Interstate 10 West - New Orleans

Interstate 10 westbound meets Bullard Avenue at a diamond interchange (Exit 245). Bullard Avenue constitutes a multi lane boulevard between U.S. 90 (Chef Menteur Highway) and Hayne Boulevard (LA 47).

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Frontage roads travel alongside I-10 throughout New Orleans East, generally hosting an array of commercial businesses and apartment complexes. Exit 245 departs I-10 west for Bullard Avenue at Jahnckne Canal. Bullard Avenue south intersects Lake Forest Boulevard just west of I-510/LA 47.

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Continuing west, a diamond interchange joins I-10 with Read Boulevard at Exit 244. Read Boulevard served a busy commercial area adjacent to Interstate 10. Many of those businesses were damaged extensively from Hurricane Katrina and later razed.

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Read Boulevard, like Bullard Avenue, travels south from Hayne Boulevard (LA 47) to U.S. 90. Read Boulevard however continues a short distance beyond Chef Menteur Highway to Almonaster Boulevard.

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The last New Orleans East interchange joins Interstate 10 with Crowder Boulevard at Exit 242. Crowder Boulevard, like Read Boulevard, travels through commercial areas between Morrison and Dwyer Roads.

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Crowder Boulevard runs through the West Lake Forest and Little Woods neighborhoods of the city between U.S. 90 and Hayne Boulevard (LA 47).

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Westbound reassurance shield preceding the trumpet interchange with Morrison Road (unsigned LA 1253). Exit 241 serves New Orleans Lakefront Airport (NEW) and the Seabrook neighborhood of the city.

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Westbound Interstate 10, one quarter mile out from Exit 241 (Morrison Road). The connector onto Morrison Road west to Downman Road represents the original west end of the Eastern Expressway. Eastern Expressway was the name given to I-10 throughout New Orleans East.
When the High Rise across the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal was completed, the Morrison Road connector became an off-ramp. Morrison Road otherwise parallels Morrison Canal eastward from Downman Road to Bullard Boulevard.

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Morrison Boulevard was at one time a part of LA 3021, a state highway that followed the road west from I-10 to Downman Road south to U.S. 90 west across the Industrial Canal. LA 3021 now follows just Elysian Fields Avenue between U.S. 90 (Gentilly Boulevard) and LA 39 (Claiborne Avenue).

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Interstate 10 turns south alongside Ray Avenue and Francis Drive toward the High Rise across the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal. A reassurance shield precedes the Dwyer Road under crossing.

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Interstate 10 next crosses paths with U.S. 90 (Chef Menteur Highway) for the first time in Louisiana at Exit 240B. Exit 240B provides a direct ramp onto U.S. 90, just east of its intersections with Downman and Jourdan Roads.
Greenouts on Exit 240B overheads cover "U.S. 90 East" as the forthcoming ramp serves both directions of the US route.

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A parclo interchange links I-10 and U.S. 90 at Exit 240B. U.S. 90 (Chef Menteur Highway) leads east from Gentilly Road and the Inner Harbor Navigational Canal lift bridge to Chef Menteur Pass and the Rigolets. U.S. 90 varies between four and six lanes with a median or center turn lane throughout eastern New Orleans.

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Turning westward again on the approach to the High Rise across the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal. Locals refer to the waterway as simply the "Industrial Canal".

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Westbound I-10 emerges from the Old Gentilly Road over crossing at the base of the six lane High Rise.

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Spanning the Industrial Canal along the High Rise westbound. Without shoulders, the narrow fixed span includes a truck restriction mandating commercial vehicles to the right lane. The bridge spans the canal and Jourdan and France Roads above a parallel CSX Railroad line.

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Traffic increases on Interstate 10 westbound as it crosses the High Rise. Exit 239 departs the freeway on the western descent for Louisa Street and Old Gentilly Road. Louisa Street travels south from U.S. 90 (Chef Menteur Highway) through the Desire, St. Claude and Bywater neighborhoods.

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Before its replacement on May 22, 2007, the pull-through panel for Interstate 10 west on the High Rise read "New Orleag". This led to State Representative Austin Badon, Jr. of New Orleans to scold LADOTD after seeing the erroneous sign remain in place for eight months after Hurricane Katrina.
An overlay added in the early-1980s replaced Baton Rouge with New Orleans as the control city changed. The "e" from the capital city was removed during that installation, and when the overlay fell in the 2000s, the odd spelling of New Orleans was revealed.¹

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The skyline of New Orleans unfolds to the southwest as Interstate 10 lowers from the High Rise into the Desire section of the city.

