterrey with Chicago.

you know they could just extend I22 or improve I59 around Birmingham or add a bypass from I24 in Chattanooga

I sincerely doubt the portion in Louisiana will ever be constructed.

People who never matured past 16 in these areas are hoping and praying that this happens.

I was glad to hear you still have a healthy head of hair :) lmao

Michigan did our part 😅

NICE

I-69W is signed already in Laredo.

Our government really out here sending $75 billion to Ukraine but they can't set aside 1/3 of that to fund a future major corridor within its own borders

Which so you think will be finished first - I-69 or I-14?

I keep bringing up the idea of an I-69 video, either to Alan Fisher or on a transit channel I start myself. Spoiler alert: this is the biggest case of “One More Lane Bro” I have ever seen. There’s no need for the Arkansas or Louisiana portions. Probably not for Texas either. This is a dumb idea outside converting already divided roads to Interstate grade and the just completed IN portions that could be justified to get a four lane link between Evansville and Indianapolis.

They just opened the union city bypass

I would be shocked if it was complete in our lifetime

nice

Ngl I think we'll be heading into 2050 with this road still being incompleted

I-69 doesn’t exist over the Ohio River.. yet. KY and IN plan to have the I-69 Ohio River bridge open in 2031

The most stolen Interstate Highway signs in the nation. I 69, twice as nice. 😂

Keep building it it's great rebuild America

Yes, it will get built…eventually….

I don’t see it ever being completed. Our current leadership does not see automotive freedom of travel as a good thing. The world as we know it has an expiration date.

I wonder if Wisconsin will add any new freeways? Like Eau Claire to la Crosse, or La Crosse to Oshkosh, or Wausau to north of Minoqua. Edit St croix falls to Cameron.

Another missing piece of I-69 is called ORX (Ohio River X-ing) which is the river bridge crossing the Ohio River between Henderson, KY and Evansville, IN. The two approaches to the crossing have funding and are actually being constructed or have contracts are out for bidding. Funding for the bridge is expected be negotiated soonish.

An awful idea. Poorly routed and another American giveaway to Mexico and Canada. It's not even numbered correctly.

No/Never… The powers that be are currently in the process of eliminating the ICM automobile in the next few years… So, what’s the point…

baldness is an epidemic stay safe out there

#OneMoreLaneBro The US is supposed to be improving public transit, not needlessly enriching Big Oil and automakers.

I find this to be hilarious as someone who doesn't like America's highway-first approach. Big win for us Transit Fans!

Probably not because Gen Z hates cars with a freaking passion.

Definitely first

It might happen in LA if the recent Congressional delegation uses its power to nudge it along. I don't think this will happen in my lifetime though.

There’s an argument that interstates aren’t a benefit to the country

All of the money that should be spent on this is being sent to other countries like Ukraine. Pitiful

Please change the editing its so bland, WHERES THE SPICEEEE

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