.gif)
U.S. Route 90 Business (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Encyclopedia
U.S. Highway 90 Business (officially U.S. Highway 90-Z) is a business route
of U.S. Highway 90 in and near New Orleans, Louisiana
, United States
. Unlike a standard business route, it is built to higher standards than the segment of U.S. 90 that it parallels, with over half built to freeway standards and designated (but not signed as) Interstate 910. It crosses the Mississippi River
on the Crescent City Connection
(tolled
eastbound) and runs along the Westbank Expressway west of the bridge and part of the Pontchartrain Expressway
in the New Orleans Central Business District
. On the other hand, U.S. 90 runs along surface streets through New Orleans, crossing the Mississippi on the older and narrower Huey P. Long Bridge
.
. The Westbank Expressway begins just west of Westwego at US 90, where US 90 Business heads east as a four lane divided road, entering Westwego just east of the western terminus, with residential areas to the north and Bayou Segnette State Park
to the south. Just east of Circle Drive, US 90 Business expands it median width to 250 feet. Continuing east, the road intersects LA 18 Spur, as the road begins to pass by local businesses, with many at-grade intersection
s. At the Marrero city limits, between Westwood Drive and Ames Boulevard, the expressway portion of US 90 Business begins as a six lane elevated expressway, with the four lane road continuing as frontage road
s.
Continuing east, the expressway's first interchange is with Ames Boulevard, which is an exit westbound and entrance eastbound. The next interchange is a full interchange, Barataria Boulevard (LA 45)/Avenue D. The expressway then enters Harvey, with an incomplete interchange at Mac Arthur Avenue before crossing the Harvey Canal, with the expressway crossing over it and the frontage road taking the Harvey Tunnel. Following the Canal, the expressway has a full interchange with Manhattan Boulevard. In Gretna, the expressway has an interchange with Lafayette Street (LA 18/LA 23), with LA 18 terminating and LA 23 starting a brief concurrency with US 90 Business, which ends at the next exit, Stumpf Boulevard. Entering New Orleans, the next exit is with General de Gaulle Drive (LA 428)/Terry Parkway, the last exit on the Westbank. Following the exit, the expressway crosses the Mississippi River on the Crescent City Connection bridge, which is tolled eastbound. Now known as the Pontchartrain Expressway, it heads in a north northwest direction through the Central Business District of New Orleans towards US 90 and Interstate 10, the eastern terminus.
(suburban New Orleans). It carries traffic on old Business US 90
or Westbank Expressway under the Harvey Canal which is part of the Intracoastal Waterway
.
The main course of US 90 is now carried over the canal on a bridge and the tunnel is currently used for traffic on the service road.
AASHTO requested "that Louisiana submit an application to AASHTO in accordance with the Federal Highway Administration
's letter dated September 22, 1999 to sign the part of the route from I-10 in New Orleans to Ames Boulevard in Marrero as Interstate 910." However, Louisiana did not follow through, and the road is neither signed as I-910 nor considered I-910 by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
, which prominently calls it Future I-49.
to New Orleans
; the Interstate 910 designation is a temporary one. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
(AASHTO) approved the extension of I-49 (as Future I-49) to Interstate 310 west of New Orleans on November 6, 1998, and on October 1, 1999 the extension from I-310 to I-10 in New Orleans was approved.
Business route
A business route in the United States and Canada is a short special route connected to a parent numbered highway at its beginning, then routed through the central business district of a nearby city or town, and finally reconnecting with the same parent numbered highway again at its...
of U.S. Highway 90 in and near New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Unlike a standard business route, it is built to higher standards than the segment of U.S. 90 that it parallels, with over half built to freeway standards and designated (but not signed as) Interstate 910. It crosses the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
on the Crescent City Connection
Crescent City Connection
The Crescent City Connection, abbreviated as CCC, refers to twin cantilever bridges that carry U.S. Route 90 Business over the Mississippi River in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. They are tied as the fifth-longest cantilever bridges in the world...
(tolled
Toll bridge
A toll bridge is a bridge over which traffic may pass upon payment of a toll, or fee.- History :The practice of collecting tolls on bridges probably harks back to the days of ferry crossings where people paid a fee to be ferried across stretches of water. As boats became impractical to carry large...
eastbound) and runs along the Westbank Expressway west of the bridge and part of the Pontchartrain Expressway
Pontchartrain Expressway
The Pontchartrain Expressway is a parallel 6-lane section of Interstate 10 and U.S. Route 90 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The designation begins on I-10 near the Orleans Parish/Jefferson Parish line at the I-610 Split. The expressway follows I-10 into the Central Business District of New Orleans ...
in the New Orleans Central Business District
New Orleans Central Business District
The Central Business District is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the French Quarter/CBD Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Iberville, Decatur and Canal Streets to the north, the Mississippi River to the east, the New Orleans Morial...
