Interstate 49 (Louisiana)

Interstate 49
Opened sections of I-49 in Louisiana highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by Louisiana DOTD
Length:	243.13 mi (391.28 km) 239.25 miles (385.04 km) opened
Existed:	1984 – present
Major junctions
South end:	I-10 / US 167 in Lafayette
	US 190 in Opelousas US 167 north of Opelousas US 71 / US 167 in Alexandria US 71 / US 165 in Alexandria US 371 south of Evelyn US 84 east of Mansfield I-20 in Shreveport I-220 in Shreveport US 71 between Gilliam and Hosston
North end:	I-49 at the Arkansas state line
Highway system
Interstate Highway System Main Auxiliary Suffixed Business Louisiana Highway System Interstate US State ← LA 48 LA 49 →

Interstate 49 (I-49) is an Interstate Highway that spans a total of 243.13 miles (391.28 km) in a north–south direction in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It runs from I-10 in Lafayette to the Arkansas state line north of Shreveport, largely paralleling the older US 71 corridor, and connects the state's two east–west interstates at two of its metropolitan centers. Along the way, it serves the cities of Opelousas, Alexandria, and , intersecting several cross-state highways, such as US 190, US 167, US 165, US 84, and I-20. 5.25 miles (8.45 km) of the route is still under construction between I-220 and LA 1 on the northwest side of Shreveport, necessitating a detour via I-220 and US 71/LA 1. The project is scheduled for completion in the summer or fall of 2017.

I-49 was an intrastate Interstate Highway until December 12, 2012, when the designation was officially approved for an upgraded portion of US 71 in Missouri running from Joplin north to Kansas City. Portions of the remaining roadway between Shreveport and Joplin are in various stages of planning or construction, as well as a southern extension of the route from Lafayette to New Orleans along the US 90 corridor.