Requiring a new bridge over the Mississippi, too. I guess it could still be an acceptable price - if it pulled half the heavy truck traffic off of I-10. The truck traffic on I-10 really makes the river crossing at Baton Rouge suck.
I still remember when they were constructing I-10 through Texas back in the 70s... The explosions they did on the nearby hills blew most of our windows out from the concussions (all of our neighborhood) :p
Yes. A parallel east-west route is a good idea all over.
No one in my area got why M-6 was a good idea— until it had been in place for three years. After all, I-96 looped all around the city with plenty of on/off ramps...
A Lafayette-New Orleans route would solve most of that, probably.