Staying and going in New Orleans

It’s hard to know just how seriously New Orleans residents are taking Hurricane Isaac warnings, at least judging by the traffic around the city.

During Hurricane Katrina, many residents stayed put, to their regret.

As Isaac heads for the city, there’s no dash to get out that’s presently underway. Check out the Louisiana Department of Transportation traffic cams.

Interstate 10 just to the north of the city proper is empty…

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Just to the east of downtown — not far from the Lower Ninth Ward — it’s deserted…

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North of the Lake Pontchartrain causeway, nothing much.

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It’s a little busier up the road near Baton Rouge. Highway 61 — yes, that Highway 61 — is fairly busy.

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That’s certainly an entirely different picture from this time yesterday.

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Several of the people who are staying are tourists, the AP reports.

“We thought, maybe it’s not as big as Katrina. And I thought about the kids. I’m a social worker, so I thought, ‘What can I do to help if people need help,'” Meernda Cecsl of Holland said.

You can view all of the cameras here.

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