I-10 Reopened Between Lafayette And Baton Rouge, Throughout Louisiana
DOTD says that I-10 between Lafayette and Baton Rouge will reopen in phases throughout the afternoon.
UPDATE: I-10 has reopened throughout the entire state of Louisiana.
UPDATE: I-10 WB from Port Allen to Lafayette is OPEN
UPDATE: I-10 is now open in both directions from I-49 (Lafayette) to LA 415 (Lobdell).
This is part of a bigger plan from DOTD to get multiple parts of I-10 and I-12 open after severe winter weather forced them closed due to ice and dangerous conditions.
The current order in which DOTD hopes to achieve the reopening is as follows.
I-10 westbound at LA 415
I-10 westbound at the I-10/I-12 split
I-10 eastbound will open at LA 415
I-10 eastbound from Lafayette
I-12 at Airline Highway.
Although parts of the interstate will be reopening authorities are still advising motorists to use extreme caution while driving, especially on overpass bridges and elevated roadways.
I-10 between Lafayette and Baton Rouge is one of the most dangerous roadways when it comes to these extreme winter temps due to the fact that the entire stretch over the Atchafalaya Basin is elevated over the swampy body of water.
DOTD Secretary Shawn D. Wilson commended the hardworking men and women who have endured these frigid conditions to keep people safe while maintaining our roadways.
I would like to commend all of the hard working DOTD employees who have worked day and night to maintain and keep our roadways open as best as possible. These individuals have endured extreme frigid temperatures and spent the holiday away from family in order to keep our roadways functional.
We will update this post as the interstate reopens. Please drive with caution.