BATON ROUGE, La. – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) today advised drivers of upcoming work schedules for interstate and major road projects throughout Louisiana for the Independence Day weekend (Saturday, July 2 through Monday, July 4).

DOTD Secretary Sherri H. LeBas, P.E., urged drivers to use extra caution when traveling on the roadways during the upcoming holiday weekend, especially at railroad crossings.
 
Below is the regional listing of work schedules and road closures for interstate construction and major road projects.

Southeast Louisiana 
In the New Orleans area, all lanes of I-10, I-310, I-510 and I-610 will remain open during the holiday.

In the Slidell area, all lanes of I-10, I-12 and I-59 will remain open.

In the Hammond area, all lanes of I-12 and I-55 will remain open.

In East Baton Rouge and Livingston parishes, all lanes of I-10 and I-12 will remain open. Drivers should note
that the speed limit has been reduced to 50 mph within the construction zones on I-10 and I-12.

Southwest Louisiana 
In the Lafayette area, all lanes of I-10 and I-49 will remain open to traffic.

In the Lake Charles area, all lanes of I-210 will remain open to traffic. Construction continues on I-10 near Sulphur with one lane closed westbound between exits 20 and 23.  Additionally, the on and off ramps at exit 21(Beglis Parkway) are closed.

Central Louisiana
 In the Alexandria area, all lanes of I-49 will remain open to traffic. 
 
In Natchitoches Parish, La. 6 at the Grand Ecore Bridge will continue to be reduced to one lane. Temporary traffic lights are in place to control the flow of traffic. Drivers may experience minor delays because of construction activity in this area.

Northeast Louisiana 
In the Monroe area, all lanes of I-20 will remain open to traffic.

Northwest Louisiana 
In the Shreveport-Bossier City area and surrounding parishes, all lanes of I-20, I-220 and I-49 will remain open.

Oversize/overweight vehicle movement
Secretary LeBas announced that all oversize and overweight vehicle movement on all state highways will be prohibited Saturday, July 2 through Monday, July 4.

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 on state highways during this holiday.

The Department’s Truck Permit Office will also be closed on Monday, July 4.  Please call
1-800-654-1433 for information on permits. 

LA Swift Bus Service
LA Swift, the bus service that provides coach bus rides between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, will run its Saturday schedule on Monday, July 4.

Schedules and further details are available at www.laswift.com and through LA Swift’s Customer Service Center at (877)-94-SWIFT (1-877-947-9438). The center’s hours of operation are 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The bus service makes stops in Baton Rouge, Gonzales, Sorrento, LaPlace, Kenner and New Orleans.

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.

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. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Customer Service Center will be closed Monday, July 4. 

Finally, 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.

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www.dotd.la.gov