Evacuation gripes...

[Rich83]

Mayor Nagin and other public officials, of course, have their responsibilities and thus I understand their position that they encourage people to leave town, but for anyone telling people to leave for the storm they need to please understand what a royal pain this has been, especially on the roads. Unless authorities make it very clear that they're going to have massive changes to improve the situation with the traffic flow the next time it's a sure bet that many will remember this time and won't want to leave.

The contra-flow was apparently much overrated. I would like to see it extended. How about having both sides westbound at least up to where I-10 crosses Airline (near Gramercy) and at that having the one side diverted over to Airline like they had the one side this time diverted over to I-55 (while having westbound Airline traffic detour to La. 3123 at Gramercy before the interchange)? Of course, all roads that might possibly serve as evacuation routes need upgrading.

Also, there were problems caused with people taking the Sorrento exit for gas, etc. and then getting back on. Maybe some upramps heading westbound should be blocked in the interest of keeping traffic moving.

[birdwomn]

I know what a pain it is and how much stress you have been under.

That said, please be thankful you still have evacuation routes that are available where you are located.

Every time an area goes thru this, they learn better ways to handle it. I am hoping that will be true of your area as well.

[lapeym]

It took me 5 hours to get to Baton Rouge (about 70 miles from NO) yesterday morning. I left at 5am and reached Baton Rouge about 10am. It would have taken me another 1 -2 hours to get beyond the Baton Rouge traffic, and I understand it would have taken about 3 hours to get to Lafayette (50 miles away). People were reporting that it was taking 14hrs to get to Houston. In Baton Rouge, I finally heard the news I wanted to hear..the storm had started its turn to Alabama. I turned around and went back to New Orleans and stuck it out here. I feel like I did the right thing to start my evacuation, and I would have kept going if the storm maintained its NW course. As bad as the traffic was, I noticed and AWFUL lot of cars and people sticking it out in New Orleans. I don't know what the official tally will be, but I bet less than 50% of New Orleans evacuated. I can't image the gridlock if the NHC pointed the storm at New Orleans yesterday morning with last minute evacuators. I have a few thoughts on this.

Make the I-10 contraflow longer.

People in Mississippi and Alabama should evacuate NORTH to I-20, then WEST. They HAVE to keep the roads open for New Orleans evacuees if a big one is coming to New Orleans. I-12 was a parking lot yesterday morning from the cars fleeing Mississippi and Alabama from Baton Rouge to the MS border. I-12 feeds into Baton Rouge. All that traffic trying to get around Baton Rouge caused one non-stop traffic jam on 10 and Hwy 61 practically to New Orleans.

I would like to see, but don't expect, to see Baton Rouge and Jackson, MS close schools and work when there is such evacuation taking place. It would be nice if evacuees didn't have to deal with the additional morning/afternoon work flow.

Speaking of Baton Rouge, there are only a few spots to cross the Mississippi River. One of them is south in Donaldsonville. Because it is an old highway, many people do not know about it. Hwy 90 out of New Orleans is another way to cross the MR. From what I hear, there was not as much traffic on these routes. The interstate system is not the only route, and we need to train people to use these alternate routes, though I admit Hwy 90 and Hwy 1 are scary when thinking about rising water. With a hurricane to the east, these were fine though.

Ultimately, it is impossible to get everybody out of New Orleans if we are given less than 48 hours notice. Worst case scenario is that a storm brews up in the gulf and rapidly strengthens and hit New Orleans in less than 96 hours. Something like....Camille. Think about it.

[LaPlaceFF]

Speaking of Baton Rouge, there are only a few spots to cross the Mississippi River. One of them is south in Donaldsonville. Because it is an old highway, many people do not know about it. Hwy 90 out of New Orleans is another way to cross the MR. From what I hear, there was not as much traffic on these routes. The interstate system is not the only route, and we need to train people to use these alternate routes, though I admit Hwy 90 and Hwy 1 are scary when thinking about rising water. With a hurricane to the east, these were fine, though

Don't forget about the Veterans Memorial Bridge in Gramercy. I heard that soon the will extend the road to 3127. I hope the experience of Ivan will make the road a reality.

