Updated: DOTD advises Kenner residents of potential delays at Loyola/I-10 interchange as new DDI traffic configuration is installed
Tuesday, October 24, 2023 at 2:17:51 PM
Updated: DDI installation work is now expected to last through the evening of Sunday, October 29, 2023. Crews plan on working all weekend until the new configuration is in place and hope to have the work completed by Monday, October 30, 2023.

Kenner, LA – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) advises Kenner residents of likely delays on Loyola Dr. at the I-10/Veterans Blvd. interchange this weekend as crews work to install the new diverging diamond interchange (DDI) traffic configuration.

Weather permitting, crews will begin working on restriping and installing signage for the DDI intersection on the afternoon of Friday, October 27, 2023. Crews plan on working nonstop over a 36-48 hour period until the new configuration is in place, and hope to have the work completed by Sunday, October 29, 2023.

The DDI will improve traffic flow and safety by eliminating the need for left turn signals at the Loyola Dr. and I-10 interchange. This is done by temporarily crossing the north and southbound traffic to opposite sides through the intersection.

This DDI will be the first one to open in Louisiana, though there are currently about 150 in use within the United States. The first DDI to open in the USA was in 2009 in Springfield, Missouri.

The opening of the DDI traffic configuration is the third 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.

Construction around the new traffic configuration will continue for several months but is not expected to significantly affect traffic flow. Additional medians, signage, and a new shared-use pedestrian pathway are expected to be completed in the first half of 2024.

Traffic congestion in the intersection has dramatically decreased since the recent opening of the two I-10 flyover ramps connecting the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport to I-10.

DOTD appreciates residents' patience and reminds them to drive cautiously through the construction site and be on the lookout for work crews and their equipment.

DOTD has the following resources in place to assist motorists:
  • MyDOTD: Motorists can receive information on local projects, lane and road closures, and other DOTD activities by signing up for MyDOTD at www.dotd.la.gov.
  • 511 Traveler Information: Travelers can also find information regarding road closures and traffic by downloading the 511 app, visiting www.511la.org, or by dialing 511 from their telephone and saying the route or region about which they are seeking information. Out-of-state travelers can access the system by calling 1-888-ROAD-511 (1-888-762-3511).