DOTD announces Friday's scheduled opening time for new I-10 east flyover ramp from MSY
Thursday, October 12, 2023 at 8:45:24 AM
Kenner - The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development announces that the newly constructed I-10 east flyover ramp from the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is scheduled to open to traffic beginning at 7 a.m. on Friday, October 13, 2023, weather permitting.
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Kenner, LA – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announces the upcoming opening of the newly constructed I-10 east flyover ramp, which will provide direct access to I-10 east from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY).
The new ramp is scheduled to open to the public on Friday, October 13, 2023, weather permitting.
The opening of the second flyover ramp is the second significant step toward completing the $125.6 million I-10/Loyola Drive Interchange Project, ongoing since 2020, which improves interstate, local, and airport traffic flow through the Kenner area.
"We've already seen immediate improvements in the interchange with the opening of the first ramp," said DOTD Secretary Eric Kalivoda. "Opening the second ramp will continue improving driving conditions for travelers and locals."
Gilchrist Construction, the prime contractor on the project, opened the new I-10 west flyover ramp into the airport on Friday, September 29, 2023, allowing drivers direct access to MSY from the interstate.
Drier than typical summer and early fall weather allowed the ramps to open sooner than scheduled. As of a few months ago, it was estimated that both ramps would open just before the Thanksgiving holiday travel weekend.
Like the first, the second ramp avoids traffic lights by passing over the Loyola/Veterans Blvd. and Loyola/I-10 intersections with direct access to I-10 from MSY. Drivers will merge from the I-10 median from the left side onto I-10 eastbound towards Metairie and New Orleans.
Drivers exiting the airport who may miss the flyover ramp can still access I-10 east from Loyola Drive.
Both ramps dramatically increase traffic flow efficiency in and out of the airport and ease congestion off the Loyola Dr. exit. The Loyola Dr. exit has served as the main entryway to the new airport since the new airport opened in 2019.
In addition to the ramps, auxiliary lanes will join I-10 between the Williams Blvd. (LA 49) and Loyola Dr. exits. These extra lanes widen I-10 to four lanes in each direction, providing smoother traffic flow through a busy stretch of I-10.
The final step will be opening the state's first diverging diamond interchange (DDI). Nearing completion, the DDI will improve traffic flow and safety by eliminating the need for left turn signals at the Loyola Dr. and I-10 interchange. Drivers can expect the new traffic configuration for the DDI to go into effect by early November and for the entire project to be completed in the first half of 2024.