Gulf Coast Land Transport Recovering Slowly

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early two weeks after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast and inundated the freight network around New Orleans, the region’s transport system started its slow recovery, although several key links remained severed.

“We’re bringing in every resource we can muster to aid in the recovery and help the people of this storm-battered region get back on their feet as quickly as possible,” Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta said in a statement. Mineta said repairs to the region’s key roads would cost at least $1.5 billion.

Two key truck arteries, U.S. 90 and Interstate 10, remained severed at various points in Mississippi and Louisiana. Detours around damaged tracks delayed rail shipments, and seaports operated far below capacity.

State transportation officials in Mississippi said in a statement that U.S. 90 “from Waveland to Ocean Springs is the only state highway closed indefinitely due to damage from the storm surge.” U.S. 90 runs east-west along the Gulf Coast, south of I-10.

For the full story, see the Sept. 12 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.