Editing Interstate 12 (section)

==History==
I-12 was added to the highway system on October 17, 1957, with I-12 running from I-10 in Baton Rouge to I-59 north of [[Slidell, Louisiana|Slidell]].<ref name="October 1957 Interstates">{{cite map |url=http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Interstate_Highway_plan_October_17,_1957_reverse_colors.jpg |title= Routes to Be Added to the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways |date= October 17, 1957 |publisher= Bureau of Public Roads |access-date= December 8, 2012}}</ref> By the mid-1960s, the routes had been realigned to their current configuration, with I-12 and I-59 both ending at I-10 near Slidell.<ref>{{cite map |url= http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Interstate_Highway_status_unknown_date.jpg |title=The National System of Interstate and Defense Highways |year= c. 1963 |publisher= Bureau of Public Roads |access-date= December 8, 2012}}</ref> The route was opened to traffic in several sections between January 1967 and June 1976.<ref name="T-P 1-29-1967">{{cite news |title=State Highway Work Sets All-Time Mark |newspaper=The Times-Picayune |location=New Orleans |date=January 29, 1967 |pages=8–11}}</ref><ref name="T-P 6-25-1976">{{cite news |title=Final I-12 Link Opening Today |newspaper=The Times-Picayune |location=New Orleans |date=June 25, 1976 |pages=2–11}}</ref>

With major damage to the [[I-10 Twin Span Bridge]] across [[Lake Pontchartrain]] from [[Hurricane Katrina]], I-12 was temporarily functioning as I-10 between Baton Rouge and Slidell. On October 14, 2005, the eastbound span of I-10 over Lake Pontchartrain reopened to two-way traffic. The westbound span of I-10 reopened on January 6, 2006, with speed, weight and size restrictions, relieving I-12 of much of the congestion that was clogging it from the [[Lake Pontchartrain Causeway]] to the junction with I-10 and I-59.

Since 2012, the DOTD has been widening the Interstate from four lanes to six lanes to accommodate the increasing amount of traffic and make the section safer.<ref>{{cite web |title=La DOTD - Projects |url=http://wwwapps.dotd.la.gov/administration/public_info/projects/home.aspx?key=10 |access-date=March 19, 2023 |website=wwwapps.dotd.la.gov}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Ferrando |first=Erika |date=October 6, 2020 |title=Construction happening now to widen I-12 in St. Tammany Parish |work=[[WWL-TV]] |url=https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/local/northshore/construction-happening-now-to-widen-i-12-in-st-tammany-parish/289-1a616498-f52f-4ae4-a9db-03c97b5f59bc |access-date=March 19, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=I-12 Widening St. Tammany Parish – Benefits of Transportation |url=https://benefits.transportation.org/i-12-widening-st-tammany-parish/ |access-date=March 19, 2023 |website=benefits.transportation.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=I-12 Widening (US190 – LA 59) - Louisiana {{!}} T Baker Smith Portfolio |url=https://tbsmith.com/portfolio-items/12-widening-us190-la-59/ |access-date=March 19, 2023 |website=T. Baker Smith}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=October 5, 2020 |title=Gov. Edwards, DOTD Break Ground on I-12 Expansion in St. Tammany Parish |url=https://gov.louisiana.gov/index.cfm/newsroom/detail/2716 |access-date=March 20, 2023 |website=gov.louisiana.gov}}</ref> The I-10/I-12/I-59 split, notorious for rough pavement, was repaved in 2015.{{cn|date=March 2023}}