re: I-12...Saw 18 wheeler run nissan off road .

For example. Basically put a smaller basin bridge over 10, make it for either just big rigs or just cars. Entrance is west of 99 and merges back onto 10 east of 99 somewhere. The center of downtown would be tricky but would insanely help the Houston traffic. Do this evaluation for all the major metro areas.

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They have an inordinate number of 18 wheelers on I/12.

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Interstates were made for interstate commerce.
Interstate commerce is carried out via tractor-trailer.
I-12 is part of an interstate that connects Pacific to Atlantic.

I can promise you that truck drivers don't want to drive around a bunch of a-hole commuters. Louisiana needs to build toll roads.

..worked as a road engineer in both the public and private sector. Most of my knowledge is in mill & overlay type projects though.

I drive that area of I-12 time to time and my biggest observation is trucks driving side by side for long distances, blocking the left lane for passing. It’s pretty much the preferred truck route to avoid I-10 through New Orleans. I don’t know that it’s a capacity issue. I do know the clover interchange at I-12 and airline is stupid. You have 400 ft of vehicles using the same lane to both enter and exit the interstate, which often involves weaving with trucks. That should have probably been a diamond interchange, imo.

Adding another lane may help, but without any regulation it also gives truck drivers another lane to block. There would probably need to be some type of signage/messaging instructing trucks to use specific lanes, and actually enforce it. Or have a designated truck route. Im assume they avoid 190 cause of all the stop lights.

Yes my explanation is an over simplification on a very complex problem/project. A loop is also not simple though. At this point, keeping big rigs away from commuters is not going to happen in most developed metro areas.

That being said the, maintenance, environmental impacts, etc. are items I am not familiar with which is why I lead with in my first post that it may be a stupid idea.

I drive OTR. It was sarcasm. Until you get all the foreigners from behind the wheel, it will remain unsafe. With that being said, you will still have accidents, just not as often, I would think. Also, another poster commented about cars/pick ups weaving in and out of traffic, that is a major problem. As well as these trucking companies governing the trucks to 65 mph.