BATON ROUGE — River Region motorists could be within months of being able to access Interstate 10 from Airline Highway at the U.S. 61/Sorrento on ramp.

State Rep. Clay Schexnayder, R-Gonzales, recently announced construction on the ramp has begun and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development confirmed to L’OBSERVATEUR this week that the construction timeline calls for the ramp’s opening next spring, possibly mid-March.

The ramp was first damaged last fall and has been closed to motorists since October 2015.

Schexnayder said for many River Parishes residents and industries, the I-10 Westbound ramp closure has caused delays and extended detours to access I-10.

The closure was caused by damage to one of the girders and the severity necessitated a total replacement.

Deck span removal is expected in early January, Transportation Department Legislative Liaison Joshua Hollins said.

“This is the ramp that was hit by a Boh Bros. truck that was hauling equipment and severely damaged a girder on the structure, forcing the ramp’s closure,” Hollins said. “Because this girder is a specialized girder and has several specific bends and twists to fit this specific portion of roadway, it has to be specially made. This will add to the time it will take to repair.”

Hollins said state officials are sensitive to the access the ramp provides industry and residents and are working to get “this important ramp repaired.”

The schedule for the installation of the new span is tentative for mid-March.