WALKER, La. – Today, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Secretary Sherri H. LeBas announced the start of construction on a $26.5 million project to widen 3.6 miles of I-12 from four to six lanes from Walker to half a mile west of Satsuma.
“I am pleased to see the start of construction on another project in DOTD’s multi-year initiative to improve traffic flow and safety by widening I-12 in Livingston Parish,” said DOTD Secretary Sherri H. LeBas. “When completed, this project will have a positive impact on the more than 49,000 drivers who use this corridor to travel between home and work each day.”
Work on the project began last night and will take approximately one year to complete.
The start of construction on this segment marks the fourth project to widen I-12 in the Baton Rouge area under the Geaux Wider Program. The other projects included:
- A $110 million project to widen I-12 from four to six lanes between O’Neal Lane in Baton Rouge to Pete’s Highway in Denham Springs. Work on this 3.2-mile project began in April 2009 and finished in June 2012.
- A $36.2 million project, also in Denham Springs, to widen 2.1-miles of I-12 from four to six lanes between Pete’s Highway and Juban Road. Work began in August 2010 and finished in June 2012.
- A $21.9 million project to widen 3.2 miles of I-12 from four to six lanes between Juban Road and Walker. Work began in December 2011 and finished in December 2013.
During construction, lane closures will only occur at night between 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. in order to avoid impeding traffic flow during peak times. For more information on lane closures, or to sign-up to receive e-mail updates, visit www.geauxwider.com.
Since taking office in January 2008, the Jindal Administration has made investing in Louisiana’s infrastructure a top priority. During this time, the state has invested an unprecedented $5.9 billion on transportation infrastructure improvements. Approximately $304 million of this has been invested on projects to improve the I-12 corridor statewide.
I-12 is a major route between Baton Rouge and Mississippi, serving a growing area of commercial development, industrial operations and residential communities, including Our Lady of the Lake Livingston in Walker, which sees an average of 100 patients per day in its emergency room.
Plans for I-12 continue as DOTD works to develop a project to widen approximately 1.3 miles of I-12 from four to six lanes from half a mile west of Satsuma to the Satsuma exit. DOTD anticipates accepting bids for the estimated $10 million to $15 million project in early 2015.
The $341 million Geaux Wider Program is a multi-year construction initiative designed to increase capacity, improve safety and enhance mobility on I-10 and I-12 in East Baton Rouge and Livingston parishes.
DOTD would like to remind drivers that there are four separate construction zones between La. 447 (Walker) and the Tangipahoa Parish Line. They include:
• The widening project between La. 447 and Satsuma Road that began last night and will last approximately one year.
• A project to repair pavement and approach slabs at three different sites that is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
- Hornsby Creek & Colyell Creek Bridges located just east of the Satsuma Road interchange at approximately mile marker 20
- Big Branch Creek Bridge located just west of the LA 441 (Holden) interchange at approximately mile marker 28
- Blood River Bridge located west of the LA 43 (Albany) interchange at approximately mile marker 31
All of these sites include lane shifts. Please exercise caution when driving through these construction zones and be on the lookout for construction vehicles entering and exiting these zones, work crews, and equipment. All planned construction activities are weather-dependent and may be rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
For more information, please visit www.dotd.la.gov, email dotdcs@la.gov, or call DOTD’s Custom 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).