Picayune - Emergency managers claim that for the next storm threat, traffic flow through Mississippi will be much improved. The strategy calls for extending north-bound contra flow on both I-59, and I-55.
Les Evenchick, along with thousands of other evacuees, spent hours trapped in contra-flow traffic on I-59 during the Gustav evacuation.
“My thinking was I hope this doesn't kill me. That's what I really felt.” He was devastated to find the exits to Highway 11 through Mississippi blocked. When Evenchick saw the first news reports about extending contra-flow north he was skeptical.
“I caught the idea that they were going to extend it a little further, but to a small town along the way.” His concern is that with the extension the same gridlock would just continue over a longer distance.
Willie Huff with the Mississippi Department of Transportation and other emergency planners are optimistic the extension will improve traffic.
“We're going to move the crossover from mile marker 21 to mile marker 55 which gives motorist a little more opportunity along the route which they can get off of it I-59,” Huff said. This year all four lanes of Interstate 59 will continue 31 miles to just south of Hattiesburg.
“All the exits whether there is a service station there or not or whether it’s a country road exit will remain open for the convenience of the motorist,” Huff added. He also said there could be some closures for a short period if exiting traffic backs up onto the interstate, but that exits will re-open once the congestion is cleared.
Mississippi also has a detailed plan to manipulate highways in the city of Hattiesburg to move cars through more efficiently. Both Mississippi and Louisiana officials are asking south Louisiana residents to utilize the I-55 and I-10 west routes.
“We forget the fact that I-55 is still sitting there with the ability to go west on I-10 up to Baton Rouge and to that area,” said Colonel Mike Edmonson with the Louisiana State Police. Regardless of the route taken he vows the state is better prepared to provide services for motorist.
“If they do happen to run out of fuel that we might have some fuel that we can get to them. If their car breaks down that we can get a wrecker. If they have an emergency situation we can get an ambulance to them. We have the ability for the basic human necessities like going to the bathroom.”
“We will have Port-A-Lets here and try to get them out before the wind comes in to move them north,” Huff said.
Communication is also being stepped up. Real time traffic updates will be available on Twitter.com. Some criticize that the changes will not make a huge difference, but emergency planners like Mississippi's Director of Emergency Management Mike Womack say we have to test them.
“Let’s give it a try. That 30 miles may make enough of a difference so that you don't have to sit in traffic for an extended period of time.”
His Louisiana counter part Mark Cooper the Director of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness said there are only two choices, “Either they stay behind and risk being stranded, like what happened with Katrina, with the possibility of death or injury to their family. They are better off to heed local warnings and evacuation when that is called upon.”
Evenchick says there must be a difference before he evacuates again. ”I swore I'd never do it again under these types of evacuation arrangements,” Evenchick said. Everyone hopes the plan will not have to be tested this year.
