Gov. John Bel Edwards and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) recently announced the addition of the new I-10 west flyover ramp to the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport at Loyola Drive.
The opening of the new ramp marks the first step toward the completion of the $125.6 million I-10/Loyola Drive Interchange Project, ongoing since 2020, which improves interstate, local, and airport traffic flow through the Kenner area.
“We are excited about this great news, which is a testament to our continued commitment to improving Louisiana’s infrastructure that will provide pivotal access to thousands of people every single day,” said Gov. Edwards in a press release. “I remember when we had the groundbreaking ceremony for this project in late 2019 and the excitement from the community and all the travelers who use this corridor. Construction began in early 2020, and here we are today with a new ramp that will provide travelers easy access to the recently constructed state-of-the-art Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport terminal by passing over the Loyola/Veterans Blvd. intersection, dropping drivers right onto Terminal Drive. We’ve completed the first ramp, and we are looking forward to opening the second ramp in the near future.”
The next major step in the project's opening will be the second flyover ramp, which will allow exiting airport vehicles to merge directly onto I-10 east toward New Orleans. This second flyover ramp, adjacent to the first, is estimated to open in approximately two weeks, weather permitting.
Opening both ramps will increase traffic flow efficiency in and out of the airport and ease congestion off the Loyola Dr. exit. The Loyola Dr. exit has served as the main entryway to the new airport since the new airport opened in 2019.
Newly constructed auxiliary lanes join I-10 between the Williams Blvd. (LA 49) and Loyola Dr. exits. These extra lanes widen I-10 to four lanes in each direction, thus easing congestion and allowing airport traffic to have less of an impact on interstate traffic.
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Source: Office of Governor John Bel Edwards
