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Major Work Begins Monday On I-10, Highway 29 Interchange
March 26, 2016
Construction will begin Monday on a $8.5 million project to improve the I-10 at Highway 29 interchange at Exit 10A and 10B in Escambia County.
The work will include:
* Removing Exit 10A (I-10 westbound exit ramp to U.S. 29 South).
* Constructing a new exit ramp adjacent to the current Exit 10B – New Exit: 10.
* Installing a traffic signal on U.S. 29 for I-10 westbound to U.S. 29 South traffic.
* Widening the bridge on I-10 eastbound to eliminate an immediate left-hand merge from U.S. 29 South.
During the construction drivers will encounter periodic nighttime lane closures on I-10 and Highway 29 from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. In addition, there may be temporary ramp closures, lane shifts and traffic pacing operations. The project is slated for completion in spring 2017.
Comments
45 Responses to “Major Work Begins Monday On I-10, Highway 29 Interchange”
Much safeter already. People don’t know how to merge or stay in the driving lanes, I’ll call them lefties. I wrecked on hwy 29 to I-10 ramp in ‘92. Stop lights a nessecery evil.
I would also add a merge lane for traffic entering for the 29 South to go east on Interstate I10 while traffic is entering will be safer and not create a bottle neck.
I would add a elevated exit for I10 to 29 South bound traffic. Adding a merge lane with blocked lane for traffic going west from 29 North. While traffic is still flowing will be safe and no bottle necks.
I have never been able to understand the thought process of the people who designed the I-10 – HWY 29 Interchange. Entering into the fast lane is a bad design, especially on a blind curve. This happens when getting onto I-10 in both directions. Spending 8 million dollars and not fixing these safety hazards is a waste of tax payer’s money. The installation of a traffic light for west bound I-10 traffic wanting to go south will create a big back up on the I-10 and HWY 29 during heavy traffic periods. Please, please look at this design again. It just does not make good sense.
I understand FDOT concept, but it will create a traffic nightmare on west bound I-10 @ Hwy 29 North exit ramp. currently traffic backs up on I-10 W as well as Hwy 29 N well beyond the I-10 overpass during evening rush hour so installing a light at proposed location could make matters worse.
THESE FOLKS ARE EXACTLY RIGHT..29 SOUTH TO I 10 EAST THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THE WHOLE MESS..AND LARRY HATCH IS RIGHT..JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE A REAL TRAGEDY..WE STILL HAVE FOLKS AROUND HERE WHO THINK YOU HAVE YO SLOW DOWN TO MERGE INTO THE FAST LANE OF I 10 EAST.. TE
Why remove a perfectly good exit, and add a light? Yes, you might have to jockey into position to get on the Eastbound ramp, but is it really a problem?
How about they make the entrance ramp on the south side of 10 accessible to the traffic light at Diamond Derry Rd.
Have all the traffic stop at that intersection (including the small section of the entrance ramp that begins just before the intersection and create an additional entrance so a left turn from the light can be made from 29 onto the Interstate. Both east and west are available there with long ramps to get up to speed. Make it a double left turn–one lane for east and the other for west.
Keep the exit ramp they want to eliminate and remove the suicide blind entrance ramp instead.
Go ahead and widen the bridge to accommodate the entrance traffic.
No extra traffic lights needed.
I won’t use the suicide ramp anymore, too many people want to get up there and stop so the next guy (me) gets up there and nearly slams into them with an 18 wheeler flying through in the left lane from that blind curve.
@Daily 29 Driver – Take a look at the legend. It says “NEW storm water pond”.
It’s obvious from other DOT disasters in the area that they will do what they want regardless of the daily drivers’ input. My hope is that they will clean up the armpit when they are done. The Florida panhandle is one of the poorest areas in the nation and we like to let everyone know it. With a little curb appeal maybe passers by would take an off ramp and spend some money here instead of waiting until they get to Alabama!
It looks to me by the pictorial of the New Interchange that exiting I-10 westbound onto hwy 29 north allows keeping the sweeping exit heading up to 29 north,but adds off that a straight shot (left side of exit) which ends @ 29 and is where the traffic light will be. This allows drivers wanting to go south on 29 to proceed( with green light) across 29 north lanes and turn left ( south ). The plan then does away with the old ( current) hwy 29 southbound exit from I-10 westbound . Those two alterations should help. Then I’m guessing there will be an extended acceleration / merge lane for drivers trying to enter I-10 eastbound into the passing lane. We’ll still have to merge in but will hopefully have a lot more space/time/ to do so. Then if drivers would stay out of the passing lane instead of constantly traveling in the passing lane it all could work. Fat chance huh ?
