BATON ROUGE, La. – With the possibility of snow, rain and sleet in the forecast for Thursday, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announced today that department staff is prepared to deal with winter weather and icy road conditions.

DOTD will be monitoring the roadways for ice, and maintenance forces will be on standby to apply sand and salt over any affected bridges and roadways, to remove fallen trees from the roadway, and to close any roads as needed.

DOTD urges motorists to use extra caution when traveling on roadways during hazardous weather conditions and stay off the roads whenever possible. DOTD will do everything possible to keep Louisiana’s highways and interstate system open in the event of snow.

During winter weather conditions, motorists should drive slowly and carefully, and avoid driving while distracted. Always allow for extra driving time, reduce speeds when visibility is low, and make sure there is plenty of room between vehicles. Also, look out for black ice, which can form on bridges, overpasses, off-ramps and in shady spots. As always, DOTD reminds motorists to buckle up and refrain from drinking and driving.

Citizens can get the latest updates on real-time traffic and road conditions by using the 511 Traveler Information System simply by dialing 511 from their telephone and saying the route or region about which they are seeking information. Travelers can also access this information by visiting the 511 Traveler Information Web site at www.511la.org.

Motorists can also obtain information regarding road closures by contacting DOTD’s Customer Service Center at 1-877-4LA-DOTD (1-877-452-3683). The center is open 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Information on statewide office closures can be obtained by dialing 1-800-360-9660 or 225-342-0498.