[Geoff Stormcloud]

The sad , sad part of this is the governor was on the radio this morning saying how smoothly the evacuations went. Are you kidding me. I stayed, however , I know many, many who did leave. Not one has anything good to say. Horror story after horror story. I am very aware that the loss of life would be astronomical if people do not leave, but if this is not addressed in the very near future, people will refuse to leave because they will remember Ivan. My cousin went Hwy 90 to Lafayette. There was a local police officer directing traffic at a major intersection 20 miles from Lafayette. He would let all the local people go without stopping and hold the Hwy 90 traffic. And when he did let it travel it was only for a few minutes before he stopped again. Little things like that are what adds to a big big problem. Took him 7 hours to get to Breaux Bridge. So my friends I hope its a long time before we are have to deal with this again because if its not expect thousands dead.

[dennis1x1]

hurricanes are pains in the rear.....i think thats pretty obvious....finding someone to blame will probably make people feel better...but it wont change anything.....although i like the idea of a voluntary by last initial leaving time....i think the majority would honor it....

72 hours was given for evacuation.......thats ample time for a 5 hour car ride.

[crazycajuncane]

Yep, but if it would have hit New Orleans you wouldn't hear anyone complaining about having evacuated.

This was a test run and I believe things need to be looked at. If it took 7 - 8 hours to get to Lafayette from Highway 90, there is a big problem.

Another problem was the track changing so late. People weren't sure to stay or to go. It was a complete mess. Hopefully, they get it right next time.

Contact Blanco and let her know.

[zoeyann]

There was a 42 mile traffic jam Tuesday heading to Morgan City(people trying to get to Texas and western Louisiana). There was a break down and two wrecks. People panic and things like that can happen. Also contraflow should have been started earlier. Louisiana got very lucky this time, but the good thing is that with close calls like this the state should have perfected the evac situation if one day we are not so lucky.

[lapeym]

5 hrs? It isn't five hours. If a hurricane hits NO, BR is no shelter either. You need to get up to at least Alexandria, or Lake Charles/Lafayette or Texas. Problem is all those cities don't have many hotel rooms--you have to continue to Dallas or Houston area before you can see a lot of hotel rooms.

14 hrs to get where you want to go is a minimun if the NHC projects a Cat 4/5 hit on New Orleans. I know people that left after work on Tuesday and did not reach Houston until 9am the following morning. Keep in mind many people stuck it out because the forecast path did not center on New Orleans, although we were in the "cone of uncertainty." I will evacuate when dealing with 4/5s, but not a chance for anything less. I may vertically evacuate for Cat 3 in a downtown hotel.

[crazycajuncane]

I think it would be possible to ride out a Category 3 or less. That is just my opinion. It also depends on what side of the storm you are on and all that.

[SwampDawg]

I hope that no one actually expected traffic to be smooth sailing coming out of New Orleans with a massive evacuation on hand. There is no way you can have that when you had as many people as you did. Remember also that it was not only New Orleans being evacuated. You had all of the SE Parishes in Louisiana also.

[dennis1x1]

the only way you are going to avoid a traffic jam is to leave earlier than the mayoral announcement....everyone has that option.

i havent heard any reports of people being stuck in traffic in new orleans anywhere near proposed landfall.....the system work.....everyone who wanted to leave was able to make it out....

[CajunMama]

If you know it takes 72 hours to evacuate then evacuate 72 hours before the storm is estimated to hit. Don't wait 48, 36 or 24 hours...don't have the attitude "I'll wait to see what the storm is going to do before I evacuate". With most people leaving 1-2 days before then yes you will have a massive delay.

