Open Roads to New Orleans

I am watching CNN at the moment (11:45 AM PST) and the Mayor down there has released the people of New Orleans to march toward I-10. Aparently the convention center is out of supplies and has nothing to offer anymore. Sounds like a huge exodus is coming…

I have been trying to figure out what is open and what I found is on Mapquest they have links to D.O.T. sites for MIssissippi, Alabama and Louisiana saying what is closed. On the Lousina page they say more than once " All roads into the new orleans area closed". How far I don’t know yet.

I read that where the I10 is open, both carriageways are for west facing traffic only i.e. all priority is being given to getting people out, not in.

Gary-

One good way to get there is to fly to Lake Charles (Continental flies there) and I hear you can drive to N.O from there…..that is if you find a car and gas.  Good luck….I’ll be there soon.  roads are as good as you see on TV.



Ramin

ps – good seeing in the subway!

thanks all for the help…

gary,



there are a series of three roadblocks as you go down the i-10 from baton rouge. one about 10 miles from the city. from ten you go on route 90 which goes east south of the city, you’ll hit another roadblock about 5 miles from the city. the last is at the Greater New Orleans Bridge and is very difficult to manage. i was with a sherriff’s deputy and they almost wouldn’t let him in.



my suggestion is to try and find someone who will escort you in. i don’t think you can navigate the checkpoints by yourself. good luck,



craig warga

This might be of interest; Tamer El-Ghobashy with the New York Daily News was on Democracy Now! Today, around
the 17:00 minute mark of the broadcast he explains how he initially got into New Orleans and again after he left to file.
He explains how the back roads were open but now are guarded, so they drove on the levee to get back in to the
city.

Hope this helps

Dustin Leader

Radio down here is reporting “all roads into New Orleans Metro Area are closed” I’ve been trying half of the day. Roads will open on Monday into Jefferson Parish.
If you guys know of anything else, let me know.

DjB

I haven’t had trouble getting in for the past 3 days, basically, every cop will let you through while telling you at the next checkpoint they’ll stop you. After 3 of these, you’re in the city and there’s no more checkpoints.



The best way to get into the city is a little out of the way, so make sure you have lots of gas, you don’t want to be caught in the city at night. From the east, take 12 West past New Orleans, then 10 East into the city (if 55 is open, do that instead of 10, but it was never open for me). It definitely helps to have a media pass of any kind.



To get to downtown/Convention Center area is tricky, as it seems like there’s only one way to go, though you’ll wildly different directions depending on whom you ask.



 You want to take River Road and follow it along the levee for as far as it goes. At the end, it curves away from the levee to the left and passes through a park and after that you make a right onto Henry (Harry?) Jackson Street Follow that until you see Tchoupitoulas St  and make a right onto it, which will again follow the levee for awhile, all the way into downtown.



hope this helps.

If anyone covering New Orleans has the time or ability to cruise by Crete St…its south of the Fairground racetrack. The North end of Crete St intersects with Fortin St, the South end intersects with Bellechasse St, off N. Broad Avenue.

LS member Andy Levin lives there and any help or assistance you could provide would be appreciated I’m sure…assuming he’s still there of course.

Some reports have said the area is under 4ft of water, with some people evacuated, so maybe Andy has moved.

But any news would be handy if anyone can get info out.

Sion, Andy apparently is OK and on a boat somewhere with cats,dog and a computer.  see the thread: http://www.lightstalkers.org/post-new.cfm?post_id=1752#7270



We will have to wait to hear from him directly as to whether he needs assistance or not.

AUGUST, 2008
Might as well just dredge up this old thread.
Anybody heading TO New Orleans? Anybody there already/or staying? ‘Just asking. I realize that everybody’s going to Perpignon, but I thought I’d ask.

John, I am looking at the trip, I had a flight into NOLA as of last night it has since been canceled.

If you are heading in from Dallas by way of Austin, let me know I would be more than happy to share in the investment.

-M

Matt—If I go I’ll hitch a ride with a photographer coming from New Mexico. We’ll probably head east from here or perhaps, head down I45 to Houston. If the plans change and I head thru Austin I’ll let you know. Be aware there’s nothing down there in the way of services. I spoke with a magazine photog who’s already there and he said there’s just nothing open and if it is open it will soon be closed. Primitive would be the operating word down there. If you drive take lots of batteries, water and keep the gas tank topped up.

Thanks for the heads up John. My thinking is to avoid NOLA and head towards Morgan City or Houma. If anything comes up feel free to email or call.

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/countdown-to-hurricane-gustav/

Cheers,

-M

Hi,

I’m looking for info too. I came across this site that may be of help with quick updates from people down there. http://twitter.com/NOLAnews/

http://stormtools.ning.com/

has some info on road closures and other storm info.

Lightstalkers: The site that helps you make it IN to harm’s way. Cheers guys- I am glad that so many of you will be documenting this. Stay safe and dry as you can,
Matt

Andy is fine, I had dinner with him tonight.

right now, a real bitch if anyone is trying to come from the east (Mobile Alabama) bridges closed from east. As of sunday night, no roadblocks on 10 east entering city. dont know about points on 10 west of NOLA.

http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/radar_lite.php?rid=LIX&product=N0Z&loop=yes