NEW ORLEANS — With freezing temperatures expected overnight Tuesday and into Wednesday morning, crews will be out checking major roadways to make sure they’re safe to be on.
“Everybody has been out here since way before dawn,” said General Manager of the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway Bridge Carlton Dufrechou
Dufrechou started getting calls about ice on the bridge around two o’clock Tuesday morning.
“Right after that, we started getting sleet. At first, it was rain coming down that started to freeze but then the sleet,” said Dufrechou. “When the sleet came, that kind of did us in.”
The Causeway was immediately closed in both directions. Other major bridges and elevated roadways, like the Twin Span and Luling Bridge, followed. Most reopened by midday, thanks to some sun and a lot of work.
“We started to treat the bridge with some deicing equipment, particularly the high-rise areas of the bridge,” said Dufrechou.
Large street sweepers then helped break up the ice. Inside the operations center calls kept coming in as folks were lining up to get across the bridge, which finally reopened.
It was a different story for the Bonnet Carre Spillway on Insterstate-10 and Interstate-55 between LaPlace and Ponchatoula. The cold air above and below kept them closed for most of the day because of the ice.
“This is across the state, Alexandria, Lafayette, up in Shreveport, Baton Rouge is having to deal with it,” said Public Information Director Daniel Gitlin with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development.
Gitlin says both the North and South shores were prepared for the ice and freezing temperatures.
“Everyone in the community is working together at this point and I think that’s why we’re not seeing a lot of major, major issues out there,” said Gitlin.
In St. Tammany Parish, DOTD crews spent Tuesday spraying Interstate 10 near the state line. With more freezing temperatures expected, drivers are asked to still be cautious.
“It’s a situation where it’s never going to be perfect. There’s no guarantee that every road is going to be safe just because they’re treating it,” said Gitlin.
Back at the Causeway, Dufrechou says if the wet weather stays away the bridge should be fine.
“The cold temperatures we can take without any problem but if we did get some rain again or sleet, that would be problematic once again,” said Dufrechou.
Until all roads thaw out, folks are being asked to try and limit driving as much as possible. If ice is found on the road, any emergency agency has the authority to close it.