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 on Independence Day (Thursday, July 4).

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 

In the New Orleans area, all lanes of I-10, I-310, I-510 and I-610 will remain open to traffic.

In St. Tammany Parish, all lanes of I-59, I-10, and I-12 will remain open to traffic.

Also, in St. Tammany Parish, traffic will be detoured around the intersection of La. 434 and U.S. 190 to the Old U.S. 190 junction with La. 434, due to the roundabout construction.

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

In East Baton Rouge Parish, all lanes of I-12 and I-110 will remain open.

Southwest Louisiana 

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

The Grand Prairie rest area, located on I-49 in St. Landry Parish, and the boat launch to access Dubisson Lake are closed to travelers while undergoing renovations.

            In New Iberia, the La. 3156 Jefferson Street Bridge will remain closed during the holiday.

            In St. Martin Parish, La. 686 remains closed between Cecilia and Arnaudville.
            In the Lake Charles area, all lanes of I-10 will remain open to traffic. I-210 will have intermittent lane closures in both directions between I-10 and Exit 12 from 7 p.m. on Thursday until Friday at 6 a.m. Lane closures are necessary for the contractor to install signs, guard rail, and pour concrete.

Central Louisiana

In Vernon Parish, in the Leesville area, U.S. 171 from La. 10 to Boone Street (old La. 1212), will have lane closures in each direction.

In Rapides Parish, one lane of La. 28 westbound will be closed between St. Clair and Gardner, La.

            In Avoyelles Parish, the City of Bunkie has a detour on La. 115 South of town due to some drainage work.

Northeast Louisiana 

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.

In Franklin Parish, construction will continue on La. 4, between the Caldwell Parish line and Fort Necessity. Drivers may experience minor delays because of activity in this area.

Northwest Louisiana 

In the Shreveport-Bossier City area, all lanes of I-20, I-220 and I-49 will remain open to traffic.

Oversize/overweight vehicle movement

DOTD announced that all oversize and overweight vehicle movement on all state highways will be prohibited on Thursday, July 4. LeBas said the decision was made in conjunction Louisiana State Police, to provide maximum safety for motorists traveling on state highways during this holiday.

DOTD’s Truck Permit Office will also be closed on Thursday, July 4.

LA Swift Bus Service

LA Swift, the bus service that provides coach bus rides between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, will run its weekend schedule on Thursday, 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 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. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Customer Service Center will be closed Thursday, July 4, and Friday, July 5.

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.

            The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) is committed to delivering transportation and public works systems that enhance the quality of life. In addition to more than 16,600 miles of roadway, including over 930 miles of interstate and 13,000 bridges, DOTD supports the development of the state’s aviation, marine and rail infrastructures. Through this work, we are able to facilitate economic development, create job opportunities, improve vital evacuation routes, and make critical freight corridors safer and more efficient.