Snow was cleared Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, from Interstate 10 near Grosse Tete following a winter weather system that dumped more than 10 inches of snow in some parts of South Louisiana. (DOTD traffic camera photo)
Residents of South Louisiana are being asked to stay put for at least another day, with two more nights of freezing weather – and perilous road conditions – in the forecast.
Sunny conditions Wednesday helped melt snowpack from many streets and highways, but falling overnight temperatures are expected to freeze any water that’s left. That will create “black ice” that’s dangerous to motorists and frequently hard to detect on what otherwise looks like a clear roadway.
State crews are expected to clear major stretches of Interstate 10, and some overwater bridges have been reopened. But Gov. Jeff Landry said non-essential travel is still not recommended until temperatures get back to a point where ice on roads is no longer a concern.
“Just don’t get in a hurry to go anywhere,” the governor said during a news conference at the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.
State Transportation Secretary Joe Donahue said crews should have the I-10 Atchafalaya Spillway Bridge and the new Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge cleared soon. The Bonnet Carre Spillway Bridge and the I-10 Twin Spans should be cleared Thursday, he said.
One lane in each direction of the Crescent City Connection was opened Wednesday afternoon, and clearing of the Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge in Luling should be complete Thursday, according to Donahue.
Even with interstates becoming passable again, local crews still have to clear ice from onramps and offramps. Motorists are being urged to stay off roads until local officials give the all-clear. Updates on road conditions are being posted to 511la.org.
Col. Robert Hodges, Louisiana State Police superintendent, said most people have heeded the warnings, with relatively few accidents reported and only minor injuries.
Woman dies in camper fire
The governor also relayed news he learned just before the news conference about a fatal fire related to the winter weather.
According to the State Fire Marshal’s Facebook page, a camper fire in Beauregard Parish claimed the life of a woman. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Landry used the incident as a fire safety reminder for residents, who he advised to turn off space heaters before going to bed. He also discouraged the use of electric and gas ovens as heaters, with the latter creating a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
The ability to fight fires could be impacted if the hard freezes burst water lines, but such issues have been isolated.
The state health department has issued boil water advisories to Grand Isle and Lafourche Parish Water District 1.
In Grand Isle, officials say multiple breaks in a water main resulted in a drop in pressure below levels needed to prevent possible contamination of the supply.
The issue in Lafourche Parish involves a water line break and increased demand from customers keeping a constant drip to avoid broken pipes in their homes, according to district officials.
In New Orleans, customers are asked to conserve water by not using washing machines and dishwashers.
New Orleans warming shelters reaching capacity
The extreme cold has forced New Orleans to expand its warming centers, with more than 200 people needing to seek refuge. Its primary center reached its capacity of 120, forcing officials to open a second that’s nearing its 100-person limit.
Collin Arnold, the city’s emergency preparedness director, said another recreational center building is prepared to handle any overflow.
Most people at the warming centers have gotten there on their own, but the city is helping people with transportation as long as streets are safe. Arnold said 46 people have requested a ride, and transit officials have told him they would be available to help those with mobility issues.
The city has never needed more than two warming shelters in the past to meet its needs, according to Arnold. He said nonprofit service organizations and the temporary state shelter for the unhoused have helped the city manage the demand. Some 150-200 unhoused people are at the temporary state shelter near Gentilly that opened a week ago, Arnold said.
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