Interstate 310 (Louisiana)

Interstate 310 (I-310) is a short spur route of I-10 west of New Orleans, located entirely in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana. It begins at a point on I-10 just west of Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and the city of Kenner. It travels southward as an elevated freeway across the LaBranche Wetlands and intersects U.S. Route 61 (US 61) in St. Rose. The highway crosses the Mississippi River from Destrehan to Luling via the Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge. After a brief concurrency with Louisiana Highway 3127 (LA 3127), I-310 terminates at US 90 in Boutte.

For the never-built freeway that would have been located in New Orleans, Louisiana, and once designated as Interstate 310, see Vieux Carré Riverfront Expressway.

Interstate 310 marker

Interstate 310

I-310 highlighted in red
Route information
Auxiliary route of I-10
Maintained by Louisiana DOTD
Length11.709 mi[1] (18.844 km)
Existed1983[2]–present
HistoryI-310 planned in 1977 and opened in stages between 1983 and 1993.
NHSEntire route
Major junctions
South end US 90 / LA 3127 in Boutte
Major intersections US 61 in St. Rose
North end I-10 west of Kenner
Location
CountryUnited States
StateLouisiana
ParishesSt. Charles
Highway system
  • Louisiana State Highway System
← LA 309→ LA 310

Route description
Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge—Part of I-310, November 2006

I-310's southern terminus is at US 90, where it travels north through flat marshlands. The southernmost mile (1.6 km) was originally built as part of LA 3127, an inland bypass to LA 18, and is cosigned with I-310. North of I-310's first interchange, LA 3127 leaves the Interstate, as I-310 heads towards the Mississippi River. After the next interchange, LA 18, I-310 crosses the Mississippi River via the Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge (Luling–Destrehan Bridge), a cable-stayed bridge connecting the towns of Luling and Destrehan.

North of the bridge, there is an interchange with LA 48. I-310 then proceeds to the LaBranche Wetlands Bridge, a five-mile (8.0 km) bridge over environmentally sensitive wetlands between Destrehan and the I-10 interchange. The northernmost two miles (3.2 km) of this bridge between the US 61 and I-10 interchanges was constructed using a method known as "end-on construction". This is a top–down technique in which construction platforms are mounted on concrete piles to avoid disrupting the environment below. From these platforms, the next set of piles and bridge viaducts are placed, allowing the platform to progress forward for the next set.[3] The interstate terminates at I-10 just west of Kenner.

History

I-310 was originally planned, along with I-510, as part of Interstate 410, a southern beltway around the New Orleans metro area. In 1977, I-410 was canceled and the two Interstates were split into their current components.[4] The Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge was completed in October 1983 and was the first portion of I-310 to open.[2] The west bank approach, extending to US 90 in Boutte was opened in March 1988,[5] followed in July 1991 by the east bank approach as far as US 61.[6] I-310 was completed on May 7, 1993 when the final section between US 61 and I-10, including much of the LaBranche Wetlands Bridge, was opened to traffic.[7]

Future

Future plans for I-310 are to relocate the southern end of the interstate to connect with the future extension of I-49 from Lafayette to New Orleans. Another proposal in the Louisiana Statewide Transportation Plan proposes an extension of the Earhart Expressway (Louisiana Highway 3139) westward from Dickory Avenue to I-310, to serve as a freeway alternative to I-10.

With discussions of extending I-510 across the Mississippi River, there is speculation of reviving the idea of a connection between I-310 and I-510.

Exit list

The entire highway is in St. Charles Parish.

Locationmi[1]kmExitDestinationsNotes
Boutte11.705–
11.445		18.837–
18.419		 US 90 / LA 3127 – Boutte, New Orleans, HoumaSouthern terminus of I-310 / LA 3127
Luling10.813–
9.579		17.402–
15.416		10
 LA 3127 north – Donaldsonville		North end of LA 3127 concurrency
8.457–
7.743		13.610–
12.461		7 LA 18 – Luling, Hahnville
Mississippi River8.242–
6.144		13.264–
9.888		Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge
Destrehan6.765–
6.286		10.887–
10.116		6 LA 48 – Destrehan, St. Rose
5.3798.657South end of LaBranche Wetlands Bridge
St. Rose3.583–
2.367		5.766–
3.809		2 US 61 – Kenner, NorcoUS 61 is Airline Highway (not signed here)
​0.620–
0.000		0.998–
0.000		1-1A I-10 – New Orleans, Baton RougeNorthern terminus; signed as exits 1 (west) and 1A (east); exit 220 on I-10
​0.0000.000North end of LaBranche Wetlands Bridge
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References
  1. Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (September 2015). "GIS Data". Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  2. Thibodeaux, Ron (October 7, 1983). "Goodbye Ferry, Hello New Bridge, St. Charles Cheers". The Times-Picayune The States-Item. New Orleans. p. 1.
  3. Remley, Deirdre (n.d.). "Wetlands and Aquatic Ecosystem". Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  4. Weingroff, Richard F. (November 18, 2015). "The Battles of New Orleans: Vieux Carré Riverfront Expressway (I-310)". Highway History. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  5. "Roemer to Speak at Opening of I-310 Link". The Times-Picayune. New Orleans. March 23, 1988. p. B5.
  6. Scallan, Matt (October 1, 1992). "Spring Opening Set as I-310 Work Enters Last Leg". The Times-Picayune. New Orleans. p. B1.
  7. Scallan, Matt (May 8, 1993). "Last Link of I-310 Completed". The Times-Picayune. New Orleans. p. A1.
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