Louisiana transportation officials are warning drivers to watch for sudden pavement failures as high temperatures continue through next week. This warning comes after extreme heat buckled a section of Interstate 49 in Shreveport on Tuesday.
Pavement Buckling Explained
According to the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), roadway buckling typically appears as sudden pavement heaves, major cracks, and lifted concrete slabs. The DOTD stated that periods of extreme heat can cause concrete pavement to expand, resulting in buckling at the roadway joints that can occur quickly and without warning.
A section of Interstate 49 was closed for part of Tuesday due to the buckling, but standby crews were able to make repairs and get it reopened the same day. All southbound lanes of I-49 just north of the Martin Luther King Drive interchange in Shreveport were affected by the closure, with traffic detoured off the interstate at North Market Street.
Repairs and Precautions
A westbound I-20 on-ramp in West Monroe at Thomas Road will be closed on Thursday while crews repair a blow-up there. The closure is expected to last approximately 4 to 6 hours and should be opened back to travel the same day, according to the DOTD.
The potential to buckle is there at any time when roadways experience prolonged heat, so drivers need to be on the lookout, especially during periods of unusually high temperatures. Motorists traveling in the northern portion of the state can contact the Shreveport-Bossier district headquarters to report any incidents.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
