Baton Rouge Today

State agencies continue their efforts to fight and prepare for flooding in communities across Louisiana. Updates from individual agencies are below. Louisiana National Guard In support of state and parish requirements, the Louisiana National Guard has 1,150 Guardsmen mobilized for this event. The Guard continues to maintain and fortify protection projects, conduct levee inspections and [...]

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The Louisiana State Police has worked diligently to streamline agency operations without adversely affecting public safety. However, the House Appropriations Committee recently amended HB 1 removing over $800,000 from the Traffic Enforcement Program within the Louisiana State Police’s budget. This amendment would force the Department to lay off State Troopers which has never been done [...]

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BATON ROUGE, La. – In a recent report issued by the National Complete Streets Coalition, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development’s (DOTD) Complete Streets policy was ranked second in a listing of nationwide Complete Streets policies. Louisiana’s Complete Streets policy was developed in conjunction with the AARP Louisiana to ensure a fully-integrated transportation system [...]

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United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La, announced today the U.S. Department of Commerce has awarded the state of Louisiana a $1.5 million grant to help displaced Avondale Shipyard workers find new jobs.  The Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA) of the U.S. Department of Defense sent the senator a letter notifying her of the award, [...]

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Soldiers from the Louisiana National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 156th Infantry Regiment laid Tiger Dam flood-control tubing near an elementary school in Houma to help protect homes and schools from possible backwater flooding due to the opening of the Morganza Spillway, May 17. “We’re laying down approximately two miles of Tiger Dam,” said Capt. Nicholas S. [...]

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Louisiana National Guardsmen continued to assist state and parish officials with building levees and providing traffic security as the Morganza Spillway was opened to relieve pressure from the swollen Mississippi River in southeast Louisiana, May 14. Louisiana Guardsmen have been preparing an improved levee that will total approximately 10,000 linear feet of sand-filled HESCO baskets [...]

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The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announced today that drivers are now able to access up-to-date traffic information via new traffic cameras installed between LaPlace and Kenner. DOTD has installed cameras on I-10 at Loyola, I-10 at Williams, I-10 along the Bonnet Carre Spillway, I-10 at I-310, I-310 at U.S. 61, and U.S. [...]

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The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is advising residents living, working, or traversing in flood-impacted areas to remain on the lookout for venomous snakes. Snakes may move into residential and commercial areas as flood waters drive them from their habitat. High water in the Morganza-Atchafalaya floodway may displace snakes. Of the 22 species [...]

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Governor Jindal held a UCG meeting today with state and federal officials, followed by a press conference where he cautioned residents to stay in tune to their local leaders, even as they continue to prepare for the impact of floodwaters. Governor Jindal said, “According to the Corps of Engineers, 15 gates of the Morganza Floodway [...]

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The Coast Guard continues to monitor the rising water and is implementing river closures throughout the district, on the Inland River System, Monday. Coast Guard Captains of the Port are continually reviewing the need for, and implementing, safety zones, river restrictions and marine safety information bulletins to ensure the safe navigation of marine traffic. River [...]

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The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) is assisting St. Landry Parish officials, the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services and the Louisiana State Animal Response Team in staging assets at the Yambilee Building in Opelousas to prepare an emergency shelter for flood evacuees and their household pets. Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike [...]

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The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has closed that portion of Hunt Road on Dewey Wills Wildlife Management Area (WMA) from the Diversion Canal south, effective immediately, due to floodwater impacts. This closure is in addition to the May 13 closure of Muddy Bayou Road from Saline Bayou, eastward to Nolan Bayou Road, and [...]

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