Leftover funds could widen Interstate 12
DENHAM SPRINGS — The state has $15 million to $20 million on hand to pay for extending the Interstate 12 widening project from Walker toward Satsuma, highway officials said Thursday evening.
Department of Transportation and Development officials hope that will be enough to reach the Satsuma interchange, said Amber Hebert, a spokeswoman for DOTD.
Most of the available money is left over from the contract to extend the I-12 widening to Walker she said.
The state had set aside $37 million to widen I-12 from Juban Road to Walker, but the bid on that contract came in at $21.9 million.
Some federal money for bridge work is also available to help with the additional widening, Hebert said.
The piecemeal projects would result in the widening of I-12 from four to six traffic lanes starting at O’Neal Lane and running east, past Walker, as far as the additional money would allow.
By the middle of this year, motorists should be able to drive on all lanes from O’Neal to Juban Road, said Bill Grass, a spokesman for the Geaux Wider program.
The work between Pete’s Highway and Juban Road will be completed in a couple of months, but won’t be opened to traffic until the work from O’Neal to Pete’s Highway is completed, he said.
To open that section sooner would create an “hourglass” that would impede traffic flow, said Brendan Rush of DOTD.
Last month, DOTD broke ground on a project to widen I-12 from Juban Road to Walker.
That work should be completed by the middle of next year, Rush said.
The work east of Walker should start next year, Rush said.
State Rep. J. Rogers Pope, R-Denham Springs, said he’s pleased to see the extra money available for extending the I-12 work east from Walker and that the whole project would help Livingston Parish’s economy.
Now, the focus must shift toward obtaining money to build and improve smaller roads in Livingston Parish to assist motorists in moving more easily to and from I-12, Pope said.
Highway officials held an informal meeting with area officials and other residents Thursday evening to update them on progress on I-12 and other projects.