Mayor-President Urges Lafayette Residents To Stay Off Roads Overnight

LAFAYETTE, La. — Lafayette Parish officials are urging residents to stay off the roads from Sunday night through Monday afternoon due to a high risk of dangerous black ice forming across the area.

In a video message shared Sunday, Monique Blanco Boulet warned that freezing temperatures combined with lingering moisture on roadways could create hazardous driving conditions that may not be visible to motorists.

Boulet explained that rainfall earlier in the day did not fully dry due to persistent cloud cover, preventing the sun from warming road surfaces. As temperatures drop below freezing overnight and into the early morning hours, that moisture is expected to freeze, creating black ice.

Why Black Ice Is Especially Dangerous

Black ice is often invisible to drivers and can form quickly, particularly on bridges, overpasses, shaded areas, and less-traveled roads. Officials say even experienced drivers may not realize they are on ice until it is too late.

Lafayette Consolidated Government strongly recommends avoiding all non-essential travel during this period.

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City And Parish Preparations

Lafayette Consolidated Government crews are actively preparing for the hazardous conditions by pre-treating overpasses and key areas near hospitals and public safety facilities.

All City-Parish buildings will be closed Monday, January 26, due to the expected conditions. Lafayette Transit System services will also be suspended for the day. Acadiana Waste Services plans to operate on a regular schedule unless conditions worsen.

Safety Reminders For Residents

Officials are encouraging residents to take several precautions, including insulating exposed pipes, protecting outdoor faucets, bringing pets indoors, and checking on elderly neighbors or family members who may need assistance.

Residents are also asked not to drip faucets, as conserving water helps maintain system stability during extreme cold.

LCG officials say updates will continue to be shared through official channels and encourage residents to sign up for LafayetteNOW alerts for real-time notifications.

Authorities stress that staying home is the safest option until conditions improve.