. On the other hand, U.S. 90 runs along surface streets through New Orleans, crossing the Mississippi on the older and narrower Huey P. Long Bridge
Huey P. Long Bridge (Jefferson Parish)
The Huey P. Long Bridge in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, is a cantilevered steel through truss bridge that carries a two-track railroad line over the Mississippi River at mile 106.1 with two lanes of US 90 on each side of the central tracks....
.
Route description
The Expressway takes its name from its location, the West Bank of the Mississippi RiverMississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. The Westbank Expressway begins just west of Westwego at US 90, where US 90 Business heads east as a four lane divided road, entering Westwego just east of the western terminus, with residential areas to the north and Bayou Segnette State Park
Bayou Segnette State Park
Bayou Segnette State Park is located in Westwego, Jefferson Parish southwest of New Orleans, Louisiana, on the west bank of the Mississippi River....
to the south. Just east of Circle Drive, US 90 Business expands it median width to 250 feet. Continuing east, the road intersects LA 18 Spur, as the road begins to pass by local businesses, with many at-grade intersection
At-grade intersection
An at-grade intersection is a junction at which two or more transport axes cross at the same level .-Traffic management:With areas of high or fast traffic, an at-grade intersection normally requires a traffic control device such as a stop sign, traffic light or railway signal to manage conflicting...
s. At the Marrero city limits, between Westwood Drive and Ames Boulevard, the expressway portion of US 90 Business begins as a six lane elevated expressway, with the four lane road continuing as frontage road
Frontage road
A frontage road is a non-limited access road running parallel to a higher-speed road, usually a freeway, and feeding it at appropriate points of access...
s.
Continuing east, the expressway's first interchange is with Ames Boulevard, which is an exit westbound and entrance eastbound. The next interchange is a full interchange, Barataria Boulevard (LA 45)/Avenue D. The expressway then enters Harvey, with an incomplete interchange at Mac Arthur Avenue before crossing the Harvey Canal, with the expressway crossing over it and the frontage road taking the Harvey Tunnel. Following the Canal, the expressway has a full interchange with Manhattan Boulevard. In Gretna, the expressway has an interchange with Lafayette Street (LA 18/LA 23), with LA 18 terminating and LA 23 starting a brief concurrency with US 90 Business, which ends at the next exit, Stumpf Boulevard. Entering New Orleans, the next exit is with General de Gaulle Drive (LA 428)/Terry Parkway, the last exit on the Westbank. Following the exit, the expressway crosses the Mississippi River on the Crescent City Connection bridge, which is tolled eastbound. Now known as the Pontchartrain Expressway, it heads in a north northwest direction through the Central Business District of New Orleans towards US 90 and Interstate 10, the eastern terminus.
Harvey Tunnel
The Harvey Tunnel is an automobile tunnel built in 1957 and located on the West Bank of Jefferson Parish, LouisianaJefferson Parish, Louisiana
Jefferson Parish is a parish in Louisiana, United States that includes most of the suburbs of New Orleans. The seat of parish government is Gretna....
(suburban New Orleans). It carries traffic on old Business US 90
U.S. Route 90 Business (New Orleans, Louisiana)
U.S. Highway 90 Business is a business route of U.S. Highway 90 in and near New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Unlike a standard business route, it is built to higher standards than the segment of U.S. 90 that it parallels, with over half built to freeway standards and designated Interstate 910...
or Westbank Expressway under the Harvey Canal which is part of the Intracoastal Waterway
Intracoastal Waterway
The Intracoastal Waterway is a 3,000-mile waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Some lengths consist of natural inlets, salt-water rivers, bays, and sounds; others are artificial canals...
.
The main course of US 90 is now carried over the canal on a bridge and the tunnel is currently used for traffic on the service road.
History
US 90 Bus' exit numbers were in place by the 1990's, years before I-910 was signed on the highway.AASHTO requested "that Louisiana submit an application to AASHTO in accordance with the Federal Highway Administration
Federal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two "programs," the Federal-aid Highway Program and the Federal Lands Highway Program...
's letter dated September 22, 1999 to sign the part of the route from I-10 in New Orleans to Ames Boulevard in Marrero as Interstate 910." However, Louisiana did not follow through, and the road is neither signed as I-910 nor considered I-910 by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development is a state government organization in charge of maintaining public transportation, roadways, bridges, canals, select levees, floodplain management, port facilities, commercial vehicles, and aviation which includes 69 airports, in the U.S....
, which prominently calls it Future I-49.
Future
U.S. 90 Business is planned to become part of the Interstate 49 extension from LafayetteLafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
to New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
; the Interstate 910 designation is a temporary one. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
AASHTO, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, is a standards setting body which publishes specifications, test protocols and guidelines which are used in highway design and construction throughout the United States...
(AASHTO) approved the extension of I-49 (as Future I-49) to Interstate 310 west of New Orleans on November 6, 1998, and on October 1, 1999 the extension from I-310 to I-10 in New Orleans was approved.