Interstate 49

[moderne]

Is completion of Interstate 49 important to KC? It is one of the largest uncompleted interstates in the country. I am not talking about the small 4 lane stoplight stretch just south of the Missouri border, but the long windy stretch through the Ouachita Mountains between Ft. Smith and Texarkana.
Arthur Stillwell thought a direct Gulf connection from KC was important enough he built the KC Southern which parallels I-49 route until Shreveport. Is having a direct truck/auto route at interstate standards important to KC. I do not know how much time would be cut off if the winding two lane US 71 was replaced by a freeway, I would guess at least an hour. It would be nice to cut hours off a drive to New Orleans or Houston. Completion of the route would not just be significant to the states it runs through but also states north of KC on I-29 and I-35. Trucking interests should be for this and companies like Wal-Mart.

[scooterj]

To me it doesn't seem like a completed I-49 saves a significant number of miles between KC and NOLA vs I-70/I-55. (Though admittedly it's hard to plot mileage for currently-nonexistent highway segments on Google Maps.) The biggest benefit I see is being able to avoid the horrible portion that is I-70 across Missouri.

[TheSmokinPun]

Well, they completed the MO/AR section late last year. That stretch by the golf courses goes around that area now. All interstate.

[AllThingsKC]

I-49 is now all interstate highway between KC and Fort Smith, Arkansas. Once the state of Arkansas completes the portion between Fort Smith and Texarkana, KC will have a complete highway to NOLA.

It was supposed to be completed already, but I believe Arkansas had some funding issues.

[earthling]

Recent update...
https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2022/jan ... ension-to/