Alabama Gov. Bob Riley joined state workers from the Alabama Department of Transportation, the Alabama Department of Public Safety, the Alabama Emergency Management Agency and the Alabama National Guard as they began a two-day training exercise in preparation for the upcoming hurricane season.
On May 13, the officials reviewed the state’s plan to make all lanes of traffic on Interstate 65 flow north in order to help speed evacuation from the state’s coast. A mock reversal of traffic on I-65 from Mobile to Montgomery is scheduled for May 14.
“From the time the decision is made to reverse traffic, we have about 36 hours to get people evacuated,” Riley said. “We don’t get second chances. People’s lives depend on your decisions.”
The Alabama agencies have practiced reverse-laning I-65 since 2000, but the procedure was implemented only twice: in 2004 for Hurricane Ivan and again in 2005 for Hurricane Dennis.
Alabama Department of Transportation Director Joe McInnes said the practice sessions have made an impact.
“We have not had any fatalities due to traffic reversal during any of our hurricane events. That’s due to the time and effort all of these employees put into training exercises like these.”
Source: Office of the Governor of Alabama
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