Something definitely should be done at this intersection (should have been done MANY YEARS AGO), but I seriously doubt this is the answer. Biggest danger for me has always been the Hwy 29 S to I-10 E ramp. I just won’t use it if traffic is not extremely light. I just continue clogging up Hwy 29 down to Brent Lane, turn left and get on I-110 there. Never have been impressed with NW Fla DOT. All their plans are goofy!
To all the nay sayers; You have obviously never tried to merge into traffic on east bound I-10 from South Bound 29. It’s possible suicide in a car, and worse in a truck. In a truck, you have about half a second to look at traffic on 10 before the road makes a curve off to the left, and all possible vision is now in your blind spot. This is the most ill designed merge system that I have seen on the interstate system in the whole country. Fixing that problem is worth the expenditure on the whole project. Fixing the merge system onto 29 is another story. This interchange was built with merge lanes, and DOT in their wisdom did away with them on their last so called improvement project. Put the merge lanes back, and forget the new red lights. Keep traffic on 29 moving.
Can’t you people see they (DOT) don’t care what the people think abt what they are gonna do?
They are masters of wasting tax dollars and are showing here with this current undertaking…
They’re gonna cut the trees. There’s a holding pond in the drawing that doesn’t exist. Another reason for flooding where it hasn’t been an issue.
The people doing u-turns on 29 are causing wrecks because most decide to stop fast in the left lane. If you’re scared find a safer way around.
The ramp that exits south closest to Diamond Dairy is posted at 45mph to make a 90 degree right turn causing all kinds of near misses.
The left lane on ramp to east 10 needs to be longer. Waaayy longer.
Another traffic light is stupid. Stupid stupid.
After reading the comments about this hwy 29 & I-10 interchange , its apparent that quite a few people from around here and the majority of Texas & Louisiana drivers don’t have a clue about the left lane …….it’s a passing lane not a fast lane…..you pull into the left lane (passing lane) to pass a vehicle …..then go back into the Driving (right) Lane. That helps keep the passing lane kinda clear and would allow the eastbound left merge lane mostly open for traffic situations like we have . $ 8.5 million because people don’t know/care about how they drive . That’s a bit wasteful….I’m thinking these “fast lane” drivers really just have a bad case of the memes. I think all big trucks should be relegated to the right lane and a 65 mph speed limit on Interstates and/or multi lane roads. Fire away !
This has to be the most idiotic thing I have seen yet! They want to fix the merging acceleration lane issue,but at the same time,they are causing more problems by clogging up the west bound exits for Hwy 29 (both north and south),by adding a TRAFFIC LIGHT and new ramp for 29 South bound. You people need your heads examined.
All they had to do was lengthen both east and west bound acceleration lanes,and enforce the yield sign for the I-10 west bound Hwy 29 South ramp. You can see how hard our tax dollars are working.
This interchange needs to be re-engineered but the present proposal will make a real mess for Hwy 29 commuters. The additional signal light will back traffic up to Hwy 90 during the morning rush hours. I drive through this mess five days a week. We need a flyover ramp for East bound traffic access with the merger east of the present interchange, also needed an acceleration lane parallel to 29 South beginning at Detroit intersection, and scrap the planned traffic signal. This may cost a little more but its a real fix………
Change for the Better
Much needed improvement. Glad they are making the change. 29 south to east bound I10 has always been dangerous.
There is a much easier and quicker fix for this problem with hardly any money involved. Block the on ramp from Hwy. 29 to east I-10. Make southbound traffic go under interstate on Hwy. 29 to the next stop light, which has left turn signal installed. Once light turns green, U-turn back northbound 29 and merge right to enter the correct I-10 on ramp, which will merge eastbound traffic in the RIGHT lane, which already has 3 lanes on I-10. No need to widen a bridge and no need for a stop light for southbound Hwy. 29 from I-10.
They are working on the wrong direction 29 and I10 east is far worse
It seems the right thing to do is put things in order. We have not had a bad accident on the high speed merge to I-10 E but when we do it will be a nasty one. agree with it was a poorly built with no proper thought. Just like Pine Forest Road north of I-10. As the old saying goes what school you went???
@ Confused1 – The stop light will not be on the exit ramp per se, but at the point where the new exit meets US29. This will eleiminate the need for drivers to negotiate that awful exit/entry area across the roadway if the want to travel southbound on 29. (where they will remove the existing exit ramp). The result will be an exit similar to the one at Pine Forest, where the light allows the opportunity to turn left.
Man, that looks retarded. The whole thing needs scrapping & a traditional cloverleaf built. This has been going on for years & years, & has been a boon to hwy contractors, and an open vein on taxpayers.
