BATON ROUGE - Traffic officials say heavy interstate delays and closures can be expected up until 6 p.m. Thursday due to an afternoon memorial for fallen officers.

I-12 West at Essen is now open after it was closed to traffic at the I-10/I-12 split following the memorial. DOTD advises that drivers use US 61 and US 190 (Florida Boulevard) as an alternate route.

The first major closure of the afternoon came just before 1:30 p.m. when LA DOTD closed I-10 East at the Port Allen exit. Traffic was backed up to the 10/12 split by the time officials reopened the roadway less than an hour later.

LA DOTD says intermittent closures and heavy delays on I-10, I-110 and I-12 can be expected Thursday from around noon to 6 p.m. Very heavy delays can be expected with the 1:30 interstate closure. Motorists are encouraged to use US-190 East as an alternate route.

The traffic problem is further compounded by security escorts for VP Joe Biden and AG Loretta Lynch as they head to the memorial on Highland Road.

Memorial services will be held on Thursday at Healing Place Church on Highland Road to honor the lives and service of officers Matthew Gerald, Montrell Jackson and deputy Brad Garafola who were gunned down on July 17. Doors opened to the public at 11:30 a.m. and the service began around 2:30 p.m.

Massive traffic backups happened last week when funeral processions for the slain officers combined with bouts of inclement weather to create interstate havoc. Many News 2 viewers reported experiencing delays well after the period originally anticipated by traffic officials.