DOTD announces statewide road closures due to wintery road conditions

As of about 8:45 a.m., there were no road closures in St. Mary Parish, and St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies are checking bridges and overpasses periodically for ice, St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office Spokeswoman Traci Landry said.
The National Weather Service in Lake Charles predicts no winter weather for St. Mary Parish; however, the parish is under a winter weather advisory.
Joe Rua, forecaster, said light to moderate rain is predicted through early afternoon, followed by drizzle into the evening hours.
“New Iberia north is where freezing rain is,” Rua said, adding “We’re not expecting any sort of bridges closed in St. Mary Parish at this point.”
Due to winter weather impacting road conditions throughout Louisiana, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development has closed the following roadways:
Lafayette Parish
—I-10 East and West from I-49 to the Horace Wilkinson Bridge in East Baton Rouge.
St. Landry Parish
—The Krotz Springs Bridge on U.S. 190 is closed in both directions .
Rapides Parish
—Gillis long/U.S. 165B Bridge over the Red River.
—I-49 Northbound from Exit 80 (MacArthur Drive) to Southbound Exit 94 (Rapides Station).
East Feliciana Parish
—La. 10 East at Thompson Creek.
West Baton Rouge Parish
—I-10 East and West from the Horace Wilkinson Bridge to I-49 in Lafayette.
Pointe Coupee Parish
—La. 10 Business to US 61 in West Feliciana.
West Feliciana
—La. 10, from U.S. 61 to La. 10 Business in Pointe Coupee Parish.
—Iberia Parish Sheriff Louis Ackal announced all U.S. 90 overpasses in Iberia Parish are closed due to weather conditions.
The state Department of Transportation urges motorist not to drive in icy conditions; however, if driving is necessary, use extra caution. Emergency personnel are continuing to monitor weather forecasts and will continue to respond to winter conditions. In addition, crews have checked supply inventories and are prepared to apply de-icing materials over affected bridges and roadways, remove fallen trees from the roadway and close any roads if needed.
All efforts will be made to keep major corridors open in the event of snow or ice, the state transportation department said via news release.
During winter weather conditions, motorists should follow these five safety tips:
—Drive slowly, carefully and avoid driving while distracted.
—Allow for extra driving time.
—Reduce speeds when visibility is low.
—Make sure there is plenty of room between vehicles.
—Look out for black ice, a thin, transparent layer of ice accumulation that can be visually hard to detect on bridges, overpasses, off-ramps and in shady spots.
Motorists are reminded to buckle up and refrain from drinking and driving. In addition, motorists should be on the look-out for work vehicles applying de-icing material to area bridges and overpasses.
Citizens can get the latest updates on real-time traffic and road conditions by using the 511 Traveler Information System simply by dialing 511 from their telephone and saying the route or region about which they are seeking information. Out-of-state travelers can call 1-888-ROAD-511 (1-888-762-3511). Travelers can also access this information by visiting the 511 Traveler Information Web site at www.511la.org.
Motorists also can obtain information regarding road closures by contacting the department’s Customer Service Center at 1-877-4LA-DOTD (1-877-452-3683). The center is open 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Additionally, motorists can utilize the “Way to Geaux” app to receive real-time, around the clock travel alerts. The hands-free, eyes-free smartphone application can be downloaded on any iPhone or Android device by visiting either the iTunes App Store or Google Play.