A new interstate designed to serve nearly 33 million people
(The entire state of Florida has 23.3 million, metropolitan Dallas, TX has 8.3 million, metropolitan Jackson, MS has 500k and metropolitan Shreveport, LA has 400k even if you exclude Mobile, AL which is bypassed)
Toggle the map to select or deselect alignments between the three proposed alternatives
I-18 Would:
1. Reduce the travel time between the Dallas, TX metropolitan area (8.3 million) and the Miami, FL (6.4 million), Tampa, FL (3.4 million), Orlando, FL (2.9 million), and Jacksonville, FL (1.7 million) metropolitan areas (and vice-versa).
2. For two of the routes, provides a bypass for both Mobile and Pensacola on I-10
3. Better connect Hattiesburg, MS and Laurel, MS to Jackson, MS (and points beyond) and Mobile, AL and Pensacola, FL (and points beyond)
4. Provide significant much-needed toll revenue from truckers for Alabama and Mississippi, who are among the states most suffering from poverty (along with Louisiana, Arkansas, and West Virginia)
Selected Alternatives
A: 243 miles, 3 hours 15 minutes (with up to 80 mph design speed limit). Total from exit 47 (US 49) Jackson, MS to exit 56 (FL 56) Crestview, FL is 255 miles and 3 hours 25 minutes including I-10 (8 miles, with a 70 speed limit) and I-20 (3 miles, with a 65 mph speed limit)
B: 230 miles, 3 hours 5 minutes (with up to 80 mph design speed limit). Total from exit 47 (US 49) Jackson, MS to exit 56 (FL 56) Crestview, FL is 261 miles and 3 hours 31 minutes including I-10 (27 miles, with a 70 mph speed limit) and I-20 (3 miles, with a 65 mph speed limit)
C: 202 miles, 2 hours 42 minutes (with up to 80 mph design speed limit). Total from exit 47 (US 49) Jackson, MS to exit 56 (FL 56) Crestview, FL is 279 miles and 3 hours 50 minutes including I-10 (74 miles, 58 miles with a 70 mph speed limit, 10 miles with a 65 mph speed limit, and 6 miles with a 55 mph speed limit) and I-20 (3 miles, with a 65 mph speed limit)
Advantages and Disadvantages