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Exit 239 leaves Interstate 10 west from the High Rise to Old Gentilly Road, midway between the intersections with Louisa Street and France Road near the Gentilly Woods neighborhood. France Road lines the Industrial Canal northward to Pontchartrain Park while Louisa Street enters the Gentilly Woods community.

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0.75 miles from Franklin Avenue on I-10 at the Old Gentilly Road on-ramp from near Louisa Avenue. A half diamond interchange joins I-10 with Franklin Avenue at the split with Interstate 610.

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Interstate 610 provides the through route for motorists bound for Jefferson Parish and Baton Rouge from I-10 west at Exit 238B.

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Interstate 10 levels out briefly before rising again onto a set of viaducts from a Norfolk Southern Railroad crossing southwest to the central business district.

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Franklin Avenue comprises a multi lane boulevard from I-10 north to Gentilly Terrace, Milneburg and the University of New Orleans, and south to St. Roch and St. Claude.

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Exit 238A departs I-10 westbound for Franklin Avenue just ahead of the split with Interstate 610 west at Exit 238B. I-10 ended at Exit 238 between 1966 and the 1968 completion of the viaduct to Downtown.

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The I-10 shield on the pull through panel fell off sometime after 2008. Interstate 610 was not completed until the mid 1970s from here west to Canal Boulevard.

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4.52 miles in length, Interstate 610 bypasses the New Orleans central business district between a wye interchange above Franklin Avenue and Pontchartrain Boulevard near the Jefferson Parish line. Through travelers are directed onto I-610 for Lakeview, Metairie, Louis Armstrong International Airport and Baton Rouge.

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The succeeding exit from I-10 east is for Elysian Fields Avenue (LA 3021). The freeway ascends over the previously adjacent CSX Railroad line between Exits 238B and 237.

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I-10 curves southwest over another Norfolk Southern railroad line and Florida Avenue. Elysian Fields Avenue (LA 3021) offers an alternate route into the French Quarter as ties into Esplanade Avenue and Peters Street near the French Market. Visible in the background are the U.S. 90 Business Crescent City Connection / Greater New Orleans Bridges.

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Elysian Fields Avenue (LA 3021) comprises a four lane, divided parkway from the riverfront area northward to the Lake Pontchartrain lakefront. LA 3021 runs from LA 39 (Claiborne Avenue) and LA 46 northward to U.S. 90 (Gentilly Boulevard) for a distance of 1.83 miles. LA 3021 south to LA 39 south or LA 46 (St. Claude Avenue) east linkd with the Ninth Ward.

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More of the downtown New Orleans skyline comes into view between Exits 237 and 236C.

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An auxiliary lane opens from the diamond interchange at Exit 237 to Exit 236C. Completed in 1968, the viaduct along I-10 spans the intersection of Saint Bernard Avenue and Claiborne Avenue. Although not acknowledged, Exit 236C represents the north end of LA 39 via Claiborne Avenue westbound.

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Saint Bernard Avenue comprises an urban arterial between LA 39 (Claiborne Avenue) and Robert E. Lee Boulevard at the Lake Terrace neighborhood of the city. A pair of flyover ramps link LA 39 (Claiborne Avenue) and I-10 eastbound.

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Exit 235A lowers from I-10 west to Orleans Street and the city street grid near Louis Armstrong Park. Located further south, the French Quarter / Vieux Carre is home to Bourbon Street, the popular street mall made famous by its party atmosphere, and other cultural attractions ranging from Jackson Square to the Cabildo.

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High rises near the south side of the viaduct along I-10 westbound ahead of Canal Street. Claiborne Avenue parallels the viaduct underneath, carrying U.S. 90 from Tulane Avenue westward.

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The central business district lies between Canal Street and the Pontchartrain Expressway (U.S. 90 Business). Although not readily visible from westbound, mausoleums lie along the eastbound side of the freeway between Iberville and St. Louis Streets.

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Exit 235A descends from Interstate 10 west onto Orleans Avenue. Orleans Avenue travels southeast from City Park Avenue to Basin Street within the French Quarter. Orleans Avenue north leads to the Treme neighborhood and U.S. 90 (Broad Avenue).

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Reassurance marker for Interstate 10 west posted after the Orleans Avenue on-ramp. Visible in the distance is the former New Orleans' Grand Palace Hotel. The 1950 high rise was imploded on July 22, 2012 to make way for the new University Medical Center.²

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Left Exit 234C departs ahead for U.S. 90 Business (Pontchartrain Expressway) west and U.S. 90 (Claiborne Avenue) west.

