I-10 & I-12 College Flyover Ramp Project
The Baton Rouge Renovates I-10 College Exit To Reduce Merging
Located on the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Lafayette, the city of Baton Rouge is a hub of trade and commerce which supports a metropolitan population of over 800,000 residents. As the population grows, the highway infrastructure is tested at greater capacity and has revealed opportunities for improvements. Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards has allocated $716 million dollars to be split between three projects to improve traffic capacity and driver safety, one of which is the I-10 & I-12 College Flyover Ramp Project in the East Baton Rouge Parish.
The Flyover Project
Interstate 10 traverses through Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and is used daily by over 100,000 motorists including airport travelers, commuter traffic and long distance freight. The College Drive exit has become a major source of congestion as the population continues to grow. Located shortly after I-12 WB merges into the I-10, motorists must cross three lanes of merging traffic to exit onto College Drive. Over 20,000 vehicles utilize the College Drive exit leading to both congestion and increased accident risk.
This I-10 & I-12 College Flyover Ramp Project aims to address these existing issues by implementing a number of improvements including a $380 million dollar overpass to redirect traffic from I-10 over I-12 before merging into the right side lanes. The I-12 WB highway will also be redirected under the ramp to closely follow the east bound lanes. The previous path of I-12 will be repurposed as an exit ramp to College Drive. These changes will eliminate the need for travelers from either highways to merge across multiple lanes of traffic to exit to College Drive.
Boh Bros. & G.E.C Take On Design/Build Project
Building a legacy since 1909, Boh Bros has a history of completing major public infrastructure projects including improvements to the 23.83 mile Lake Pontchartrain Causeway Bridges, as well as major road and paving work on the I-310 Highway, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport, and Louis Armstrong Airport. Having completed past projects for the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), experienced contractor Boh Bros was chosen to complete the design/build I-10 & I-12 College Flyover Ramp Project together with designer G.E.C., Inc., formerly Gulf Engineers & Consultants. The design/build delivery system allowed the design to draw on previous experience to make the decisions needed to complete the project with minimal interruptions to local residents and travelers.
As with any highway project, the contractor works to minimize the impact on residents and motorists during construction. Boh Bros. Construction Company's proactive planning and modern techniques has enabled reduced noise and safer road conditions throughout construction. In addition to safety and noise, contractors seek to responsibly manage projects to reduce the environmental impact of the construction activity on the surrounding bayous and surface waters.
Safe Highway Construction Trackout Control BMP
FODS Construction Entrances installed in two points of egress. Additional FODS mats staged prior to installation on third construction entrance.
To mitigate sedimentation of water sources and to keep construction debris from entering active highway lanes, contractors install a temporary construction entrance to capture debris and sediment from vehicle tires before they exit the construction or staging areas. Any sediment or debris that is tracked onto active highways can pose a hazard to motorists traveling at highway speeds. Traditional stone construction entrances use a layer of aggregate over a geotextile fabric to provide a rough surface to clean dirt from vehicle tires. The stone used on these entrances can itself become tracked onto active roadways, so contractors often turn to alternative BMPs and techniques to mitigate trackout.
On this project, Boh Bros. chose to use the FODS Reusable Trackout Control System to prevent sediment and debris from tracking onto the active highway lanes as construction vehicles exit the site. The FODS system consists of a modular 12’ wide x 7’ long mats which contain rows of pyramids that dislodge construction debris keeping it out of roadways and storm drains. The FODS temporary construction entrance BMP is an effective solution for managing jobsite trackout and can reduce sediment tracking as much as 59% compared to traditional gravel and aggregate based solutions. In addition, the rockless FODS system eliminates the risk of construction entrance aggregate becoming tracked onto active highway lanes. This BMP can also be reused throughout each phase of the project and does not require additional deliveries of aggregate for maintenance which helps to reduce construction traffic. The reusable system is ideal for linear projects as the FODS mats are simply relocated and reused as needed during each successive phase, saving time and costs compared to temporary stone construction entrance.
ABOUT FODS, LLC.
Based in Englewood Colorado, FODS Trackout Control System replace ineffective and costly traditional rock stabilized construction entrances, saving you valuable time and money. Our proprietary mat design works to effectively remove mud and sediment from your vehicle tires without damaging the tire or the ground’s surface. We provide the only durable, reusable, and environmentally friendly trackout control system currently available on the market. FODS Trackout Control Mats are 100% Made in the USA and are reusable and recyclable.
To find out more information on how we can help your project stay on schedule and in compliance contact 844-200-3637 or email us at info@getfods.com.