NEW ORLEANS — City entities say they are working to find ways to better respond and prepare for dense fog after another hazy morning Tuesday led to multiple crashes and one death.
At some points early Tuesday morning, drivers on I-10 could barely see anything in front of them. Fog and smoke clouded the interstate. NOPD responded to multiple crashes starting around 4:30 A.M.
"When officers were responding it went from you can see to you cannot see at all. Listening to the incident and commanding from a remote location, it was chaotic," NOPD 7th District Captain Wayne DeLarge said.
NOPD says there were at least 4 separate crashes, including at least 11 vehicles. One man died and at least eight others were injured. An 18-wheeler overturned.
NOPD eventually closed I-10 in both directions and diverted traffic at Read and Irish Bayou for hours.
DOTD says there are signs along I-10 that warn drivers of these conditions, but they say, they usually don't close down roadways because of the fog. DOTD says fog can cover such a large area for such a long time, plus shutting down the roads requires a lot of collaboration.
"Shutting down an interstate typically involves dozens of DOTD personnel, hundreds if not more of traffic control devices such as cones and drums, as well as law enforcement. The primary consideration is when we do shut down a roadway, where are we going to perform a detour," Scott Boyle, District Engineer Administrator with Louisiana DOTD said.
DOTD says law enforcement has the authority to close down a road and monitor the area and conditions. But, Tuesday, NOPD said they were not aware of the conditions until they responded to the crashes. NOPD says they're working to figure out vest practices to help during fog, but it's not so simple.
"There has to be a more detailed plan than putting a police officer up there and slowing people down," DeLarge said.
Agencies suggest drivers slow down, use their low beams and increase the space between them and the car in front of them, during foggy conditions.
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