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Exit 235B is a loop ramp onto Derbigny Street, one block west of Canal Street. Canal Street was once a part of U.S. 90 from Broad Avenue southward to Claiborne Avenue. U.S. 90 was relocated four blocks westward on Broad Avenue to U.S. 61, and then Tulane Avenue southward to Claiborne Avenue. Canal Street south leads to St. Charles Avenue for Downtown, the Warehouse District and the Garden District.

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Exit 234C to the westbound beginning of Business U.S. 90 (Pontchartrain Expressway) and the continuation of U.S. 90 west along Claiborne Avenue depart from I-10 westbound near Downtown New Orleans. The Business route is really a bypass of U.S. 90 to the south, serving the Westbank communities of Gretna, Harvey, Marrero and Westwego along a freeway. Claiborne Avenue (U.S. 90) loops to the south and west through the Broadmoor, University and Carollton sections of the city. Tulane University lies along U.S. 90 at Versailles Boulevard.

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A view of the Interstate 10 westbound mainline as it turns northwest toward Metairie at Exit 234C. Reconstructed in the early 1990s, the Exit 234C junction offers sweeping flyovers high above the city street grid below that join Interstate 10 with the Pontchartrain Expressway, a north-south freeway between the Greater New Orleans and Crescent City Connection Bridges (U.S. 90 Business) and Pontchartrain Boulevard at Interstate 610 (Exit 231B).

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Interstate 10 westbound merges with U.S. 90 Business eastbound at the Broad Avenue over crossing. A pair of overheads advise motorists of the interchange confluence between U.S. 61 (Airline Drive & Tulane Avenue) and Carrollton Avenue. U.S. 61 begins at the intersection of Broad and Tulane Avenues (U.S. 90) at the Mid-City neighborhood nearby. The US highway travels northwest along Tulane Avenue to Interstate 10 where it transitions into Airline Drive at Holly-Grove.

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The westbound freeway briefly swells to five lanes at the Jeff Davis Parkway overpass. A two lane off-ramp departs ahead for ramps to U.S. 61 (Airline Drive) north to Holly Grove and Jefferson Parish and Carrollton Avenue north to Tulane Avenue and U.S. 61 south.

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I-10 ascends to span Carollton Avenue and U.S. 61 (Airline Drive) at the directional cloverleaf interchange at Exit 232. Carrollton Avenue joins I-10 with Leake and St. Charles Avenues at the Mississippi Riverfront community of Carollton to the southwest.

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Exit 232 partitions into ramps directly onto U.S. 61 (Airline Drive) north and Carrollton Avenue north to U.S. 61 (Tulane Avenue) at Mid-City, Wisner Boulevard, and Fairgrounds Race Track, home of the New Orleans Jazz Festival.

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Exit 232 includes access to Carrolton Avenue south via a separate ramp to Dublin and Palmetto Streets.

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Interstate 10 ascends over U.S. 61 (Airline Drive) and Carollton Avenue on the northern push to Exit 231A with Metairie Road (LA 611-9) west and City Park Avenue east.

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Pontchartrain Boulevard travels along the eastbound side of Interstate 10 and the Union Passenger Terminal railroad Line along the westbound side between U.S. 61 and Metairie Road / City Park Avenue. Metairie Road (LA 611-9) meanders west to the Jefferson Parish communities of Old Metairie and De Limon Place to U.S. 61 (Airline Highway) near Causeway Boulevard.

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Exit 231A carries drivers to the confluence of Metairie Road (LA 611-9) and City Park Avenue. The two roads are the same, changing names at their intersection with Pontchartrain Boulevard to the west. City Park Avenue runs east to Canal Street and Boulevard, City Park and Wisner Boulevard at Carrollton Avenue.

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The last New Orleans city exit joins Interstate 10 with Florida and West End Boulevards at Exit 231B. The right lane defaults onto the parting West End Boulevard north, a parallel road to Pontchartrain Boulevard south.

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Interstate 10 sinks below a Norfolk Southern Railroad bridge ahead of the wye interchange split with the Pontchartrain Expressway at West End Boulevard.

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Attached to the railroad bridge are signs for the Airport (Interstate 10 west) and Exit 231B, Florida Boulevard east and West End Boulevard north. Florida Boulevard begins via a ramp from West End Boulevard to Canal Boulevard and General Diaz Street nearby. Canal Boulevard comprises a main north-south arterial through Lakeview to the north.

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Interstate 10 resumes a westward course at the split with the Pontchartrain Boulevard (Exit 231B). Interstate 610 west merges with the freeway around the bend at the Jefferson Parish line.

