Interstate lane closures planned as DOTD prepares for next phase of Flyover Project

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - The next phase of the College Drive Flyover Project could impact traffic in the area and could cause some interruptions for your drive this week.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development will be closing parts of I-10 and I-12 overnights this week. It’s part of the $53 million new College Drive exit project. DOTD said the goal is to extend and widen the exit ramps in an effort to alleviate congestion and crashes.

Construction will begin Monday night and will continue through early Friday morning.

“An elevated game of chicken is going on because people are trying to switch lanes to get into the lane that they want to go to west downtown or get off at College and so this is going to end all the weaving action right there,” said Rodney Mallett.

Janelle Gianelloni, who works off of Essen Lane, experiences how bad traffic can get firsthand.

“Sometimes it takes me 45 minutes to get home and I only live six miles from here,” said Gianelloni.

Construction crews are preparing for the project’s next phase by restriping the lanes and putting up a barrier wall between the cars and workers. To do this, they’re closing the I-12 westbound Essen Lane on ramp.

Gianelloni believes this will cause more congestion for her.

“If they do construction and they take down that ramp here on Essen Lane, I think there’s going to be more traffic on Essen Lane especially in the afternoons,” said Gianelloni.

However, DOTD said their crews are not working during peak hours. They’re only shutting down the ramp from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

“We’re doing this at night to minimize traffic impacts so they’re working the best they can to try to minimize the impacts on traffic,” said Mallett. “I understand people get frustrated, but progress sometimes is frustrating.”

Even though it’s frustrating having to deal with the construction, Gianelloni understands it’s for the better.

“Probably after they finish all the construction it will be better for the people on Essen Lane and for the people that drive on the interstate,” said Gianelloni.

The I-12 Westbound on-ramp at Essen Lane and I-12 Westbound Exit 1A will be closed. Motorists can detour to I-10 West at Essen Lane or I-10 East at Drusilla Lane.

The College Drive Flyover project is supposed to be completed next fall.

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