Strategic planning for 10/12 road warriors

You shouldn’t be fiddling with your phone while you’re driving in traffic, and there are plenty of safety stats to back that up. But if you’re sitting in traffic, as is the case during peak hours on portions of interstates 10 and 12, it could pass as a good excuse to point your browser over to GeauxWider.com. The sister interstates have finally become such a collective monster they now have their own public-relations hub sponsored by the state. In addition to breaking news and press releases, commuters can access info on upcoming lane closures and ramp metering and tinker with an interactive map that pulls everything together. There are also some updates numbers related to the construction work that’s ongoing and approaching. For example, the $131 million upgrade to I-10 is entering the phase that calls for major overhauls to the Ward Creek and Essen Lane bridges. Meanwhile, the $100 million facelift of I-12 is scheduled to finish the early phase of building an eastbound roadway at the Amite River in March. Officials with the Department of Transportation and Development worked with an outside team to create the site.—Jeremy Alford