BATON ROUGE — Commutes traveling west on Interstate 12 merging onto I-10 will look significantly different as the College Drive Flyover Project nears completion.

Starting at 5 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, traffic on I-12 westbound will shift to allow drivers to pass under the newly constructed I-10 westbound overpass.

Before the shift, drivers had been merging onto I-10 westbound from the right side of the interstate. The new configuration will see I-12 westbound lanes move to the left before the interstates merge, becoming the left lanes of I-10 westbound.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development said this new traffic pattern will be permanent.

DOTD added that crews will close the I-12 westbound on-ramp at Essen Lane for six to eight weeks. The right lane of I-12 westbound approaching Essen will now be designated an "Exit Only" lane for the I-12 eastbound exit ramp. The remaining two I-12 westbound lanes will continue to the I-10/I-12 merge.

The frequent closures along this stretch of interstate will ultimately culminate in the completion of the new I-10 and I-12 westbound College Drive exit ramps.

"Once completed, the I-12 westbound on-ramp at Essen Lane will reopen, and both I-10 and I-12 westbound will feature dedicated right lane exits to College Drive," DOTD said.