Dr. Brian Wolshon: Hurricane mass evacuation routes
SciLine interviews experts and then makes the video and other resources rapidly available for TV newsrooms to use on air.
What is Experts on Camera?
Before a hurricane hits, often millions of people need to evacuate, but roads can quickly become a dangerous gridlock. On June 23, 2026, SciLine interviewed Dr. Brian Wolshon, a distinguished professor of engineering at Louisiana State University.
TV bundle includes:
- Soundbite (SOT)
- VOSOT script (can be used as-is or modified)
- Downloadable graphic
- Raw, full-length interview video & log with timecodes (upon request via form below)
These resources are free to use. No attribution to SciLine is required.
Soundbite (SOT) and pronouncer
Downloadable video of the soundbite
High definition (mp4, 1280x720)
- Click for VOSOT script (can be used as-is or modified)
-
ANCHOR
AS COMMUNITIES ALONG THE COAST PREPARE FOR HURRICANE SEASON… EMERGENCY OFFICIALS ARE REVIEWING EVACUATION PLANS AND TRAFFIC STRATEGIES THAT COULD HELP SAVE LIVES.VO
(GFX: CONTRAFLOW MAP)
ONE OF THOSE STRATEGIES IS CONTRAFLOW… WHICH TEMPORARILY REVERSES INBOUND HIGHWAY LANES SO MORE PEOPLE CAN EVACUATE AT THE SAME TIME.
DOCTOR BRIAN WOLSHON… A CIVIL ENGINEERING PROFESSOR AT LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY WHO STUDIES MASS EVACUATIONS… SAYS CONTRAFLOW IS NOT PERFECT… BUT IT CAN BE VERY EFFECTIVE… NEARLY DOUBLING THE NUMBER OF CARS MOVING OUT OF A CITY DURING AN EMERGENCY… BUT *ONLY IF PLANNING HAPPENS LONG BEFORE A HURRICANE HITS.
HE SAYS IN SOME STATES… CREWS HAVE TO SET UP CLOSURES AND BARRICADES ACROSS MORE THAN 100-MILES OF ROADWAY… REQUIRING SIGNIFICANT COORDINATION… MANPOWER… AND RESOURCES.SOT
Duration: :38
Super: Dr. Brian Wolshon – Professor, Louisiana State University
“What I think fundamentally though is that if there is a life-and-death situation and you have lanes that are open and available for traffic, people will and have on their own used it. People will take action. So what I always say is even if it’s not used, even if you don’t like it, at least have a plan because sooner or later, it’s almost inevitable, sooner or later, it’s going to be needed. It’s going to be needed, whether you’re prepared for it or not.”VO
AND IT’S NOT JUST HURRICANES.
WOLSHON SAYS CONTRAFLOW CAN HELP WITH EVACUATIONS DURING WILDFIRES… FLOODS… TRAIN DERAILMENTS… AND OTHER EMERGENCIES.
SOME STATES WITH CONTRAFLOW PLANS INCLUDE LOUISIANA… TEXAS… AND GEORGIA.
Graphic: Contraflow
Download a graphic showing an example of contraflow for newscasts and web stories.
.ZIP file contains high-res graphic in multiple formats.
Raw, full-length interview covers:
- How evacuation timing and decision-making affect traffic congestion ahead of hurricanes;
- What research shows about contraflow, a method of evacuation where highway lanes are reversed in order to move more people out at once;
- How real-time data and computer modeling improve evacuation planning and reduce traffic bottlenecks;
- How lessons from past storms are helping improve evacuations today; and
- Steps people and communities can take to better prepare for evacuations.
