SORRENTO - It took several hours to clear an overturned tanker truck filled with hazardous chemicals from the roadway on Monday after it flipped onto its side.

Multiple agencies were called to the roundabout on La. 22 at La. 70 near I-10 on Monday afternoon. The State Department of Transportation and Development says there is strong evidence that the driver of the truck was speeding. 

Last August, another big truck rolled over at the same location and the cause of that accident has not been revealed. 

DOTD spokesman Rodney Mallett says the rollover crashes are a result of driver error and not caused by the roundabout's design. 

"We see hundreds of trucks go through here on a daily basis and not crash," Mallett said.

Executive Director of the Ascension Parish Office of Tourism, Tracy Browning, can see the traffic circle every day from her office. She says, while the two 18-wheelers flipping within a nine month span is odd, the roundabout has been beneficial for preventing more serious crashes.

"The roundabout has definitely helped with our traffic flow and definitely with the number of accidents that we used to have before it was put in place," Browning said.

She added that roadwork on La. 70 may be an underlying cause for accidents because the road merges into one lane after the roundabout. 

"They're working on four-laning that highway and I do think some people are trying to hurry through the roundabout to be the first car," Browning said. 

DOTD is monitoring the traffic circle for any additional issues and will add more signage if needed.