Louisiana

[Ace10]

Some updates from NOLA:

The new Twin Spans will be complete and open to all traffic next month.
http://www.wwltv.com/news/northshore/Revamped-Twin-Spans-to-open-in-September-127486668.html...

Thank God! I visited New Orleans about two weeks ago and was still surprised work was still going on with the twinspans. Good to know it's almost finished.

[golden eagle]

I passed through the area on Friday. I saw some work that was being done, but didn't really know what kind of work. Good thing it wasn't crowded, though.

[bassoon1986]

Speaking of Clearview, there is a considerable amount that has been changing over in central LA as well. The entire Pineville Expressway(US 167, US 71, LA 28) has been resigned I think to Clearview last time I visited home. Also most mileage signs and city limit signs along US 165 to Monroe from Alexandria have been changed as well. I cannot recall if interchanges in Monroe along I 20 have had some Clearview changed, they were replacing some as I was moving from there last December

[Anthony_JK]

Funny Clearview FYI:

They're finishing up the BGS upgrade on I-49 between Alexandria and Lafayette...all of the signs are reworked to Clearview EXCEPT for the I-10/I-49 interchange, which still uses the original FHWA Series font. Gee, I wonder why??

Also...they've modified the control limits for the I-10 interchanges within Lafayette. Some of them, like the University Avenue and I-49/US 167 interchange BGS's, used to have "Lafayette" as their control city. For example, the US 167 South exit (103A) used to say "Lafayette" and the LA 182 (University Ave) exit (101) used to have "Lafayette/Carencro" as their control cities. Now, the US 167 South exit has Morgan City as its control city, and the LA 182 exit now says "University Ave" with no control city, and has "Carencro" and "University of Louisiana Lafayette" on separate BGS signs. Makes perfect sense to me.


Anthony

[Anthony_JK]

Some updates from NOLA:

The new Twin Spans will be complete and open to all traffic next month.
http://www.wwltv.com/news/northshore/Revamped-Twin-Spans-to-open-in-September-127486668.html...

Thank God! I visited New Orleans about two weeks ago and was still surprised work was still going on with the twinspans. Good to know it's almost finished.

Amazing what 100% federal funding following a natural disaster will do to expedite construction, isn't it?

Can you only imagine how long it would have taken if it relied on traditional 90/10 funding, or if the state would have had to put up its share?? *cough*I-49South*cough*


Anthony

[Ace10]

Amazing what 100% federal funding following a natural disaster will do to expedite construction, isn't it?

Can you only imagine how long it would have taken if it relied on traditional 90/10 funding, or if the state would have had to put up its share?? *cough*I-49South*cough*

Anthony

Well I only say that because in my hometown of Biloxi, whoever did the construction of the Bay St Louis and Ocean Springs bridges that carry US 90 got them fully finished 2-3 years after the hurricane if I remember correctly. I'm surprised LA still hadn't finished work on the Twinspans last I was in New Orleans, compared to how quickly MS reconstructed those bridges.

[UptownRoadGeek]

It may have something to do with MS completely closing the bridges and rerouting traffic during construction whereas LA kept the bridges open to traffic.

[froggie]

That's part of it.  The Biloxi-Ocean Springs and Bay St. Louis bridges were completely destroyed.  Not the same with the Twin Spans...the eastbound span was repaired and reopened inside of 2 months as I recall, and the westbound span a few months later.  And because the existing Twin Spans are still being used, LaDOTD had to work around them in building the new Twin Spans, ESPECIALLY at the bridge approaches.

The other thing to consider is scale.  The Bay St. Louis bridge is just over 2 miles, and the Biloxi-Ocean Springs bridge is about a mile-and-two-thirds.  The Twin Spans are 5-and-a-half miles long...50% more than the two Mississippi bridges combined.

[UptownRoadGeek]

LaDOTD has recently replaced the brand new BGSs at the Bonnabel exit on I-10 westbound with even newer Clearview signage.

[UptownRoadGeek]

As of right now they're replacing signage at the Causeway interchange that isn't even 6 months old yet. Our tax dollars at work

[brownpelican]

That is nuts...

