BATON ROUGE - A new digital traffic sign will be in place sometime in the next month on the west side of the river, DOTD said.

The sign on La. 1 will list travel times for drivers. State traffic monitors will use data to determine how long it will take to get across the river using either the I-10 Mississippi River Bridge or the Old Bridge where Highway 190 crosses the river. DOTD hopes the signage, on northbound La. 1 will help drivers determine which route is better - sometimes changing minds and convincing drivers to go north and use Highway 190 instead of clogging I-10.

"It would definitely help," driver Howard Pizzitola told WBRZ traffic reporter Ashley Fruge.

The project costs $3.4 million and will include a total of six signs eventually.

"You can't put another lane on the bridge for $3.4 million. This is a good value, because this is going to be able to provide information to people who live in the area, people who pass through... it's part of an overall plan," DOTD spokesperson Rodney Mallett said.

Digital boards on I-10 East before LA-415, US-190 East before LA-415, I-10 West before LA-415, I-10 West before Essen Lane and I-12 West before Juban will also have the time-of-travel capability. Unlike the digital boards, the La. 1 sign will look more like a green state road sign but will feature digital times for the designated routes: New Bridge or Old Bridge.

Watch Ashley Fruge's live traffic reports weekdays on WBRZ's morning news program 2une-In.  

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