[dennis1x1]

preach it cajun...


choose to live in a city below sea level with one way out in the path of major hurricanes.

but blame the mayor when you are in stop and go traffic.



i keed i keed.

[SwampDawg]

If you know it takes 72 hours to evacuate then evacuate 72 hours before the storm is estimated to hit. Don't wait 48, 36 or 24 hours...don't have the attitude "I'll wait to see what the storm is going to do before I evacuate". With most people leaving 1-2 days before then yes you will have a massive delay.

aaah...let's not be too critical. I had the opportunity to sit in on some meetings. It was a delay in Lafayette turning the cycles off of the traffic lights on the Evangeline Thru way that created many of the problems on HWY 90. I-10 was because of a "bottle neck" problem around Baton Rouge.

[crazycajuncane]

If you know it takes 72 hours to evacuate then evacuate 72 hours before the storm is estimated to hit. Don't wait 48, 36 or 24 hours...don't have the attitude "I'll wait to see what the storm is going to do before I evacuate". With most people leaving 1-2 days before then yes you will have a massive delay.

Yep!

It would make sense if you think you're going to panic and leave at the last minute, try leaving earlier.

Many people freak out and leave when the time is winding down. If a voluntary evacuation is called, it's time to go then or otherwise plan on staying.

[janswizard]

Just a comment about the traffic jams caused by the storms.

We just went through Hurricane Frances and I don't know how things work in your area but in our area, they evacuate people by zones, starting with the barrier islands and mobile homes and then working inland depending on whether you are in a flood zone or not.

That's all well and good but what is a 3-lane highway north from Miami becomes a 2 lane highway when you reach my area, Ft Pierce. Gridlock happened within the first few hours of the evacuation and bottled up here in my county. By the time St Lucie EOC was saying "evacuate", the roads were already jammed with people leaving South Florida. Add the shortages of gas we had to that mix and you are sitting in a deadly situation.

Many companies (mine included) kept people at work until all but the last minute, leaving people little time to board or otherwise protect their homes and still get on the road. And once on the road, there was no where to go.

IMO, Florida was not prepared for this crisis and there is no excuse for it. (If there is, I'd like to hear it.) The same thing happened during Andrew (although our area was not evacuated) and then we saw the same thing happen when it was unclear where Floyd was heading.

I realize that people hate to leave their homes unless the threat is very real but there are certainly enough people living in Florida who have the ability to leave early like retired folks who come and go at leisure.

I heard of one couple who wouldn't leave because they had a date with the golf course the day before the storm. Yes, the skies were sunny, the sun was warm, without hearing on the radio or tv that there was a storm out there, you would never have known it. Yet that couple complained later that they couldn't even get on I-95 or the turnpike later that evening when they decided to get out.

I guess what I'm saying is that I think that people themselves have to show a little bit more responsibility for their actions but the state should have alternate plans such as opening all roads northbound only to help alleviate some of the problems.

[CajunMama]

Lafayette is being quite considerate for the evacuees. Evangeline Thruway which is a main thoroughfare through town has given the evacuees the right of way. That means if the locals need to get from one side of town to the other.....well, don't plan on it. Turning off the cycles on Evangeline Thruway bottlenecked all the local traffic. But that will be fixed one day when I-49 is completed through Lafayette.

[HurricaneQueen]

I've read this thread with great interest and fully understand the frustrations. To go or not? If so, when and where? Fortunately, we have not had to evacuate more than a few miles inland. (We are almost as far south west as you can be in Fl without being in the Everglades and all of our inland hotels, motels are sold out days before any threatening weather with people from the east coast and Keys. It would be virtually impossible for us to get out unless we started about three days in advance.)

That being said, think of all the poor people in Al. and the Fl panhandle who no longer have roads to travel to go home, if they have a home left.

Hopefully, much will have been learned from the recent excercise of evacuating NO and other points on the NGC, because someday an evacuation will be a MUST. I just hope too many people didn't become too frustrated to leave for the real thing.

Just preaching again...
Lynn