Watch Out for These Wreck-Prone Roads in Southwest Louisiana

Lake Charles, LA [KNGT-FM] - Over the past week, we’ve seen an above-normal number of traffic crashes across the Southwest Louisiana area. It seems like they start early in the morning and then domino throughout the day.

Just this week, we’ve had at least six or seven major accidents in the Lake Charles and Southwest Louisiana area, and unfortunately, a couple of them have been fatal. With the amount of traffic moving through the Lake Charles area, even one major crash can create a huge headache for drivers.

These accidents can cause traffic to back up for miles and sometimes make it nearly impossible to navigate around the area, especially if you’re traveling on I-10 or I-210. That’s partly because Lake Charles is surrounded by waterways, and drivers depend heavily on bridges to get into and out of the city and reach other parts of the area.

If you drive around Southwest Louisiana, you already know getting from point A to point B can be a challenge. The amount of construction along the I-10 and I-210 corridors is also at an all-time high, largely because of the new I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge project currently underway.

The project has led the Louisiana DOTD to close lanes, add construction cones and signs, and adjust traffic patterns for commuters.

Since we report traffic conditions every day here at the radio station, I thought it was my civic duty to pass along some of the areas of concern where we’ve been seeing the most crashes.

Here are the roadways and areas where we’re seeing the most crashes across Lake Charles and Southwest Louisiana.

Crash Hotspots Southwest Louisiana Drivers Should Know About And Avoid

I-10 Bridge Eastbound - Around 4 p.m., traffic in the area begins to back up as workers leave the numerous industries nearby. With the increase in vehicles, traffic can slow down quickly, especially around the bridge.

Unfortunately, some drivers aren’t paying close enough attention to the changing traffic conditions. When motorists fail to notice that traffic is slowing or stopping ahead, they can end up rear-ending another vehicle, leading to crashes near the bottom of the bridge. See below.

I-210 Westbound at the I-10 Split on the Sulphur Side -When drivers exit the I-210 Bridge, they approach the overpass that connects to I-10, where they can travel eastbound or westbound. Under normal circumstances, the I-10 overpass heading toward Sulphur has two lanes. However, because of the ongoing construction, traffic is currently reduced to a single lane.

The lane reduction is creating significant congestion and frustration for drivers. Some motorists become impatient and attempt to merge at the last minute, often making sudden lane changes to get ahead of traffic. Those abrupt maneuvers can catch other drivers off guard and have contributed to crashes in the area. See below.

Highway 27 Southbound in Creole, Louisiana - We all know about the massive LNG project currently being built in Cameron, Louisiana. Thousands of workers are involved in the project, and that has led to a significant increase in traffic along Highway 27.

The problem is that Highway 27 is still primarily a two-lane roadway, with one lane traveling north and one lane traveling south. That combination of heavy commuter traffic and limited road capacity has created major headaches for drivers.

Unfortunately, some of the accidents in this area have been extremely serious, including crashes that have resulted in fatalities. Drivers need to use extra caution along this stretch of Highway 27. See below.

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This construction isn’t going away anytime soon, so drivers should expect continued traffic congestion and delays throughout the area. With changing traffic patterns, lane closures, and increased congestion, it’s more important than ever to stay focused behind the wheel.

Being patient, staying alert, and putting your cell phone away while driving are simple steps every motorist can take to help make the roads safer.