Tuesday’s road closures and openings around the state
February 16, 2021
LDWF Warns of Potential Fish Kills Due to Freezing Temps
February 16, 2021
Even though we are used to businesses on the parade routes shutting down for Mardi Gras Day, we aren’t accustomed to our state roadways being shut down for ice.
With Mardi Gras being canceled in Louisiana, many businesses have optioned to have employees report for work as if it were an ordinary Tuesday. This was made more difficult with subfreezing temperatures and frozen roadways. Authorities with the state have been referring citizens to their traffic app/website, www.511la.org.
This sounds like a great option, right? Except the website has not been updated in over 24 hours in some regions, including ours.
It seems to be, excuse the pun, “Frozen.”
News organizations, such as ours, have been replying on text messages and emails from resources within the local police departments, TPCG and State Police to help us confirm to our readers as roadways closed yesterday and reopened this morning.
Check out the above image. The last time 511 shared an update on the Amelia bridge was 7:57 a.m. yesterday. We had several readers who were trying to make it to work in the Morgan City area who turned to us to help with information. At noon today, we still couldn’t provide an answer based on the state’s number one recommended resource.
Thankfully, our local State Police Troop C responded to our email very promptly and also updated the LSP’s Facebook page shortly after the bridge’s opening.
But what for those who do not have social media? How are they to know? Call 511, we are told.
Have you tried calling the 511 line? It’s automated and crazy difficult to use, especially if you don’t know the official Louisiana road or highway number. I was able to get it after seven minutes and 40 seconds, and eight rounds of “go back” orders, to recognize I wanted the status of Highway 90. But at the rate the recording rattles off locations, without having a map to follow along with teh numbers, I was extremely puzzled as to if I was still in Louisiana. I finally realized the recording was reading me the same information as the outdated map I was looking at online.
The moral of this story? I am grateful I get to work from home.
