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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Interstate 12 (Louisiana)

Interstate 12 (I-12) is an intrastate Interstate Highway located entirely within the US state of Louisiana. It spans a total of 85.59 miles (137.74 km) in an east–west direction from I-10 in Baton Rouge to an interchange with both I-10 and I-59 in Slidell. Along the way, it passes through the city of Hammond, where it intersects I-55 and US Route 51 (US 51). It also serves the cities of Ponchatoula and Denham Springs, as well as the St. Tammany Parish cities of Covington and Mandeville.

I-12 parallels the older US 190 corridor and traverses the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain in the southeastern portion of the state. The Interstate's length is short for a mainline Interstate and is comparable with the country's longest auxiliary Interstates. It is one of the shortest mainline Interstates to terminate at the same route (I-10) at either end. Apart from serving the various communities of the North Shore, I-12 acts as a long bypass of New Orleans and is heavily used as a shortcut for through traffic on I-10. While I-10 curves to the south to pass through the city limits, I-12 takes a more direct alignment, reducing the distance between Baton Rouge and Slidell by about 22 miles (35 km).

In 1993, the Louisiana State Legislature designated I-12 as the Republic of West Florida Parkway. In 2003, signs identifying the highway's official name and bearing the flag of the Republic of West Florida were erected by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) in order to highlight the unique history of Louisiana's Florida Parishes.

Louisiana is in the process of widening I-12 to three lanes in each direction in locations such as Covington and Mandeville where the Interstate is still two lanes in each direction.

Route description

Western terminus in Baton Rouge
I-12's eastbound exit to LA 1249, which leads to the communities of Baptist and Pumpkin Center
At the bottom of I-12's eastbound ramp to LA 59, travelers also find a shield for the unrelated I-59, some 20 miles (32 km) farther east

Baton Rouge to Hammond

From the west, I-12 begins three miles (4.8 km) east of downtown Baton Rouge in East Baton Rouge Parish at an interchange with I-10 known as the I-10/I-12 split. While I-10 heads to the southeast toward the New Orleans metropolitan area, I-12 proceeds eastward toward the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain. Before leaving Baton Rouge, I-12 intersects some of its major arteries, including Louisiana Highway 3064 (LA 3064; Essen Lane) and LA 73 (Jefferson Highway) via LA 1068 (Drusilla Lane). It then passes through a cloverleaf interchange with US 61 (Airline Highway). These three exits serve several of the area's key medical and shopping centers, such as the Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center and Cortana Mall. The final exit in Baton Rouge is an interchange with LA 3245 (O'Neal Lane), which serves the Ochsner Medical Center – Baton Rouge and eastern suburbs.

I-12 reaches the Amite River 1.3 miles (2.1 km) later, where it enters Livingston Parish and the city of Denham Springs. I-12 skirts the southern edge of town, providing interchanges with LA 3002 (South Range Avenue) and LA 1026 (Juban Road). East of Denham springs, I-12 skirts the southern edge of Livingston Parish's only other city, Walker. The interstate's sole exit in Walker is exit 15, an interchange with LA 447.

Past Walker are smaller communities in the eastern half of the parish. Exits include: LA 63 serving Livingston (exit 22), LA 441 serving Holden (exit 29), and LA 43 serving Albany and Springfield (exit 32).

Shortly after crossing the Natalbany River into Tangipahoa Parish, I-12 intersects LA 1249, which leads to the communities of Baptist and Pumpkin Center. I-12 enters into a cloverleaf interchange 3.2 miles (5.1 km) later with I-55 at the southeast corner of Hammond, the largest city in Tangipahoa Parish. I-55 heads toward Jackson, Mississippi, on the north and New Orleans on the south. A mile (1.6 km) after, US 51 crosses I-12, but the two roads do not intersect. There is instead an interchange with US 51 Business, which serves downtown Hammond, as well as the city of Ponchatoula to the south.

Hammond to Slidell

East of Hammond are two rural exits in southeastern Tangipahoa Parish: LA 3158 (Airport Road) to Hammond Northshore Regional Airport and LA 445 to Robert.

Just after crossing into St. Tammany Parish, I-12 curves to the southeast and begins to parallel the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain. An interchange with LA 1077 serves the town of Madisonville to the south. The following exit, an interchange with LA 21, also connects to Madisonville as well as the parish seat of Covington to the north. Immediately before crossing the Tchefuncte River, an exit to Pinnacle Parkway and East Brewster Road serves the growing shopping area east of LA 21.

