A spokesperson for DOTD said interstate construction on phase two of the I-12 expansion project has been delayed after contractors experienced challenges with bridge work.
DOTD spokesperson Chris Welty said the contractor had issues with driving the 54-inch pilings into the Tchefuncte River for the bridge work. That phase is now expected to be completed by the end of summer 2023.
Welty said progress has been made on other elements of the project, such as a concrete median wall and creating the additional lanes. The third phase of the I-12 project includes expansion from LA 21 to LA 1077. Welty said bids for this portion of the project will go out at the end of 2022.
More highly anticipated projects are set to begin in west St. Tammany within the coming months. In Covington, the Bogue Falaya overpass has caused traffic congestion for decades. The official groundbreaking on a new bridge that will cost about $32 million in state and federal funding will happen soon.
Other plans include traffic mitigation measures for LA 22 in Madisonville. That project could start as soon as December, according to DOTD but Welty said at this time there is no plan to build a new LA 22 bridge over the Tchefuncte River.
