Entering I-12 East from LA 21 (Exit 59), the half-mile sign for Exit 60 can be seen. It is currently closed.
Right after merging onto I-12 East from LA 21, you're greeted by the Exit 60 sign. It's a huge weave-fest now that it's open, but at least an auxiliary lane now exists between Exits 59 and 60. (This picture was taken before that.)
Shooting by the Exit 60 gore sign.
Shot of the Exit 60 complex (under construction) as of August 2008.
When complete, Exit 60 will link to an upscale shopping center, as well as serve as an auxiliary link to LA 21.
Now we're close to Exits 63A-B, leading to US 190. Previously, this sign was posted overhead, along with a pullthrough for I-12. Now, a reassurance shield sits in the median, with this BGS at ground level.
Here's where traffic bound for US 190 departs Interstate 12 eastbound.
Here's where traffic for each direction for US 190 separates. Keep straight, (Exit 65B: US 190 West, Covington, Bogalusa) and you'll hit the flyover ramp that eventually takes you to westbound. Veer to the right for eastbound (Exit 65A: US 190 East, Mandeville, New Orleans VIA Causeway Toll Bridge).
After traffic from US 190 East enters I-12, this sign can be seen as of February 3, 2009. Interstate 12 between here and Bayou Lacombe is being resurfaced. Total cost: $12,755,459.50 of state funds from a one-time budget surplus... one of the last we will see in Louisiana for many years.
Reassurance shield for Interstate 12 east, followed by the two mile sign for Exit 65 (LA 59).
One mile guide sign for Exit 65.
Half mile guide sign for Exit 65. Travelers are warned on the sign that the next exit (Exit 74) is 8 miles away. (As of now, there is a new exit only three miles from this one. It has no services as of yet though.)
Here, the Trace passes underneath Interstate 12. This shot is looking up at the eastbound carriageway.
Here's another shot of Interstate 12's eastbound carriageway over the Trace. Exit 65 (LA 59, Mandeville, Abita Springs) sits just a few feet to the east of this photo.
Exit sign for Exit 65. Adjacent to the sign (but not pictured) is a trailblazer for Interstate 59.
Along the exit ramp to LA 59, another trailblazer for I-59 is found.
At the end of the Exit 65 offramp, yet another trailblazer for I-59. People must be idiots or something.
These milepost signs have been cropping up lately along Louisiana's interstates. This one is eastbound, just before the ramp for Exit 68. Yes, I took it on foot in a driving rainstorm.
This is the final exit sign for Exit 68 on eastbound I-12. It's blurry because I took it with the zoom on. All the signage for Exit 68 in both directions is Clearview. (Yuck.)
In almost all cases, Louisiana never uses the three-digit 30 inch by 24 inch signs for its state highways, and uses Series B for the numbering. Freeways are different, as seen here - Series C on 30"x24" for the LA 1088 signs, Series D for the LA 36 trailblazer. These signs can be found on the I-12 East offramp to LA 1088.
Here is a view from the eastbound lane of LA 1088's overpassing of Interstate 12. Traffic continues on in this direction to Lacombe (Exit 74, LA 434), Slidell (Exit 80, Airport Road/North Shore Boulevard and Exit 83, US 11), and the terminus at I-10 and I-59 (Exits 85A-B-C: New Orleans, Hattiesburg MS, Bay St. Louis MS).
Two-mile sign for Exit 83, US 11 to Pearl River and Slidell.
One-mile sign for Exit 83, as I-12 crosses a local road.
As the half-mile sign for Exit 83 flies by, motorists on I-12 East are warned about weight limits on the I-10 West bridge across Lake Ponchartrain. US 11 can serve as an alternate route into New Orleans for some of that traffic. Heavier trucks should have exited at Exit 63A, to the Causeway.
Traffic bound for US 11 peels off ahead.
Gore signage for Exit 83 along I-12 East. Traffic can be seen merging onto I-12 from US 11 in the distance.
As traffic from US 11 merges onto I-12 East, the 1 1/2 mile sign for I-12's final exits appears, simply signed “JUNCTION I-10, I-59.”
The final reassurance shield for I-12 East is here, hiding behind the marker for Mile 84.
One-mile signage for Exits 85A-B-C.
This sign lets motorists know that access to I-10 West will come first.
Auxiliary sign letting motorists know that further access to Slidell is provided by I-10 West Exits 266 and 263. This sign needs to be updated, as Exit 265 (newly opened) also provides access to Slidell.
Poor shot, as I was preparing to veer off onto Exit 85A, I-10 West to New Orleans.
Two-mile sign for Exit 74 (LA 434) along westbound I-12.
One mile guide sign for Exit 74. LA 434's importance has exploded in recent years as a hospital and a distribution center have been built along it. A college is also planned to be built along LA 434.
One-half mile guide sign for Exit 74. The next exit along I-12 westbound is Exit 65 (LA 59), eight miles away.
Traffic bound for Lacombe and for the Village of St. Tammany, both unincorporated, departs here.
Gore point signage for I-12's exit 74 along westbound.
As is the case along all of Louisiana's freeways, three-digit shields where needed, in this case for LA 434.
Here, Interstate 12 westbound passes under LA 1088 (Future Exit 68, Future LA 3241).
In almost all cases, Louisiana never uses the three-digit 30 inch by 24 inch signs for its state highways, and uses Series B for the numbering. Freeways are different, as seen here - Series C on 30"x24" for the LA 1088 signs, Series D for the LA 36 trailblazer. These signs can be found on the I-12 West offramp to LA 1088.
Looking over westbound I-12 from the westbound lane of the LA 1088 overpass. Exit 65 (LA 59, Abita Springs, Mandeville) lies in the distance.
Traffic bound for LA 59 (Exit 65) departs from I-12 westbound ahead.
Just after merging on to I-12 Westbound from LA 59 (Exit 65), one comes upon this two-mile guide sign for Exits 63B-A (US 190). Two mile guide signs are more common in Louisiana than they are in many other Southeastern states.
One mile to Exits 63B-A now.
One half mile to Exit 63B along I-12 Westbound near Covington. This exit also connects to Bogalusa - however, a faster connection there can be achieved via Exit 65.
Just slightly past the 1/2 mile sign for Exit 63B, we find this VMS sign overhead, as well as auxiliary destination signs for Exits 63B and 63A. As seen here, Exit 63A allows a connection to New Orleans via the Causeway. The aforementioned connection to Bogalusa is mentioned here as well.
Traffic bound for Covington via Exit 63B exits I-12 westbound here. 1/4 of a mile straight ahead, Exit 63A loops to US 190 eastbound.
Now approaching Exit 63A along westbound (US 190 East, Mandeville, New Orleans VIA Causeway Toll Bridge). Exit 63A is a tight loop ramp with a 25mph advisory speed. A slight deceleration lane is provided.
One mile advance sign for Exit 60, created from the old rest area on I-12. The exit is currently closed because the roads connecting the exit to LA 21 are unfinished.
One-half mile advance signage for I-12 Exit 60.
Approaching the Tchefuncte River about a mile past the Exit 63 complex. Shot taken August 2008.
Gore signage for I-12 Exit 60. The footprint of the old exit area was left somewhat intact for the creation of this exit, though some roads within the interchange were reconfigured.
Shot of the Exit 60 complex from westbound I-12 during August 2008.
One final look at Exit 60 signage westbound.
