New I-10 widening project plans aimed at lowering traffic issues during construction

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - DOTD announced an I-10 widening project update on Monday, Jan. 30, with the goal of creating fewer traffic headaches during construction.

The new plans involve adding an additional lane on the westbound flyover at the I-10 and I-110 interchange. Leaders hope the change will address concerns over the impact on traffic from lane restrictions during the main construction phase of the I-10 widening project.

RELATED: DOTD says parts of I-10 will have lane reductions for a year for widening project

Work on the new lane still needs approval from the Federal Highway Administration. Once the approval happens, the additional lane will take about a year to create and will cost an estimated $50 million.

Any major lane restrictions from the I-10 widening project, which were expected to begin in 2024, will be pushed back a year, leaders said.

When coming up with the idea for the addition of the westbound lane on the flyover, engineers looked at feasibility, constructability, and cost benefits.

“DOTD has been working diligently to determine the most feasible options to reduce traffic congestion during the construction of the widening project,” DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson, Ph.D. said.

Once the entire I-10 widening project is completed, there will be four lanes in each direction between the I-10 and I-110 split and Acadian Thruway.

Construction on the I-10 widening project is now projected to wrap up in 2028, pending any major weather issues.

“While this project will be extended by a year, we will continue to make improvements to other highways in the region as mitigation that would not have been possible,” Wilson said. “Let’s not lose focus on the end goal, which is to make these much-needed enhancements to the I-10 corridor. When this project is completed, it will be transformative for the region and the state.”

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