Interstate 310
Generated by GPT-5-miniExpansion Funnel Raw 64 → Dedup 0 → NER 0 → Enqueued 0
| Interstate 310 | |
|---|---|
| State | LA |
| Route | 310 |
| Length mi | 12.0 |
| Established | 1983 |
| Direction a | South |
| Terminus a | U.S. 90 near Boutte |
| Direction b | North |
| Terminus b | I‑10 in Kenner |
| Counties | St. Charles Parish, Jefferson Parish |
Interstate 310 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the Interstate Highway System serving the western suburbs of New Orleans, Louisiana. The route connects I‑10 at Kenner with U.S. 90 near Boutte and provides a link to LA 3127, US 61, and regional facilities including Louis Armstrong Airport. The corridor crosses the Mississippi River via the Huey P. Long Bridge-adjacent crossings and serves industrial, residential, and petrochemical zones around St. Charles Parish and Jefferson Parish.
Route description
Interstate 310 begins near Bayou Gauche at a junction with U.S. 90 and proceeds northeast through St. Charles Parish, intersecting LA 48 and passing near Hahnville and Boutte. The freeway parallels the Mississippi River corridor toward riverbank industrial areas, providing access to St. Rose, Luling, and Destrehan while connecting with local arterials such as LA 3127 and LA 48. Crossing into Jefferson Parish, the route meets US 61 and provides ramps to LA 49 near Terrytown and Avondale. Approaching its northern terminus, the highway connects to I‑10 at Kenner, with direct links toward downtown New Orleans, Metairie, and the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway corridor.
History
The corridor for Interstate 310 was conceived amid post‑1956 Interstate expansion planning as an auxiliary link to I‑10 supporting access to US 90 and the industrial river parishes. Early proposals involved coordination among the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, St. Charles Parish Police Jury, and the Jefferson Parish Council. Construction phases paralleled projects such as the Huey P. Long Bridge improvements and the expansion of LA 3127; federal funding streams included allocations from the U.S. DOT and interstate maintenance programs influenced by the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982. Sections opened progressively during the 1980s and early 1990s, with adjustments following impacts from Hurricane Katrina and regional flood-control projects coordinated with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Environmental reviews referenced the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and input from organizations including the Environmental Protection Agency and local conservation groups near the Bonnet Carré Spillway and Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve.
Exit list
The exit sequence on Interstate 310 provides interchanges with major regional routes and local streets, including ramps to U.S. 90, LA 48, LA 18, LA 3127, US 61, and I‑10. Key interchanges serve communities and landmarks such as Hahnville, Luling, Destrehan, Avondale, Kenner, Louis Armstrong Airport, and connections toward downtown New Orleans and New Orleans East. Auxiliary ramps interface with parish-maintained roads and connectors to industrial sites serving facilities associated with Shell Oil Company, ExxonMobil, and other petrochemical firms along the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet corridor.
Future plans and proposals
Future planning documents from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development and regional metropolitan planning organizations like the New Orleans Regional Planning Commission discuss capacity improvements, interchange reconstructions, and resiliency upgrades for Interstate 310 to address freight movements to ports and refineries tied to Port of New Orleans and Port of South Louisiana operations. Proposed projects include widening segments to accommodate traffic from I‑10 diversions, constructing enhanced stormwater management features in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Federal Emergency Management Agency, and potential interoperability with proposed extensions of Louisiana Highway 1 and upgrades to US 61. Public-private partnership models have been explored with stakeholders such as the Louisiana Department of Economic Development and regional chambers including the Greater New Orleans, Inc..
Auxiliary and related routes
Interstate 310 functions as an auxiliary route of I‑10 and interfaces with related corridors including US 90, US 61, LA 3127, and local connectors into Kenner and Metairie. It complements other auxiliary Interstates in the region such as I‑610 and I‑510, and integrates with multimodal freight networks involving the Louisiana and Delta Railroad, the Norfolk Southern Railway and the Union Pacific Railroad for last‑mile access to river terminals and industrial parks.
Traffic and safety statistics
Traffic studies by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development and analyses by the Federal Highway Administration report average daily traffic volumes varying by segment, with higher counts near I‑10 and industrial interchanges serving Port of South Louisiana traffic and airport ground access to Louis Armstrong Airport. Safety initiatives have targeted reductions in incidents related to heavy truck operations through collaboration with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and local law enforcement agencies including the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office and the St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office. Crash mitigation measures have included ramp redesigns, high‑friction surface treatments, and enhanced signaling deployed with funding from federal programs such as the Highway Safety Improvement Program.