EXTEND I-110 NORTH AND NONE OF THESE EXIT BANDAIDS WOULD BE NEEDED! PLANNING NEEDS TO COME OUT OF THE CLOSET AND INTO THE PUBLIC. PENSACOLA, QUIT THINKING SMALL… WE NEED TO GET CONNECTED TO I-65 NORTH OF PENSACOLA, NOT CREATE MORE AND MORE BOTTLENECKS!
The best thing they should do is tear down all the on/off ramps and start over. The one going on from 29 to 10 east is the worst.
Wonder if they will chop all the live oaks like the did at scenic??
Everything sounds good except for the new off ramp with a traffic light… Traffic already bottle neck at that location because of going from 3 lanes to 2…. So I can only imagine the future traffic jams
It should read ” 8.5million to correct an engineering plunder”. A pretty expensive mistake to fix.
Here is an idea, why not widen the I-10 west bound bridge from 29 north. Everyday at 5 o’clock someone always stops while trying to merge into the fast lane. I have almost wrecked multiple times getting up to speed for the person in front of me to hit the brakes and stop!
It still isn’t resolving the eastbound merge problem other than widening the bridge? Need to re-engineer that on ramp totally.
If it fixes the current short entrance onto I-10 when coming from north 29 and heading east on I-10, I say it’s about time and look forward to it.
What moron of a highly educated stature thought this boondoggle up? You would think they would re-engineer the east bound on-ramp that dumps you directly into the fast lane, not add yet another stop light on an already overburdened roadway! I can envision that once these idiotic changes are completed, the traffic at quitting time will likely back up as far as I-110 off ramps. I pity anybody who must use this route today much less after this fool hearty project if finally finished!
“EXITING” I-10 has not been the main problem with this interchange. They need to ask the people that use it everyday!!! Anytime you have an 0n-ramp merging into the left hand lane (the passing/fast lanes) it is more dangerous. If you look at the map carefully they are still keeping the On-ramp for cars coming from the north trying to go east AND the same with the On-ramp for cars coming from the south trying to go west. BOTH are merging from the left hand side. OH WAIT, they are widening the lanes going east after you have merged on or gotten run over by an 18 wheeler! – What a waste if 8.5 Million!
It’s a messed up interchange and they don’t know how to fix it safely. $8.5 and just MAYBE it might help. The only interstate and the only major north south road in Escambia County and it’s always been a poor design.
Is it just me, or is installing a “signal/stop light” on that exit ramp a bad idea. Coming from interstate speeds to a stop when traffic is backed up, just doesn’t sound well thought out.
Sure a needed correction for southbound 29 traffic trying to merge onto I-10 eastbound……( a very dangerous merge ) especially when all those Texas and Louisiana drivers do their driving in the passing lane. Add the Big Trucks doing the same thing and it’s a recipe for disaster ! I’m thinking big trucks should be relegated to right lane driving only State & Nation wide & speed limited to 65 mph.
This looks like a far better idea than what is there now. Much less dangerous.
While it will be a hassle for a while, I’m relieved they are fixing this. My heart is in my mouth every time I merge into that left hand lane!
That is a dangerous area to have to drive .It was poorly designed from day one.Sure hope this is an improvement.Hate to see another red light on Hwy 29.Bring on the orange barrels.
Good that they are working on making a new off ramp that doesn’t share a lane with that dangerously short, almost blind on ramp from 29 to east bound I-10, but I notice improving that on ramp isn’t on the list. Widening the lanes doesn’t sound like it will fully solve the problem.
Widening the westbound i10 bridge has been a longtime coming. It’s a very dangerous spot trying to merge in to traffic on the blind side.
Hate to see the merge lane onto 29 north go, but, og well.
A great improvement and about time!
It has always puzzled me why you had to merge in the fast lane after dodging traffic exiting I-10 heading south on the same ramp. I did it every day for 30 years.
The map is somewhat hard to understand, but if you figure it out it will be a good thing. Other than a fly over ramp, this will make things much better.
Just what we need, another traffic light at I-10 and 29. Can’t count the number of times and wasted hours sitting at a traffic light for no reason at all, no cross traffic, no one waiting on other side. The light will change for no reason, other than the fact that it’s time to change. Looks like another short sighted change to a problem that was created by previous short sightedness. Or, maybe it’s just another reason to give road construction companies (otherwise known as BIG political contributors) taxpayer funded work projects. Seems that every I10/110 project is just a set-up for the next road project.
That intersection is probably the worst piece of engineering I have ever encountered anywhere. Whoever, is responsible for this design has not the slightest idea of what the word safety means. Imagine merging onto a highway into the fast lane around a curve when you don’t have a chance to safely do so. Hwy 29S to I-10E is extremely poorly designed. Hwy 29N to I-10W is just as bad. Don’t know where the original engineers went to school, but they need to go back, only this time to a school where road engineers are trained. The public deserves safe entry onto a major highway. I only hope the engineering firm is not the same as the first one.