Two miles (3.2 km) east of the bridge, I-12 passes through an interchange with US 190 between Covington and Mandeville. This section of US 190 serves as St. Tammany Parish's busiest north–south thoroughfare, connecting Covington and surrounding points with the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, a 24-mile-long (39 km) bridge leading to New Orleans. Further exits in St. Tammany Parish west of Slidell include LA 59 to Mandeville and Abita Springs, LA 1088 to LA 36, and LA 434 to Lacombe.

I-12 passes through an interchange with Airport Drive 6.3 miles (10.1 km) east of the Lacombe exit, which connects to Slidell Airport due north. At this exit, I-12 enters the northern edge of Slidell. An interchange with US 11 connects to the downtown area. Less than two miles (3.2 km) later, I-12 reaches its eastern terminus at a major interchange with I-10 and I-59 at the northeast corner of town. From this interchange, I-10 heads southwest toward New Orleans and east toward Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, while I-59 heads north toward Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

History

I-12 was added to the highway system on October 17, 1957, with I-12 running from I-10 in Baton Rouge to I-59 north of Slidell. By the mid-1960s, the routes had been realigned to their current configuration, with I-12 and I-59 both ending at I-10 near Slidell. The route was opened to traffic in several sections between January 1967 and June 1976.

With major damage to the I-10 Twin Span Bridge across Lake Pontchartrain from Hurricane Katrina, I-12 was temporarily functioning as I-10 between Baton Rouge and Slidell. On October 14, 2005, the eastbound span of I-10 over Lake Pontchartrain reopened to two-way traffic. The westbound span of I-10 reopened on January 6, 2006, with speed, weight and size restrictions, relieving I-12 of much of the congestion that was clogging it from the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway to the junction with I-10 and I-59.

Since 2012, the DOTD has been widening the Interstate from four lanes to six lanes to accommodate the increasing amount of traffic and make the section safer. The I-10/I-12/I-59 split, notorious for rough pavement, was repaved in 2015.

