Louisiana, Going to Gulf Shores? Don’t Take This Road if it Rains

Students at LSU in Baton Rouge have had their spring break. So have the students at the University of Louisiana in Lafayette and those seeking a higher education in Lake Charles at McNeese State. So, now it's time to turn our focus from "spring break" at the beach to "summer vacation" at the beaches of Lower Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.

And, for a lot of Louisiana families that means a quick frustrating anxiety-inducing trip through the tunnel in Mobile, Alabama, and the traffic associated with the other I-10 bottleneck you passed earlier crossing the Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge. 

While there's not much you can do about the bottleneck that is the I-10 bridge in Baton Rouge you do have options when it comes to avoiding the tunnel in Mobile, Alabama. Here are the "drive around" directions you can use if you find traffic stacking up in front of you as you near the city.

Take the Tunnel if It's Raining Hard in Mobile

A common occurrence in the Gulf South during the spring and summer months is the afternoon thunderstorm. Some of those can really dump a lot of water in a short time in a small place. When that happens in and around Mobile while you're on your way to the beach you're going to want to take the tunnel.

I know it seems counter-intuitive to down to avoid a flood but the tunnel drains well. Meanwhile, Mobile's "other way across Mobile Bay" is not a good choice if it's raining hard. We've got pictures to prove it. This is how the Spanish Fort Causeway looked during the most recent storms that passed over the area.

Looks like the same guy who designed Ambassador Caffery Parkway in Lafayette, Louisiana had a hand in designing this "slippery when wet" roadway as well. Okay, to be fair that flooding was the result of a torrential downpour. But to also be real, we get those kinds of rainstorms on the coast all the time. So, if you do plan on traveling to the beach, make sure you check out our Rip Current Beach Report before you go.

And if you notice storm clouds forming as you approach Mobile, Alabama just remember the tunnel and the Jubilee Parkway (I-10) are a better and safer bet. And despite the frustration of heavier traffic, at least you won't be washed away into Mobile Bay.