DOTD to keep all Interstate lanes open during widening project
BATON ROUGE - The Department of Transportation and Development announced Tuesday it would be keeping lanes open on I-10 during phase 2 of its widening project.
At a public input meeting in March, DOTD proposed a plan that would reduce I-10 to two lanes in each direction for 14 months during phase 2. The lane restrictions would save the state $60 million and two years of construction time.
After that meeting, the department received thousands of comments about the potential impacts of those plans on the local economy and everyday traffic through Baton Rouge. The public pushback is what led project organizers back to the drawing board.
"Now with supply chain issues and the public comments and the cost savings aren't going to be as much as we anticipated. We decided it would be easier for our commuters. It's not going to influence the project as much as we figured," said Rodney Mallett, a DOTD spokesman.
The project timeline will be slightly extended as a result of the adjustment. Phase 2, which includes demolition of the eastbound lanes, will now begin in 2026 instead of 2025.
You can find more information about the I-10 Widening Project here.
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The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) has completed exploring options for maintaining traffic during stage 2 of the I-10 reconstruction and widening project between I-110 and Acadian Thruway in Baton Rouge. Stage 2 of construction is currently set to begin in early 2026 and consists of demolishing the current eastbound roadway and rebuilding it. The same number of lanes will be available in each direction as there are currently.
After the public meeting on March 7, 2023, in which concerns were expressed about traffic impacts and construction time, and after reviewing comments, looking at traffic modeling results and construction costs, DOTD has determined that the best course of action is to maintain three lanes on I-10 in each direction where there are currently three lanes during stage 2 of construction. At this time, stage 2 is anticipated to be complete in 2027, depending on weather and availability of materials.
Although there will be no mainline lane reductions during stage 2, motorists should be aware that nighttime and other periodic lane and/or ramp closures will be necessary throughout construction. DOTD will notify the public when and where such closures will occur.
DOTD will keep the public updated throughout the entire process. For information regarding the widening project, please visit www.I10br.com.