DOTD issues Easter holiday travel advisory
Tuesday, April 15, 2014 at 9:56:57 AM
BATON ROUGE, La. – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development today advised drivers of upcoming work schedules for interstate and major road projects throughout Louisiana during the Easter holiday (Friday, April 18, through Sunday, April 20).
DOTD Secretary Sherri H. LeBas urged drivers to use extra caution when traveling on the roadways during the upcoming holiday, especially at railroad crossings and within construction zones where the speed limit is reduced.
Below is the regional listing of work schedules and road closures for interstate construction and major road projects.
Southeast Louisiana
The following will remain open to traffic:
• In the New Orleans area, all lanes of I-10, I-310, I-510 and I-610.
• In St. Tammany Parish, all lanes of I-59, I-10, and I-12.
• In the Hammond area, all lanes of I-12 and I-55.
• In East Baton Rouge Parish, all lanes of I-10, I-12 and I-110.
• In Livingston Parish, all lanes of I-12.
Southwest Louisiana
The following will remain open to traffic:
• In the Lafayette area, all lanes of I-10 and I-49.
• In the Lake Charles area, all lanes of I-10.
The following will have lane closures or will be closed to traffic:
• In Calcasieu Parish, I-210 will be reduced to one lane in each direction from the Prien Lake Bridge to Nelson Road.
• In Acadia Parish, La. 35 between La. 1102 and Dr. Parrot Avenue will be closed to traffic.
• In Acadia Parish, La. 1115 between La. 91 and La. 13 will be closed to traffic.
• In St. Landry Parish, the Grand Prairie rest area located on I-49 is closed to travelers while undergoing renovations.
• In Vermillion Parish, La. 35 between La. 82 and La. 335 will remain closed to traffic.
Central Louisiana
• There are no closures planned for Avoyelles, Grant, Natchitoches, Rapides, Sabine, and Winn parishes.
• In Vernon Parish, the La. 8 Bridge will be closed to all through traffic for the bridge replacement project. Traffic on La. 8 westbound will be detoured via La. 121 to La. 28, to La. 465 and back to La. 8. Eastbound traffic will be detoured via La. 465 to La. 28, to La. 121 and back to La. 8.
Northeast Louisiana
The following will remain open to traffic:
• In the Monroe area, all lanes of I-20 will remain open to traffic and there will be no lane closures on major routes in the area.
The following areas may experience traffic delays due to construction:
• In Caldwell Parish, construction is underway on La. 847, between the intersection of U.S. 165 and La. 133.
• In Franklin Parish, construction is underway on La. 863, between the intersection of La. 4 and La. 578.
• In Franklin Parish, La. 3201 between U.S. 425 and La. 865 is closed to through traffic due.
Northwest Louisiana
• There will be alternating lane closures at various locations along I-20 in Bossier Parish, with only one lane closed at a time.
Oversize/overweight vehicle movement
Secretary LeBas announced that all oversize and overweight vehicle movement on all state highways will be prohibited on Friday, April 18, through Sunday, April 20. The Truck Permit Office will also be closed on Friday, April 18.
LeBas said the decision was made in conjunction with the Louisiana Department of Public Safety, Office of State Police, to provide maximum safety for motorists traveling during the holidays.
Further information
Travelers can access up-to-date information about weather-related road conditions, construction activities and other critical incidents by dialing 511 from their telephone.
The voice-activated 511 Traveler Information System is available to most wireless and landline telephone users. Out-of-state travelers can access the system by calling 1-888-ROAD-511 (1-888-762-3511). Travelers can also access this information by visiting the 511 Traveler Information System Web site at www.511la.org.
Traffic cameras for the Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Hammond/Northshore, Houma, Lake Charles, Monroe/West Monroe, New Orleans, Shreveport/Bossier and surrounding areas also may be viewed from the 511 site.
Additionally, motorists can utilize the new “Way to Geaux” application to receive real-time, around the clock travel alerts. The hands-free, eyes-free smartphone application can be downloaded on any iPhone or Android device by visiting either the iTunes App Store, or Google Play. DOTD’s Customer Service Center representatives can answer questions about road closures not listed above or any other DOTD-related questions. Please call (225) 379-1232 or 1-877-4LADOTD (1-877-452-3683) with questions. The center’s business hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Customer Service Center will be closed Friday, April 18.
Drivers are encouraged to tune in to local radio stations for current traffic and incident information prior to traveling.
Drivers who notice road hazards, such as potholes or debris in the road, are urged to call DOTD’s statewide, toll-free Highway Safety Hot Line at 1-800-259-HWAY (4929). The automated system operates 24-hours-a-day and routes callers to the appropriate field office to report hazardous conditions.