Big changes are rolling into Baton Rouge for drivers familiar with the I-12 West and I-10 interchange. Starting bright and early at 5 a.m. on Saturday, February 22, motorists will need to adjust to a new traffic pattern facilitated by the shift of the I-12 westbound lanes, according to an announcement by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. This shift guides vehicles to pass underneath the new I-10 westbound overpass and is a crucial step towards the completion of the College Drive Flyover Project.
With this transition, I-12 westbound traffic that was historically merging from the right will now find its lane path bending to the left before joining I-10 westbound. Commuters are advised that this is not a temporary re-routing, but a permanent reconfiguration and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development has provided a diagram for reference. As a part of the same construction activity on February 22, the I-12 westbound on ramp at Essen Lane will also close for an estimated period of 6-8 weeks.
The impact of the Essen Lane ramp shutdown is twofold: drivers moving right on I-12 westbound near Essen will have to exit for I-10 eastbound, while the remaining two lanes will press on towards the I-10/I-12 merge. A detour is slated to reroute traffic from Essen Lane south to the I-10 westbound on ramp, guiding vehicles around the closure, as per the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development.
