Dr. Shawn Wilson, Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, says they are moving forward with a massive project that has been proposed for thirty years, the I-10 widening project in Baton Rouge.
Officials with DOTD say the estimated $600 million cost of the project will be worth it in the long run since traffic in Baton Rouge is already so bad.
Secretary Wilson is pushing back against what he’s calling false-hoods concerning the project, saying they cannot allow distraction to slow it down when they have made a decision and made the financial investment.
Officials say the project will improve the I-10 / I-110 merge and widen I-10 from the Mississippi River Bridge past Acadian.
But some advocacy groups held a meeting at the River Branch Library to air concerns about the plans. They say they are worried about the total cost of the project, its impact on businesses, evacuation routes, lane closures and more.
Construction is scheduled to officially begin in 2023.
DOTD officials are aiming to complete the project in 4 and a half years.
