I-10 repairs in Metairie

[UptownRoadGeek]

Traffic headed east out of New Orleans is about to get much worse in the next two months.  The mile long cracks in the I-10 between Causeway and Clearview are set to be repaired beginning in May.
WWL 4: Huge crack in I-10 in Metairie to get fix (video included).

With construction already going on at I-10/Causeway and Causeway/Vets traffic is already at a stand still from Causeway to 17th Street Canal from 2:30pm to about 7:00pm. The feeders from Bonnabel to Causeway are parking lots as well.  Throw in construction that's set to start on the new Causeway overpass at the levee and it will only get worse. Earhart is almost completely dug up from Pine St to the Parish Line and Jeff Highway is about to be torn down at Huey P/Clearview.  Basically there will be no fully open or construction free route from Orleans to East Jefferson Parish until probably sometime next year.  Can you say commuter hell  .

[US71]

I'll be down that way in a couple weeks, but will likely be on 90 instead of I-10

[brownpelican]

Sorry to bump this, but here are some very recent pics of the progress at I-10/Causeway/Veterans, courtesy of DOTD.


New ramp from northbound Causeway to I-10 West is nearly complete. At the top, you can see some of the piers for the ramp from southbound Causeway over Veterans to I-10 West.


A look at the new ramp UC that will take motorists from I-10 West over Veterans to northbound Causeway.


Am upclose look at the ramp in the previous pic, looking north.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

It's strange (for me) to see actual progress on this interchange after 4 years or driving through Metairie wondering what the concrete piers were going to lead to.

[UptownRoadGeek]

I'm still trying to figure out how the SB Causway -> EB I-10 flyover will work.  I'm wondering whether it will split from the EB Vets -> I-10 or the SB Causeway -> WB I-10 flyovers or will it be seperate.  Like osu-lsu, I remember driving through that interchange for years wondering what they would do with the piers.  I also read somewhere long ago that DOTD wanted to put flyovers at Vets/I-10 and maybe Clearview.

[froggie]

If you can read through this graphic, the two ramps to EB I-10 will be separate.  The ramp directly from SB Causeway will be a true flyover, and utilize that median embankment built a few years ago.  The ramp from Veterans to EB I-10 will start as a ground-level ramp then utilize those piers built on that side of the interchange.

[codyg1985]

I'm still trying to figure out how the SB Causway -> EB I-10 flyover will work.  I'm wondering whether it will split from the EB Vets -> I-10 or the SB Causeway -> WB I-10 flyovers or will it be seperate.  Like osu-lsu, I remember driving through that interchange for years wondering what they would do with the piers.  I also read somewhere long ago that DOTD wanted to put flyovers at Vets/I-10 and maybe Clearview.

I could maybe see Clearview getting flyovers (it would probably be similar to what they did at Power Blvd or even at Causeway). How would they implement flyovers at Veterans? What movements should get flyovers there?

I have to wonder: after being here for a month now, I have noticed that traffic *always* backs up going west on I-10 at the 610 merge going into Jefferson Parish. Is this all caused by the construction, or was the widening job not designed properly (which is my theory)?

[Anthony_JK]

Flyovers on Clearview/I-10 would probably work only if they were also planning on elevating the main lanes on Clearview and upgrading it to a freeway.

I don't think that flyovers are really needed on Veterans/I-10...the traffic count probably doesn't warrrant such.

I'd much prefer they build direct flyover access between I-10 WB and the Louie Armstrong International Airport access road. Having to take the Williams Blvd. exit and then double back is a bit much...unless using I-310 to Airline Highway is more preferred.


Anthony

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Flyovers on Clearview/I-10 would probably work only if they were also planning on elevating the main lanes on Clearview and upgrading it to a freeway.

I don't think that flyovers are really needed on Veterans/I-10...the traffic count probably doesn't warrrant such.

I'd much prefer they build direct flyover access between I-10 WB and the Louie Armstrong International Airport access road. Having to take the Williams Blvd. exit and then double back is a bit much...unless using I-310 to Airline Highway is more preferred.


Anthony

Signage suggests taking I-310 to Airline for freight traffic.  Passengers are recommended using Williams Blvd.  To which I would I like a ramp from I-10 EB to the Airport access road as well (having driven to from BR to Louie Armstrong for flights).

[brownpelican]

I have to wonder: after being here for a month now, I have noticed that traffic *always* backs up going west on I-10 at the 610 merge going into Jefferson Parish. Is this all caused by the construction, or was the widening job not designed properly (which is my theory)?

That backup is because motorists from I-10 west are looking to get over to exit at Bonnabel (which the far right lane from I-610 becomes exit only) and at Causeway. It's been that way for decades.

The delays are a little heavier now at Causeway because those exiting to North Causeway have to use the ground-level road through Veterans (traffic lights) instead of taking the Veterans overpass due to the construction of the new flyover ramp.

As far as leaving New Orleans International, motorists can also travel west on Veterans to Loyola Drive and get on I-10 West there instead of using Williams.