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West End Boulevard begins after the three quarter cloverleaf interchange with Interstate 610 and continues north to the West End neighborhood at New Orleans-Hammond Highway and Lakeshore Drive. The brief freeway segment includes the Florida Boulevard off-ramp into the Navarre neighborhood.

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The one mile guide sign for Bonnabel Boulevard resides at the Jefferson Parish line along Interstate 10. Motorists along Interstate 610 westbound merge in from the left as the freeway enters the community of Metairie.
Interstate 10 was expanded to ten overall lanes from the 17th Street Canal to Causeway Boulevard by early 2009.

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A unique assembly holds a westbound Interstate 10 shield above the sound walls added to Interstate 10 through Metairie in 2009.

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Interstate 10 gains a pair of frontage roads through Metairie. Exit 229 to Bonnabel Boulevard utilizes those frontage roads to make the connection between the freeway and north-south arterial.

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Interstate 10 widening through Metairie expanded the Exit 229 off-ramp to two lanes. Bonnabel Boulevard begins at LA 611-9 (Metairie Road) and ends at Lake Pontchartrain near Bucktown.
Exit 228 follows and claims the right lane for a collector distributor roadway to Causeway Boulevard.

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Exit 228 joins Interstate 10 with Causeway Boulevard north to Lake Pontchartrain Causeway and Mandeville and south to Jefferson at a directional cloverleaf interchange. A $100 million project³ underway between April 2009 and Summer 2012 addressed congestion issues associated with the underpower cloverleaf interchange by reconfiguring ramps between the two highways to eliminate weaving traffic concerns. A new flyover ramp, opened March 1, 2012,³ carries southbound motorists from Causeway Boulevard onto I-10 east while traffic to Causeway Boulevard north from I-10 west and nearby Bonnabel Boulevard separates from the westbound on-ramp to I-10 from the adjacent service road.

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The Causeway interchange upgrade is the sixth of eight overall Interstate 10 improvement projects through Jefferson Parish undertaken since 2000.³ This 2006 view looks at the bridge over Bonnabel Boulevard when only three lanes continued west on I-10.

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Causeway Boulevard provides a major arterial between Interstate 10 and the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. The connection with the 23 mile tolled facility allows commuters to travel to/from New Orleans to Mandeville and Covington on the northern side of Lake Pontchartrain. The causeway carries four lanes of traffic on two spans and all passenger vehicles on the southbound bridge are levied a $3.00 toll.

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An additional improvement of the Causeway interchange project is a dedicated ramp from Interstate 10 west to parallel Veterans Boulevard independent of the Causeway Boulevard northbound mainline. Previously a dangerous weaving traffic configuration saw the northbound on-ramp join Causeway Boulevard just ahead of the Veterans Boulevard off-ramp. Now a separate ramp carries all traffic to Veterans below the new Exit 228 flyover to Mandeville.

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A look at the collector distributor roadway of Exit 228 and the original ramp split to Causeway Boulevard northbound from Interstate 10 westbound. The c/d roadway still carries motorists westbound to Causeway Boulevard south.

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A new flyover passes overhead to join the original loop ramp from Causeway Boulevard north onto I-10 west. The flyover accommodates the new Veterans Boulevard off-ramp from Causeway Boulevard north.

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Passing under Causeway Boulevard, a loop ramp prepares to depart for southbound to Jefferson. Next in line for Interstate 10 westbound travelers is the Exit 226 junction with Clearview Parkway.

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Causeway Boulevard southbound links Interstate 10 and the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway with U.S. 61 (Airline Highway) and U.S. 90 (Jefferson Highway). Contrary to many maps, most of the boulevard is not controlled access. An interchange exists with U.S. 61 and an elevated viaduct controls access between U.S. 61 and the southern terminal interchange at U.S. 90. The expressway portion of highway is part of the 0.92 mile LA 3046.

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Mid-2000s construction resulted in the widening of Interstate 10 to the Clearview Parkway cloverleaf interchange. Sound walls continue to line the frontage between the freeway mainline and parallel service roads. Pictured here is a sign bridge installed by 2006 for Exit 226 indicating the exit-only aspect of the right two lanes. A collector distributor roadway facilitates the movements between the two highways ahead.

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Cleary Avenue passes over Interstate 10 one quarter mile east of the Exit 226 c/d roadway departure. Clearview Parkway constitutes a busy arterial from U.S. 90 (Jefferson Highway) at LA 48 and the Huey P. Long Bridge northward to U.S. 61 (Airline Highway) and Interstate 10. The Huey P. Long Bridge is only the second crossing of the Mississippi River in the state north of the river delta. The first crossing is the Greater New Orleans / Crescent City Connection Bridges.

