Highlights
- Johnston Street in Lafayette, Interstate 10 near Sorrento, Florida Boulevard in Baton Rouge, and Airline Highway have buckled this summer
- July, August and September see the most incidents, especially when temperatures hit the mid-90s
- Road buckling happens suddenly during hot afternoons with no warning
- Cars can become airborne over these bumps, damaging front bumpers and suspension springs
- Report incidents to LaDOTD at 549-8300 or dial 511
Louisiana Roads Are Buckling Under Summer Heat: What Drivers Need to Know
Louisiana’s summer heat causes roads to buckle and pop, creating dangerous driving conditions across the state
LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL News) – Louisiana drivers face a dangerous summer reality: roads that suddenly buckle upward, creating bumps that can launch vehicles airborne. Extreme heat has caused multiple incidents from Lafayette to Baton Rouge this summer.
“This is something that we see every year, that is just part of aging infrastructure,” said Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development spokesperson Deidra Druilhet in a 2023 interview, and recent high-profile incidents have once again caught drivers’ attention.
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What Road Buckling Means for Drivers
Road buckling happens when concrete pavement expands from intense heat with nowhere to go. Traditional blacktop roads are one continuous asphalt strip that expands easily. But roads like Johnston Street in Lafayette use concrete sections with asphalt on top. These sections connect through expansion joints designed for thermal movement.
The trouble starts when temperatures exceed what the joints can handle. The concrete pushes upward, creating dangerous ridges and bumps.
Louisiana Roads Hit by Buckling This Summer
Several major Louisiana roadways have buckled in recent months:…