Project Information
| Interstate 10 |
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The Louisiana DOTD Geaux Wider program is a multi-year construction initiative designed to increase capacity, improve safety and decrease travel times on Interstate 10 and Interstate 12 in East Baton Rouge and Livingston Parishes.
Current Project
The current project limits on Interstate 10 from the I-10/I-12 split to Siegen Lane will be completed in three phases.
The I-10 widening project began in January 2009 and is slated for completion in the fall of 2011. This project will widen a 4.1-mile stretch of I-10 from four lanes to six lanes from the I-10/I-12 split to east of Siegen Lane. The work is scheduled for completion in late 2011.
Major project components:
- Widen the Essen Lane overpass to accommodate this commercial thoroughfare.
- Replace the bridge over Ward Creek and Essen Lane.
- Widen the overpass bridges on Siegen Lane and Bluebonnet Blvd.
- Construct sound walls from Essen Lane to Bluebonnet Blvd. on the westbound side.
Average Daily Traffic (ADT) counts on I-10 reflect the congestion problems that drivers encounter. Between the I-10/I-12 split (where the interstate narrows to two lanes each way) and Essen Lane the ADT is 90,100 vehicles per day. That ADT increases to 96,800 vehicles per day east of Bluebonnet Blvd., but then drops to 72,500 east of Siegen Lane.
While in construction and during high traffic times, four lanes of traffic - two lanes eastbound and two lanes westbound - are expected to remain open, although some oversized tractor trailers will be required to use alternate routes. When lane closures are required, they will occur at night during low travel times and with DOTD approval.
For the safety of motorists and workers in the work zone, the speed limit within the project limits is 50 mph and will be strictly enforced by law enforcement. DOTD's Motorist Assistance Patrol vans will assist drivers in the event of accidents or breakdowns.
Project Details
State Proj. No.: 450-10-0108
Start date: January 2009
Finish date: Late 2011
Cost: $86 million (construction)
Contractor: Austin Bridge and Road
Phases
The widening of I-10 consists of the following phases (View diagram of construction phases):
- Phase I: (Completed) -- Eastbound and westbound lanes were narrowed while crews built temporary lanes on the outside shoulders to accommodate traffic shifts.
- Phase II: (In progress to late 2010) -- All traffic will be shifted to the existing outside lanes and temporary shoulder lanes while crews build new center and inside lanes. Also, work will begin on the Ward Creek, Essen Lane, Siegen Lane overpass, and Bluebonnet overpass bridges.
- Phase II-A: Westbound traffic will shift to the newly completed lanes of the Ward Creek and Essen Lane bridges while crews rebuild the westbound portions of the new bridges and roadway between these bridges. Eastbound traffic will remain on the existing eastbound bridges.
- Phase II-B: After the westbound portions of the roadway and bridges are complete, westbound traffic will shift to the outside and center lanes of the Westbound roadway. Eastbound traffic will shift to the center portions of the new bridges of Essen and Ward creek and the roadway between these bridges to allow crews to build the eastbound outside portions of the new bridges and roadway.
- Phase III: (Early 2011 to fall 2011) -- Traffic will shift to the new center and inside lanes while crews build permanent outside lanes and shoulders.
- Phase III-A: Reconstruction of the on- and off-ramps at I-12, Essen Lane, the ramps west of Bluebonnet Blvd., and the ramps east of Siegen Lane. (The ramps west of the Siegen Lane and east of Bluebonnet Blvd. interchanges were completed during a previous construction project.)
View diagram of construction phases
Future Project
Widening from four to six lanes from Siegen Lane to Highland Road. The project details are yet to be determined, but construction could begin while the current project is underway.