Now Open: DOTD announces project update on LA 3241: I-12 to Bush new highway
Friday, June 14, 2024 at 10:52:13 AM
Project Update: Friday, June 14, 2024: LA 3241 Segment 3 is now open to the public
St. Tammany Parish, La. - The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announces that "Segment 3" of the LA 3241 new highway project, which connects Bush, LA, at the LA 40/41 intersection, to LA 435 in Talisheek, LA, is now open to the public.
"Segment 2" of the project, an 8-mile stretch connecting Talisheek (LA 435) to LA 36, is expected to open later this year, weather permitting. This project continues the construction of the new 4-lane highway and includes bridges over Bayou Lacomb and the Bayou Lacomb Tributary.
"Segment 1" of the project is now scheduled to go out to bid in early 2025. Segment 1 will connect the new highway from LA 36 to a junction with LA 435 in Lacomb. LA 435 continues the route to the I-12 junction about three miles south. Upgrades to the LA 435/I-12 junction are planned, including the widening, reconstruction, and lighting upgrade of existing I-12 ramps.
Previous Update: May 7, 2024:
St. Tammany Parish, La. - The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announces that "Segment 3" of the LA 3241 highway project, which connects Bush, LA, at the LA 40/41 intersection, to LA 435 in Talisheek, LA, is nearing completion. DOTD expects to open this stretch of the new divided, 4-lane highway within the next few weeks as crews finalize highway striping and signage.
Segment 3, LA 40/41 to LA 435, is one of three segments that comprise the $216 million “LA 3241: I-12 to Bush, LA” project. Segment 3 will be the first segment to open to the public. The three segments combined will create a 20-mile corridor between I-12 and Bush.
Segment 3 is a 5.6-mile stretch of highway parallel to LA 41, a heavily traveled 2-lane road about a mile to the east. The new stretch of highway opening should immediately ease congestion on LA 41, with an average daily traffic count of over three thousand.
Segment 3 of the LA 3241 project began construction in late 2021 at $46 million.
Segment 2 of the project, an 8-mile stretch connecting Talisheek (LA 435) to LA 36, is well underway and, weather permitting, expected to open later this year. Segment 2 began construction in early 2022 at $63 million.
The final segment, Segment 1, will later connect LA 36 to the I-12/LA 434 interchange. It is expected to go out to bid this summer and is estimated to cost $107 million.
The new LA 3241 highway, including all segments, features J-Turns and roundabouts to eliminate cross-traffic and traffic light delays, respectively. These engineering features are expected to reduce high-impact crashes and improve traffic flow.
The “3241: I-12 to Bush, LA Project” was originally part of the Transportation Infrastructure Model for Economic Development (TIMED) Program, created in 1989—the program aimed to increase economic development in Louisiana through investment in transportation improvement projects. Funding was later switched to the state’s highway priority program.
State leaders expect connecting I-12 to northern St. Tammany and Washington Parish communities will help grow the economies in towns such as Sun and Bogalusa, which currently connect to the interstate system through several connecting state roads. Currently, the route between Bogalusa and I-12 is about 40 miles, but when all segments of the new LA 3241 are complete, the total will drop closer to 30 miles.
Follow the DOTD project page for more details on each segment here: https://wwwapps.dotd.la.gov/administration/public_info/projects/home.aspx?key=88
DOTD will provide updated information when available.