BATON ROUGE, La. – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announced today that a contract has been awarded for a project to widen a portion of I-12 in the Slidell area.

Work on the $25.7 million project will involve widening a section of I-12 from four to six lanes from the I-10/I-12/I-59 interchange to just west of the Vincent’s Bayou Bridge. This section of I-12 will have three lanes in each direction when the project is complete. In addition, the I-12 eastbound off-ramp to Northshore Boulevard will be widened from one to two lanes, and a deceleration lane will be added at the I-12 westbound off-ramp to Airport Road.

"This is a very important project for the residents of St. Tammany Parish," said DOTD Secretary Sherri H. LeBas. "The new lanes and widened off-ramps will provide much-needed relief from congestion and improve safety for the more than 70,000 drivers using this section of I-12 each day."

Four lanes of traffic – two lanes eastbound and two lanes westbound – will remain open during peak travel times. Lane closures will only occur at night or on weekends during off-peak travel times and with DOTD approval.

Work on the project should begin in early 2011 and take approximately 15 months to complete. The project is being funded entirely with surplus funds provided by Gov. Bobby Jindal and the Louisiana Legislature in 2008.

The contractor for the work is James Construction Group LLC of Baton Rouge.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) is committed to delivering transportation and public works systems that enhance the quality of life. In addition to more than 16,600 miles of roadway, including over 890 miles of interstate, DOTD supports the development of the state’s aviation, marine and rail infrastructures. Through this work, we are able to facilitate economic development, create job opportunities, improve vital evacuation routes, and make critical freight corridors safer and more efficient.

For more information, please visit www.dotd.la.gov, email dotdcs@la.gov, or call DOTD’s Customer Service Center at (225) 379-1232 or 1-877-4LADOTD (1-877-452-3683). Business hours are 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Motorists can access up-to-date travel information by dialing 511 or by visiting www.511la.org. Out-of-state travelers can call 1-888-ROAD-511 (1-888-762-3511).