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Exit 226 departs Interstate 10 west for ramps to Clearview Parkway north to Veterans Memorial Boulevard and Esplanade Avenue and south to the Huey P. Long Bridge across the Mississippi River to Bridge City, Avondale, and the Westbank. Motorists bound for the U.S. 90 west destinations of Houma, Raceland, and Morgan City should remain on Interstate 10 west to Interstate 310 south (Exit 220).

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The northbound ramp to Clearview Parkway departs the Exit 226 c/d roadway. The ramp splits nearby with a component looping back to the North I-10 Service Road West at Clearview Mall.

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Clearview Parkway southbound between Interstate 10 and U.S. 90 (Jefferson Highway) doubles as LA 3152.

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Interstate 10 reduced to six overall lanes west of Clearview Parkway, but a project to expand the freeway to ten lanes broke ground on October 12, 2011. The $42.4 million project addresses congestion along 1.2 miles of freeway between Exit 225 and Veterans Boulevard. Sound walls will be added to the freeway frontage as well. Completion of the project is expected by June 2013.⁴

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Lowering from the Transcontinental Drive under crossing, Interstate 10 bends northwesterly.

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Veterans Memorial Boulevard parallels Interstate 10 throughout Jefferson Parish. The two roads finally cross paths at the Exit 225 parclo interchange north of Lafreniere Park.

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Interstate 10 elevates to pass over Veterans Memorial Boulevard and Canal Number 3 at Exit 225. Veterans Memorial Boulevard travels just south of the freeway between here and Loyola Drive in Kenner. The stretch between Exit 225 and LA 49 (Williams Boulevard) is commercialized.

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Eastward view of Elmwood Canal and the Canal Avenue bridge from Interstate 10 over Canal Number 3.

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A wye interchange joins Interstate 10 westbound with Power Boulevard at Exit 224 next. Power Boulevard heads southeast from Vintage Drive and Esplanade Avenue in north Kenner to Veterans Memorial Boulevard at David Drive.

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A high flyover was constructed by 1994 to carry motorists from Power Boulevard south onto Interstate 10 east at Exit 224.

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Exit 224 parts ways with I-10 west for Power Boulevard to the nearby Westgate and Bissonet communities. Power Boulevard south connects with LA 3154 near Shrine on Airline (formerly Zephyr Field) via David Drive. David Drive becomes Dickory Drive (LA 3154) south of U.S. 61 (Airline Highway) ahead of the Earhart Expressway (LA 3139) west end.

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Approaching Exits 223A/B for LA 49 (Williams Boulevard) and New Orleans International Airport (Airport Boulevard). Williams Boulevard is a main thoroughfare from the lakeshore to U.S. 61 (Airline Highway) within the city of Kenner. Interstate 10 peak hour traffic remains heavy from Interstate 610 westward to the Exit 223A/B confluence peaking at 98,399 [2011] vpd.
The right side overhead is a 2002 replacement that added 32nd Street to Exit 223A.

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Midway between Power Boulevard and Williams Boulevard on Interstate 10 west. LA 49 ends at Joe Yenni Boulevard / 44th Street to the north and LA 48 (Jefferson Highway) at Rivertown USA to the south. 32nd Street travels west from LA 49 to The Esplanade mall.

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Exit 223B directly serves Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) with indirect connections to U.S. 61 (Airline Highway) as well. The airport access road comprises a four lane boulevard along on the east side of the airport grounds with a 35 mile per hour speed limit.

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Exit 223B splits into a flyover ramp for LA 49 (Williams Boulevard) south to Westgate and the ramp for LA 49 (Williams Boulevard) north to Gabriel and 32nd Street.

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Interstate 10 crosses Duncan Canal and parallels Canal Number 13 through central Kenner.

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The last of two Kenner area interchanges is Exit 221 with Loyola Drive. Loyola Drive stems northward from Veterans Memorial Boulevard to Sunset and Joe Yennie Boulevards in northwestern Kenner.
Interstate 10 travelers are advised of the lack of motorist services between Kenner and Laplace.

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Exit 221 leaves Interstate 10 westbound for Loyola Drive in west Kenner. Loyola Drive serves Veterans Heights to the south and Woodlake Estates to the north. The final interchange within the immediate metropolitan area departs in 1.25 miles for Interstate 310.

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A missing overhead assembly posted ahead of the split with Interstate 310 includes a ground level guide sign touting the connection to New Orleans International Airport via I-310 south (Exit 220) to U.S. 61 south (Exit 2).

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Interstate 10 leaves Jefferson Parish at Duncan Canal and the beginning of a lengthy viaduct stretching westward to Laplace in St. Charles Parish.

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