The state Department of Transportation and Development is currently working on two projects to relieve overcrowding on two of the areas heavily used on and off ramps for Interstate 12.

Work is being done to relieve traffic backups at the intersections of Interstate 12 and Louisiana Highway 59 and Interstate 12 and U.S. Highway11.

At La. 59, crews are widening the off ramps, adding more room to hold more vehicles during heavy traffic times. When the project is complete, the eastbound off ramp will be increased from two lanes to three lanes, to help eliminate traffic backing up onto the interstate itself.

La. 59 will also be widened under the I-12 overpass from three lanes to seven lanes. This will be accomplished by adding one more lane turning eastbound onto I-12 and an additional two more lanes dedicated to traffic turning westbound onto the interstate.

The off ramps at U.S. 11 will also be widened to prevent traffic from backing up onto I-12. The eastbound off ramp will be expanded to three lanes, with one lane headed southbound and two lanes headed south.

One lane will be added to the eastbound onramp to accommodate more traffic coming off U.S. 11, but the ramp will narrow back down to one lane before traffic reaches the interstate.

A lane will also be added to the westbound off ramp halfway down the ramp, allowing traffic waiting to exit onto U.S. 11 to stack up on the ramp rather then backing up onto the interstate.

This will allow for one lane to be dedicated to traffic turning right, one lane for traffic turning left and a third lane for traffic wishing to travel straight onto Brownswitch Road.

A lane will also be added to U.S. 11 and will be designated a right turn only lane for traffic turning off U.S. 11 onto Brownswitch.

Also during this project, the turning lanes on U.S. 11 will be expanded from a single turning lane to a double turning lane.

A lane will also be added to the west bound on ramp leading from U.S. 11 onto I-12.

The project for La. 59 is budgeted to cost $2.9 million, and the U.S. 11 project is budgeted at $5 million. Both projects are being funded with money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Barrier Construction is completing the work, and both project are slated to be finished next summer.