Peters Road Ramps (MacArthur Interchange) Project

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) has always been committed to the Peters Road ramps project also called the MacArthur Interchange. The project is currently scheduled to be let to construction in July 2011. The estimated construction cost is $20-$30 million. DOTD will utilize funds from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and state surplus to fund construction. 2006 surplus funds were appropriated during the 2007 legislative session to projects within the state’s highway program which includes the Peters Road ramps. In 2007, DOTD designated $21 million of the available 2006 surplus funding would provide for the construction fees related to the project.

DOTD does not have an engineering contract with Design Engineering Inc., for the ramps at Peters Road. DOTD maintains a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (CEA) for engineering construction with Jefferson Parish that outlines the entire funds available for the Peters Road ramps project. The project has the most implications on the ground level to Jefferson Parish because of how the ramps will interact with Manhattan and Barataria Boulevards. Therefore, CCCD entered into a CEA turning the design engineering management of the project over to the Parish. The funds are a mix of toll fees and capital outlay dollars. DOTD originally provided funding of $475,000 for a feasibility study of the Peter’s Road ramps which included one slip ramp on to the Interstate and one slip ramp off. DOTD then provided additional funding for the scope and design of the project which expanded, per the request of local entities involved, to include 16 alternatives with 37 bridge ramp options. Funds expended to date on Peters Road improvements include $2.7 million. DOTD has engineering funds dedicated to this project at a maximum of $4.1 million.

DOTD’s CEA with Jefferson Parish outlines that the Parish is responsible for the selection of the project engineer (Article 3), the maintenance of contracts needed to move the project to a shovel-ready stage (Article 5), project responsibility (Article 8) and shall assume risk and public liability for engineering related to the project (Article 9).

Jefferson Parish officials have provided documentation that they procured the Peters Road ramps contract through a competitive selection process. A Jefferson Parish project manager has been invoicing DOTD accordingly. DOTD reviews and approves planning and scope changes and issues payment accordingly. Under DOTD’s CEA with Jefferson Parish, the Parish has the ability to contract up to $4.1 million to move the Peters Road improvements project to a shovel-ready stage.

The study included 16 alternatives with 37 bridge ramp options. The alternative selected for preliminary and final design and ultimately for construction was Alternative B4M and includes demolition of two existing ramps and construction of four new ramps in two phases. Phase 1, which is currently under final design, includes the demolition of the existing Manhattan Blvd. westbound entrance ramp to the Westbank Expressway, the construction of a new Manhattan Blvd. westbound entrance ramp to the Westbank Expressway, and the construction of a new westbound exit ramp from the Westbank Expressway to the Harvey Tunnel and Peters Road. Phase 2 includes the demolition of the existing eastbound exit ramp from the Westbound Westbank Expressway to Manhattan Blvd., the construction of a new eastbound exit ramp from the Westbank Expressway to Manhattan Blvd., and the construction of a new entrance ramp to the Westbank Expressway with access from Peters Road and the Harvey tunnel. Alternative B4M was selected because it best met the goals of Jefferson Parish, the Crescent City Connection Division, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development and the Regional Planning Commission. These goals included:

For more information on this project or to receive periodic e-mail updates on this project, e-mail Customer Service or call 1-877-4LA-DOTD (452-3683).