Why does interstate work take so long? The 18 mile Atchafalaya stretch took 2 years

I swear they have been working on I-10 between Orange and Louisiana line since I was in High School in the 90’s.

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Is it funding, poor planning, environmental delays, more traffic to deal with?

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Depends on the situation.

I'd imagine that the Atchafalaya didnt have to deal with live traffic so that is a huge factor.

All highway work has to deal with weather.
Most have to deal with live traffic which only allows so much construction.

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funding, poor planning, environmental delays

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Pretty much this. The Federal and State regulations/laws have become such a burden it would be impossible to build the Interstate system like we did in the 60s. I think what started with good intentions to create better designs with more checks and balances has resulted in it taking forever to get anything done.

If we could depend on just State funding the projects would go faster; that's why Texas absolutely throws projects together where FHWA isn't involved.

Side note, alot of those studies are also done because politicians require them through legislation so DOTD has to do them even though we don't have funding for an actual project. Politician gets credit for doing "something".

I-22 between Birmingham and Memphis was under construction from 1978 until the final stretch was opened in 2015.

White and black construction workers are too slow.

A crew of Mexicans would've had that completed in 2 months.

My anecdotal take is that at least in LA, there here are no good road contractors. There are a few big ones that charge huge fees and take as long as they want, which has led to the lower bidders having huge variations in quality.

The major projects I have seen finished in the past 10 years have been underwhelming at best, unacceptable at worst. From engineering and planning issues, to premature surface degradation and poorly marked roads. Most of the projects leave behind temporary or straight up incorrect markings that make it look incomplete.

And I know this wasn’t always the case because I’ve seen other roads, writhing LA and especially outside. Florida roads from highways to local streets are much higher quality.

Another thing I’ve noticed in the past 5 years or so is the amount of paint just spilled onto the surface, which I imagine is from careless subs. Shame.

[embed]Because the longer it takes, the more money the contractor makes[/embed]

I sure wish I could miss deadlines and get a bonus for it. Oh yeah, that doesn't happen anywhere.

The entrances and exits at Picou on I-10 in Baton Rouge deserves an honorable mention.

Did elgacho get picked up by ice, and we now have to deal with Grenada?