PRAIRIEVILLE - For the first time since flood water swamped the area around the Spanish Lake Basin, traffic returned to Bluff Road Thursday.

Though, it's not an easy drive since water still covers on lane of Bluff Road. Drivers will share the southbound lane and travel be regulated by a temporary traffic light. DOTD set up markers, cones and the light rigs earlier Thursday.

"It's been pretty slow," driver Chad Nehercutt said about his commute. Nehercutt lives near Bluff Road but has had to use other streets to get around.

The situation is strange, and State Police remind drivers to be cautious as they navigate through the area.

"This will allow us to open the roadway to traffic, we ask everyone to obey these traffic lights," State Police spokesperson Bryan Lee said.

Streets in Ascension Parish are congested. Highways are filled with debris trucks, construction crews and commuters. Complicating the situation is strange school zones as kids share campuses because usual school buildings were flooded in August.

"You've got to leave before seven and don't come home for lunch," Nehercutt joked.

With the partial opening of Bluff Road, there are no major highway closures left in Ascension Parish. In Livingston, both Florida Boulevard and Highway 1027 are closed over West Colyell Creek due to bridge damage from the flood.

WBRZ's traffic reporter Ashley Fruge contributed to this report; watch Ashley's live traffic reports everyone morning on WBRZ's morning news program, 2une-In from 5 a.m. - 7 a.m.

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