[Removed unnecessary markup. -S.]

[UptownRoadGeek]

That backup is because motorists from I-10 west are looking to get over to exit at Bonnabel (which the far right lane from I-610 becomes exit only) and at Causeway. It's been that way for decades.

The delays are a little heavier now at Causeway because those exiting to North Causeway have to use the ground-level road through Veterans (traffic lights) instead of taking the Veterans overpass due to the construction of the new flyover ramp.

As far as leaving New Orleans International, motorists can also travel west on Veterans to Loyola Drive and get on I-10 West there instead of using Williams.

I would say the backups at 610 and the I-10 are because of the Causeway and Clearview mess.  The biggest problem here is how the Bonnabel flyover merges into a lane that is about to drop.  1 lane drops at Bonnabel, then 2 more at Causeway leaving 4 lanes and then the right lane drops.  People get into the right lane thinking it will continue and as soon as traffic from Bonnabel slides in, the lane drops and people start jumping over.  Then you get the Clearview exit and the highway narrows down to 3 lanes with traffic entering from Clearview (with little merge space) all at the same time.

If your on the westbound I-10 getting to Bonnabel isn't a problem if you're in the right lane by the time you pass the Florida exit.  I've done this every week during afternoon rush hour for 4 months now.

Flyovers on Clearview/I-10 would probably work only if they were also planning on elevating the main lanes on Clearview and upgrading it to a freeway.

I don't think that flyovers are really needed on Veterans/I-10...the traffic count probably doesn't warrrant such.

I'd much prefer they build direct flyover access between I-10 WB and the Louie Armstrong International Airport access road. Having to take the Williams Blvd. exit and then double back is a bit much...unless using I-310 to Airline Highway is more preferred.


Anthony

There isn't enough traffic moving from Clearview and I-10 to warrant flyovers.  Something needs to be done about the Clearview to I-10 west entrance though, but the Transcontinental overpass will be widened in the future anyway.

I can't see them at Vets either.  A direct entrance to I-10 west from East Vets would be nice though.

MSY is planning a western access road as part of their expansion so who knows...

[codyg1985]

I would say the backups at 610 and the I-10 are because of the Causeway and Clearview mess.  The biggest problem here is how the Bonnabel flyover merges into a lane that is about to drop.  1 lane drops at Bonnabel, then 2 more at Causeway leaving 4 lanes and then the right lane drops.  People get into the right lane thinking it will continue and as soon as traffic from Bonnabel slides in, the lane drops and people start jumping over.  Then you get the Clearview exit and the highway narrows down to 3 lanes with traffic entering from Clearview (with little merge space) all at the same time.

Does a lot of traffic get off of I-10 Westbound onto Clearview in the afternoons? I don't understand why LaDOTD didn't extend that lane that drops after the Causeway interchange to the Clearview (so that the WB cross-section of I-10 would have four main lanes plus the two auxillary lanes that exit onto Ciearview). My guess is lack of ROW.

Does anyone know how much the interstate will be widened between Clearview and Vets?

[UptownRoadGeek]

Does a lot of traffic get off of I-10 Westbound onto Clearview in the afternoons? I don't understand why LaDOTD didn't extend that lane that drops after the Causeway interchange to the Clearview (so that the WB cross-section of I-10 would have four main lanes plus the two auxillary lanes that exit onto Ciearview). My guess is lack of ROW.

Does anyone know how much the interstate will be widened between Clearview and Vets?

Westbound traffic getting off at Clearview have two dedicated lanes so it's not that big of an issue.  The problem there is traffic getting onto the I-10 from Clearview has to squeeze into a tight merge because the Transcontinental overpass is only feet away.  I have no idea why the lane drops or how it will be incorporated into the final product.  When everything is done the stretch between Causeway and Clearview is supposed to be 8 lanes with auxillaries between the two exits. (10 total).  The stretch from Clearview to Vets is supposed to the exact same way as far as I know.  Then the work is supposed to move west to Williams and tie into the overpass that comes in from the left.

DOTD has started putting up Detour signs for I-10 west at Clearview.  All hell is going to break loose once they start ripping that up.

[lamsalfl]

One of my proposals is to add WB onramp and EB offramp to Transcontinental and I-10.  This would give a lot of relief to Clearview for those living/working on the west side of Clearview.  If someone is coming from the airport and they live ON Transcontinental, they must exit at Clearview.  That's a 1/2 mile past Trans.  Then after exiting, must backtrack another 1/2 mile to get back to Trans.  by using either West Napoleon or Veterans. 

If you figure 250 vehicles per hour (no idea, just making up a number), that's 6,000 vehicles per day saving *6,000 miles* of gas and time.  Even using 30 mpg, which is a joke in the city, but using 30 mpg just to show a bare minimum, that's 200 gallons of fuel saved per day.  Plus you shave time off driving, and the cars exiting at Trans are not in the hair of Clearview of traffic in the first place.  And, this helps out the westbound onramp at Veterans exit 225. 

