State Attorney General Jeff Landry has weighed in on a multiyear freeway renovation project in Baton Rouge, saying in a letter to the Louisiana transportation secretary that the planned narrowing of I-10 in 2024 may not be in the best interests of the public.
In a Nov. 10 letter to Shawn Wilson, the secretary of the state Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), Landry characterized the four-year construction project as burdensome to affected commuters.
“In statements to legislators, media outlets and the public, LA DOTD has recently stated its intent to reduce capacity on both the eastbound and westbound lanes of the I-10 from its existing six lanes to just two lanes – one lane in either direction – in an effort to reduce the time and costs associated with the project,” Landry, who is running for governor, said in the letter.
While the attorney general questioned the social and economic impact of the project to Louisiana residents, DOTD officials emphasize that the reduction of the freeway capacity to two lanes will be limited to the I-110 / I-10 merge section of the elevated flyover – and that this would last for 14 months.
“Just to be clear, the plan calls for I-10 to go from six lanes (three lanes in each direction) to four lanes (two lanes in each direction) in 2024 from the I-10 / I-110 merge to the Acadian Thruway for 12 to 14 months,” DOTD spokesman Rodney Mallett said in an email to the Louisiana Record.
Wilson, meanwhile, has taken advantage of what’s called construction management at risk (CMAR), in which a design professional is engaged to keep a long-term project on track, Mallett said.
In addition, he noted that the eastbound flyover at the I-10 / I-110 interchange already goes down to one lane as cars come off of the Mississippi River Bridge at Washington Street.
Wilson plans to respond to the attorney general’s letter, Mallett added.
“Baton Rouge is often mentioned as one of the worst cities in the nation for traffic congestion,” he said. “The reason is that investment into much-needed improvements has been delayed for decades. Any further delay will make the situation worse or much more expensive to address.”
Congestion will be mitigated during the construction phase through restriping and signal modifications on surface streets, as well as a new emphasis on flexible work schedules, according to the DOTD.
Once completed, the project will result in four lanes in both directions, along with two through lanes coming off the I-10 Mississippi River Bridge. It will also include a greenway for pedestrians and bicyclists, more parking and lighting, and improved connectivity throughout downtown, the DOTD said.