Will Shreveport Ever Settle the I-49 Argument? [VIDEO]

With the recent legislation coming out of Baton Rouge to set aside $100 million of the Deepwater Horizon legal settlement for the I-49 Inner City Connector, 101.7 / 710 KEEL's Robert J Wright and Erin McCarty talk about whether the controversial highway will ever be built.

The bill, which totaled $690 million, is expected to fund ten major infrastructure projects.

Legislation details from shreveporttimes.com:

"Shreveport's Interstate 49 inner city connector project is teed up for a $100 million cash infusion in a surprise bill that secured final passage here Tuesday.

House Bill 578 by Rep. Tanner Magee, R-Houma, had initially included $275 million for two road projects, but it expanded to $690 million for 10 key infrastructure projects throughout the state as it moved through the Legislature

Though the state receives the money in annual payments of $53 million, the projects could be bonded out to begin work almost immediately."

But the question remains, with the route of the highway still as controversial as ever, will a settlement between the competing factions ever be reached? The Inner City Connector, which would complete a near three mile stretch of the interstate through Shreveport is opposed by many, most strongly by by the Allendale Strong group.