Since 2000, more than 25 tropical systems have threatened the Louisiana Gulf Coast. Many of the most dangerous and damaging hurricanes, including Audrey (1957), Betsy (1965), Andrew (1992), Ivan (2004), Katrina (2005), Rita (2005) and Gustav (2008), have affected Louisiana and caused billions of dollars in property damage and considerable loss of life.

The geographical location of Louisiana along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico makes it especially vulnerable to the threat of hurricanes and tropical storms.

Over 1 million Louisiana citizens live in coastal areas south of I-10 and I-12. When tropical storms threaten, phased evacuations of these coastal parishes take place either voluntarily or at the Governor’s declaration.

Several parishes located along US 90 and northward (including Assumption, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Martin, St. Mary and Terrebonne) could use existing routes LA 70 and LA 3127 to drive north and seek shelter. Both of these routes and other minor collectors serving rural areas flow to LA 1 in order to reach I-10 or to access several of the bridges crossing the Mississippi River. This evacuation scenario puts significant pressure on Louisiana freeways and arterials in order to make evacuation lengths and times as brief as possible. Additional outlets heading north (and south during return after the disaster has passed) would increase the efficiency of a general evacuation of coastal Louisiana.