Wintry weather forces more closure

UPDATE: At approximately 12:35 p.m., Friday, Jan. 24, Louisiana State Police Troop I has closed all lanes of Interstate 10 Westbound at milepost 78 due to a major traffic accident. It estimates that it will not be open for more than two hours.

UPDATE: Sheriff Wayne Melancon reports Acadia Parish has alread seen in excess of 25 accidents.

Here is a list of all things closed Friday, Jan. 24 in Acadia Parish due to the inclement, wintry weather:

• All schools in Acadia Parish - public and private - are closed.
• The John N. John overpass along U.S. Highway 90/La. Highway 13 in Crowley is closed.
• The Mermentau River Bridge along U.S. Highway 90 in Mermentau is closed.
• All city of Crowley departments, with the exception of the fire and police, are closed per Mayor Greg Jones.
• All state government buildings in Acadia Parish, as well as other parishes, are closed.
• The Jenke Bridge is closed due to icing and downed power lines.
• All bridges are iced.

Further notes: The Atchafalaya Basin Bridge is closed, according to Louisiana State Police Troop I as are all overapsses in the Troop I area. Both local agencies and statewide agencies request that drivers stay off the roads unless they must get on them and if they must, drive slower, with extreme caution and give themselves plenty of time to get to their destination.

Currently, the temperature remains below freezing and is expected to stay so until this afternoon, according to local meteorologists. Meanwhile the wintry mix of precipitation is also set to continue through the day and the precipitation will not clear until late tonight, early Saturday morning. Temperatures will fall below freezing again Friday night.