DOTD celebrates completion of I-10 widening in Metairie
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 1:53:36 PM
Construction eases congestion between Veterans Memorial Boulevard and Clearview Parkway
Metairie, La. – Today, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Secretary Sherri H. LeBas was joined by state and local officials at Iglesia de Dios Getsemani for a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the completion of Geaux Wider NOLA in Jefferson Parish.
This $42.4 million project widened 1.2 miles of Interstate 10 from six to 10 lanes between Veterans Memorial Boulevard and Clearview Parkway. The project also included ramp and bridge work to accommodate the widening, and construction of a sound wall along this segment. Construction began in October 2011 and was completed in December 2014 by J.B. James Construction LLC of Baton Rouge.
Secretary LeBas said, “More than 162,000 drivers rely upon this segment of Interstate 10 each day. We can now say that a safer, wider and more efficient interstate is now open here in Jefferson Parish, one that better supports the needs of commuters, businesses and industry.”
Interstate 10 is the principal western approach to the New Orleans metropolitan area. The majority of all traffic entering or departing the city to the west use I-10. It is also the major access point for trucking to/from the Port of Orleans.
This project has improved access to several facilities in the immediate vicinity including the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, Zephyr Field, principal rail facilities for CN Railroad, Union Pacific and the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railroads, the Avondale Shipyard, Clearview Mall and East Jefferson General Hospital.
Major employers in the area, such as Ochsner Medical Center, LSU Medical Center, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems (Avondale) and Tulane-Lakeside Hospital, have benefited from the improved access and elimination of what has historically been a bottleneck during morning and afternoon rush hours.
“These types of projects, while they serve the people very well, they also create economic development in immeasurable ways. They create jobs, they create wealth for families, they create opportunities,” said Senator Conrad Appel.
“Projects that we have been able to prioritize through the legislature have been a very meaningful increase in our transportation,” said Representative Joseph Lopinto. “We have prioritized capacity, putting – instead of small amounts of dollars into smaller projects – large amounts of dollars into large projects to increase this capacity.”
Since Governor Jindal took office in 2008, an unprecedented investment of more than $6.7 billion in statewide infrastructure improvements has been allotted. Also, throughout Jefferson Parish, more than $809 million has been invested in transportation projects and more than $258 million has been spent on multiple Interstate 10 improvement projects in the Greater New Orleans metro area.
Coupled with the $86 million in improvements to the I-10/Causeway interchange just a couple of years ago, the widening of Interstate 10 is yet another step towards improving Louisiana’s infrastructure for residents and businesses.
Currently in the design phase are two widening projects in Jefferson Parish – Williams Boulevard to Veterans Memorial Boulevard and Loyola Drive to Williams Boulevard. These projects will widen the interstate 3.5 miles and include ramp and bridge work to accommodate the widening, and build sound walls along appropriate segments at an estimated cost of $10-$115 million.
The future construction of these segments will further improve transportation mobility and make Louisiana a more attractive target for new businesses and industries that will provide residents more job opportunities.
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).
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