[Darkchylde]

I-12 now has new mile markers on it (at least on eastbound) with "East 12", then "Mile" and the mile number.

The weather was too crappy today, but I'll try to grab a snap of one when I can - there's one within walking distance of my house.

[Alex]

I-12 now has new mile markers on it (at least on eastbound) with "East 12", then "Mile" and the mile number.

The weather was too crappy today, but I'll try to grab a snap of one when I can - there's one within walking distance of my house.

lamsalfl told me that they finally added mileposts to Interstate 10 from I-12/59 to the MS state line too.

[Ace10]

lamsalfl told me that they finally added mileposts to Interstate 10 from I-12/59 to the MS state line too.

I can confirm they have. The I-10 mileposts to the MS state line have the I-10 shield on them as well, and run both directions East and West. I live about 40 miles away from the MS-LA state line but Darkangel can probably snap a picture faster than I can.

Is it bad that I was never aware they were missing? Just never noticed, I guess.

[Darkchylde]

(cue stream of incoherent cursing)

Here. Walked out onto the Interstate in a rainstorm to get a pic of the new milepost design.

[Ace10]

Darkangel, you're truly an angel (lol). The I-10 signs near the easternmost miles of I-10 look the same. I'm heading that way myself tomorrow probably, so I'll see if I can snap a few pictures of those.

[lamsalfl]

The new I-10 deluxe milemarkers begin at Mile 262 and continue east to the state line.  Also, I noticed east of Michoud Blvd. exit in New Orleans East some new concrete slabs with a hole in them.  I assume they are for the missing milemarkers there too.  None have been installed on the Twinspan either. 

I could be wrong, but it seems like the ones in the Slidell area are poorly calibrated.  It seems like they are spaced every .8 or .9 miles apart.

[brownpelican]

All lanes of the new Twin Span will open to traffic by the morning rush Friday. Expect minor work to continue though.
http://www.nola.com/traffic/index.ssf/2011/09/twin_spans_commuters_thrilled.html

Emergency repairs to take place today at the I-10/I-12/I-59 interchange today.
http://www.nola.com/traffic/index.ssf/2011/09/road_work_will_impact_i-12i-59.html

Lake Pontchartrain officials say a fifth toll lane is planned for the northshore toll plaza, but there's no date as when to build it. They have the money to build it.
http://www.nola.com/traffic/index.ssf/2011/09/causeway_to_add_fifth_lane_and.html#incart_mce

[UptownRoadGeek]

I-12 now has new mile markers on it (at least on eastbound) with "East 12", then "Mile" and the mile number.

They started installing these on I-10 in the city a about a year or two ago and then suddenly stopped and went back to the plain green mile marker, but started installing them every .2 miles.

[US71]

I-12 now has new mile markers on it (at least on eastbound) with "East 12", then "Mile" and the mile number.

They started installing these on I-10 in the city a about a year or two ago and then suddenly stopped and went back to the plain green mile marker, but started installing them every .2 miles.

FWIW, their official name seems to be "Emergency Reference Markers" (at least according to MoDOT)

[UptownRoadGeek]

I-12 lanes set to open in Livingston

[Anthony_JK]

Well...the new I-10 Twin Span between NOLA and Slidell is now finally open in both directions, only awaiting final touches:
http://www.dotd.la.gov/pressreleases/release.aspx?key=1803

And, in Baton Rouge, LaDOTD succumbs to reality and pressure and restores original lane assignments for westbound I-10/LA 1 exit off New Mississippi River Bridge:
http://www.dotd.la.gov/pressreleases/release.aspx?key=1803


Anthony

[UptownRoadGeek]

Interstate 10 cable safety barriers to be installed between Baton Rouge and East Jefferson

[brownpelican]

^^^^From Highland Road in Baton Rouge to Veterans Blvd in Metairie.

[Anthony_JK]

The final 4-lane stretch of US 61 from St. Francisville to Bains was opened yesterday, completing the full 4-lane from BTR to the MS state line.

http://www.dotd.la.gov/pressreleases/release.aspx?key=1813


Anthony