BATON ROUGE - State officials put pen to paper Tuesday, officially starting work on a project expanding the interstate at the I-10/I-12 split in East Baton Rouge.

DOTD announced it has signed its contract with Boh Bros. Construction, clearing the way for the construction company to begin work.

The $52 million project will include a new bridge on I-10 that will span both directions of I-12 and carry traffic to College Drive. Work will also realign existing westbound lanes on I-12 to "more closely follow the I-12 eastbound alignment."

“This new redesigned exit is a critical piece in improving the overall I-10 corridor in Baton Rouge,” DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson said. “The widening of I-10 cannot happen overnight and must be managed in phases to minimize impacts to the traveling public. The construction of the Terrace Ave. off-ramp was one aspect of this project, as is this College Drive exit. With continued support and leadership of Governor Edwards and legislative leaders, DOTD continues to construct major infrastructure projects throughout the state to provide a safer and more efficient roadway for our motorists. The widening of I-10 will provide benefits to citizens and businesses for generations to come.”

You can read more on the project here.