So simple.  Maybe this can be included in the I-10 widening when they begin that project?  How can I make this suggestion known to DOTD??

[froggie]

The catch there is that FHWA policy is generally for full interchanges only on Interstates.  There would have to be a *VERY GOOD* reason, usually some sort of physical restraint, why you would only build a partial interchange.  I don't think your idea for ramps at Transcontinential will fly unless you make it a full interchange, and then you'd run into spacing issues with the interchange at Clearview.

As a side note, if they live on that side of Clearview, they might as well just hop on Airline to get to/from the airport.  Or use the ramps at Veterans (I've done both myself).

[lamsalfl]

well, it's only Jefferson Parish anyway. 

[brownpelican]

One of my proposals is to add WB onramp and EB offramp to Transcontinental and I-10.  This would give a lot of relief to Clearview for those living/working on the west side of Clearview.  If someone is coming from the airport and they live ON Transcontinental, they must exit at Clearview.  That's a 1/2 mile past Trans.  Then after exiting, must backtrack another 1/2 mile to get back to Trans.  by using either West Napoleon or Veterans.  

If you figure 250 vehicles per hour (no idea, just making up a number), that's 6,000 vehicles per day saving *6,000 miles* of gas and time.  Even using 30 mpg, which is a joke in the city, but using 30 mpg just to show a bare minimum, that's 200 gallons of fuel saved per day.  Plus you shave time off driving, and the cars exiting at Trans are not in the hair of Clearview of traffic in the first place.  And, this helps out the westbound onramp at Veterans exit 225.  

So simple.  Maybe this can be included in the I-10 widening when they begin that project?  How can I make this suggestion known to DOTD??

I doubt that would work because:

A) Clearview and Transcontinental are too close together
B) Traffic on Veterans between the two above-mentioned streets would be even worse than they are now (Clearview and Veterans is one of the busiest intersections on the entire South Shore).

Some good news for Causeway and I-10 motorists: DOTD will reopen the notorious merge area where northbound Causeway motorists could exit to Veterans and I-10 West motorists can merge onto northbound Causeway sometime Wednesday morning.

The new elevated ramp from I-10 West to the Causeway overpass should open in November or December.

[Removed unnecessary markup and merged consecutive posts. -S.]

[codyg1985]

B) Traffic on Veterans between the two above-mentioned streets would be even worse than they are now (Clearview and Veterans is one of the busiest intersections on the entire South Shore).[/font][/color]

It is one of the few intersections I have seen with a triple left turn lane from WB Vets to SB Clearview.

[lamsalfl]

I doubt that would work because:

A) Clearview and Transcontinental are too close together
B) Traffic on Veterans between the two above-mentioned streets would be even worse than they are now (Clearview and Veterans is one of the busiest intersections on the entire South Shore).

I don't think you follow.  I'm talking about building ramps on the WEST side of Transcontinental.  Traffic using these 2 ramps would not go anywhere near Clearview.  Also, you have ramps in downtown areas that are sometimes less than 1/4 mile apart, and my 2 ramps don't even go near the Clearview ramps.  My traffic doesn't interfere in any way with Clearview traffic. 

I don't see what these 2 ramps have anything to do with Veterans.  All these ramps are just supplementary, and connect Transcontinental interests with anything west. Kenner, Baton Rouge, or Las Cruces.

[froggie]

You'd still run into the FHWA policy that prefers (if not outright requiring) full interchanges...in which case the closeness to Clearview does come into play.

[codyg1985]

You'd still run into the FHWA policy that prefers (if not outright requiring) full interchanges...in which case the closeness to Clearview does come into play.

Maybe the full interchange could involve a braided ramp configuration between Clearview and Transcontinental that is similar to Bonnabel/Causeway, but of course that would significantly impact the cost of the interchange.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

You'd still run into the FHWA policy that prefers (if not outright requiring) full interchanges...in which case the closeness to Clearview does come into play.

But there's an half interchange for Power Blvd. near the airport.  That's recent (as in the last 10-15 years), isn't it?

[UptownRoadGeek]

85% of the interchanges in the GNO area are half, one-sided, or indirect; but for most of those a full interchange would be costly or impossible.  I like the idea of the braided ramp, but it would require more  ROW to not conflict with NB Clearview -> WB I-10. SB Clearview to WB I-10 would need some space too.

[brownpelican]

Somewhat related: Google Earth has updated the images in the New Orleans area (March 23 to be exact). That means you can see the scope of the I-10/Causeway/Veterans interchange construction in good detail.

[Removed unnecessary markup. -S.]

[UptownRoadGeek]

Somewhat related: Google Earth has updated the images in the New Orleans area (March 23 to be exact). That means you can see the scope of the I-10/Causeway/Veterans interchange construction in good detail.

[Removed unnecessary markup. -S.]

You con also get a glimpse of the Huey Long progress and various street construction in the city. I just wish that U.S. 90 would been fully above grade from the bridge to the WB EXPWY.