Photo: DOTD
After years of construction, one of two new flyover ramps connecting the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport to I-10 is set to open.
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development says the flyover ramp from I-10 westbound will open to drivers on Friday.
“Opening this ramp with direct access to the airport is a great accomplishment and will be helpful to many travelers of this corridor, both going to the airport and everyday users,” said DOTD Secretary Eric Kalivoda.
The flyover ramp connecting the airport terminal to I-10 eastbound should open within the next two weeks, weather permitting.
The ramps allow for drivers coming and going to the airport to avoid backups at the Loyola Drive exit on the interstate, as well as traffic lights approaching the terminal that opened in 2019.
The DOTD says the ramp is part of the first step in the completion of the $125 million I-10/Loyola Drive Interchange Project that began in 2020.
"The final step will be opening the state's first diverging diamond interchange (DDI). Currently near completion, the DDI will improve traffic flow by eliminating the need for left turn signals at the Loyola Dr. and I-10 interchange," said DOTD in a press release. "The full project, including both ramps, the widening of I-10, and the DDI, is estimated to be completed in the first half of 2024."