Exit list

ParishLocationmikmExitDestinationsNotes
East Baton RougeBaton Rouge0.000–
0.903
0.000–
1.453
1A I-10 – Baton Rouge, New OrleansWestern terminus; signed as exit 1A to I-10 east only; exit 159 on I-10
1.223–
1.649
1.968–
2.654
1B LA 3064 (Essen Lane)No westbound exit
2.204–
2.275
3.547–
3.661
1C
LA 1068 (Drusilla Lane) to LA 73 (Jefferson Highway)
Eastbound entrance and westbound exit
2.608–
3.206
4.197–
5.160
2 US 61 (Airline Highway)Signed as exits 2A (south) and 2B (north); to Hammond Aire Plaza and Mall at Cortana
3.807–
4.447
6.127–
7.157
4Sherwood Forest Boulevard
5.707–
6.498
9.185–
10.458
6Millerville Road
6.844–
7.454
11.014–
11.996
7O'Neal LaneFormer LA 3245
East Baton RougeLivingston
parish line
Denham Springs8.410–
8.902
13.535–
14.326
Bridge over Amite River
Livingston10.040–
10.599
16.158–
17.057
10 LA 3002 – Denham Springs
12.442–
13.033
20.023–
20.975
12 LA 1026 (Juban Road)
Walker15.711–
16.338
25.284–
26.293
15 LA 447 – Walker, Port Vincent
19.604–
20.359
31.550–
32.765
19 PR 45 – Satsuma, Colyell
Livingston22.602–
23.468
36.374–
37.768
22 LA 63 – Livingston, Frost
28.667–
29.745
46.135–
47.870
29 LA 441 – Holden
32.504–
33.334
52.310–
53.646
32 LA 43 – Albany, SpringfieldTo Tickfaw State Park
Tangipahoa34.848–
35.562
56.082–
57.231
35 LA 1249 – Baptist, Pumpkin Center
Hammond38.015–
38.735
61.179–
62.338
38 I-55 – New Orleans, JacksonSigned as exits 38A (south) and 38B (north); exit 29 on I-55
40.016–
40.595
64.400–
65.331
40
US 51 Bus. – Hammond, Ponchatoula
42.378–
43.156
68.201–
69.453
42
LA 3158 north (Airport Road)
Southern terminus of LA 3158; to Chappapeela Sports Park and Hammond Northshore Regional Airport
47.418–
48.184
76.312–
77.545
47 LA 445 – Robert
St. Tammany56.702–
57.855
91.253–
93.109
57 LA 1077 – Goodbee, MadisonvilleTo Fairview Riverside State Park
59.101–
60.138
95.114–
96.783
59 LA 21 – Covington, Madisonville
60.220–
60.958
96.915–
98.102
60Pinnacle Parkway / East Brewster Road
60.953–
61.240
98.094–
98.556
Bridge over Tchefuncte River
62.580–
63.565
100.713–
102.298
63 US 190 – Covington, MandevilleSigned as exits 63A (east) and 63B (west); additional destinations are New Orleans via Lake Pontchartrain Causeway and Bogalusa
65.710–
66.387
105.750–
106.840
65 LA 59 – Abita Springs, Mandeville
68.195–
69.101
109.749–
111.207
68
LA 1088 to LA 36 – Mandeville
Lacombe73.995–
74.773
119.083–
120.335
74 LA 434 – Lacombe, St. Tammanyto future LA 3241
Slidell80.160–
81.149
129.005–
130.597
80Airport Drive / North Shore BoulevardTo Slidell Municipal Airport and Camp Villere / Southeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery
83.620–
84.152
134.573–
135.430
83 US 11 – Slidell, Pearl River
85.375–
86.653
137.398–
139.454
85 I-10 / I-59 – New Orleans, Bay St. Louis, HattiesburgEastern terminus of I-12; southern terminus of I-59; signed as exits 85A (I-10 west), 85B (I-59) and 85C (I-10 east); exit 267B on I-10; exit 1C on I-59
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. ^ Starks, Edward (January 27, 2022). "Table 1: Main Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways". FHWA Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  2. ^ "Overview Map of I-12" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  3. ^ East Baton Rouge Parish (PDF) (Map). Cartography by La DOTD Office of Multimodal Planning. Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. February 2012. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
  4. ^ District 61: Official Control Section Map / Construction and Maintenance (PDF) (Map). Cartography by La DOTD Office of Multimodal Planning. Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. February 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 17, 2013. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
  5. ^ Livingston Parish (PDF) (Map). Cartography by La DOTD Office of Multimodal Planning. Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. February 2012. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
  6. ^ District 62: Official Control Section Map / Construction and Maintenance (PDF) (Map). Cartography by La DOTD Office of Multimodal Planning. Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. February 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 17, 2013. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
  7. ^ Tangipahoa Parish (South Section) (PDF) (Map). Cartography by La DOTD Office of Multimodal Planning. Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. February 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 26, 2012. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
  8. ^ St. Tammany Parish (West Section) (PDF) (Map). Cartography by La DOTD Office of Multimodal Planning. Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. February 2012. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
  9. ^ St. Tammany Parish (East Section) (PDF) (Map). Cartography by La DOTD Office of Multimodal Planning. Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. February 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 29, 2012. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
  10. ^ Routes to Be Added to the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways (Map). Bureau of Public Roads. October 17, 1957. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  11. ^ The National System of Interstate and Defense Highways (Map). Bureau of Public Roads. c. 1963. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  12. ^ "State Highway Work Sets All-Time Mark". The Times-Picayune. New Orleans. January 29, 1967. pp. 8–11.
  13. ^ "Final I-12 Link Opening Today". The Times-Picayune. New Orleans. June 25, 1976. pp. 2–11.
  14. ^ "La DOTD - Projects". wwwapps.dotd.la.gov. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  15. ^ Ferrando, Erika (October 6, 2020). "Construction happening now to widen I-12 in St. Tammany Parish". WWL-TV. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  16. ^ "I-12 Widening St. Tammany Parish – Benefits of Transportation". benefits.transportation.org. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  17. ^ "I-12 Widening (US190 – LA 59) - Louisiana | T Baker Smith Portfolio". T. Baker Smith. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  18. ^ "Gov. Edwards, DOTD Break Ground on I-12 Expansion in St. Tammany Parish". gov.louisiana.gov. October 5, 2020. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  19. ^ "La DOTD GIS Data". Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. September 2015. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
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