Loyola Drive / I-10 Interchange Design-Build

This critical infrastructure initiative for the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LaDOTD) was meant to ease traffic congestion and provide drivers with direct access to a new terminal at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. GeoEngineers provided comprehensive geotechnical services as a member of the Gilchrist- and Stantec-led design-build team, completing geotechnical investigations, analyses, design, and construction observation for this complex and demanding project. The interchange included two elevated flyover ramps, Louisiana’s first Diverging Diamond Interchange, new sound walls, expanded lanes on I-10, and new multi-use paths, lighting, and other upgrades.

Approach

The existing interchange at I-10 and Loyola Avenue was a multi-level, controlled-access interchange consisting of two overpass bridges. The airport planned to build a new terminal and move the I-10 exit from Williams Boulevard to Loyola Drive to provide direct access.

As part of the design-build process, GeoEngineers developed a preliminary subsurface conditions evaluation describing local geology, available geotechnical information, and plotted design standards to help refine the team’s design approach. GeoEngineers completed the geotechnical investigations, analyses, design, and construction monitoring including Pile Driving Analyzer (PDA) equipment to evaluate and monitor the installation of piles. Our design services included providing foundation, embankment, pile, and pavement design recommendations.

GeoEngineers’ preliminary investigations and recommendations contributed to the design-build team’s streamlined alternative design concept, saving as much as a hundred days of construction time and an estimated $50 million compared to early designs.

Results

The team’s alternative concept saved our client LaDOTD tens of millions compared to early designs, and after nearly four years of construction, the $141.45 million Loyola Interchange on I-10 opened in late 2023. The diverging diamond interchange under I-10 at Loyola Drive is the first of its kind in Louisiana, and it will provide safe and efficient access to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport for many decades to come.