Tagged: transportation

South Florida airports were returning to normal operations Monday morning but airlines are already warning of cancelations in and around New Orleans as Tropical Storm Isaac nears.

Airlines canceled more than 230 flights on Monday, according to flight-tracking service FlightAware. The vast majority of cancelations stemmed from the storm, which is expected to grow to a Category 1 hurricane and hit land late Tuesday night.

Amtrak is canceling two days of train service in Louisiana because of Tropical Storm Isaac, which is expected to become a hurricane before hitting the northern Gulf Coast on Wednesday.

The rail service says that on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Crescent's route will end in Atlanta and the Sunset Limited's in San Antonio, Texas. The action is because of the possibility of torrential rains, floods and damaging winds. There won't be alternate transportation on the routes.

Ticket holders can get a refund or a voucher for future travel.

LA Swift, the state-run commuter bus service between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, will reach its millionth ride this month.

That's according to the state Department of Transportation and Development.

The bus service began in October 2005 to help people displaced by Hurricane Katrina get to and from New Orleans to work on their homes and look for jobs. But officials say it's expanded into a regular means of transportation for some commuters.

On average, more than 10,000 riders use the bus service each month, according to DOTD.

The Baton Rouge Metro Airport's budget is projected to increase by nearly 5 percent in 2013 to $13.1 million. That's according to a proposal presented to the Airport Commission's finance committee.

Cary Morgan, the airport's business manager, says the increase from an expected $12.5 million expenditure in 2012 will be funded primarily through non-airline revenue, which is expected to jump $400,000 to $9 million.

Non-airline revenue comes from parking, concessions, rental car companies, leases of airport property and other sources.

The chief financial officer of the Department of Transportation and Development says a troubled toll bridge in coastal south Louisiana has increased its collections by adding a payment lane on site.

But DOTD Undersecretary Michael Bridges acknowledged the change last month also has encountered problems, including equipment failure, long lines and driver confusion.

The comments came Wednesday at a state transportation panel hearing about the bridge on La. Highway 1 in Leeville, which is just west of Grand Isle.