NEW ORLEANS — Mayor LaToya Cantrell today was joined by District E Councilmember Oliver Thomas, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Infrastructure Joseph Threat and Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO) Interim General Superintendent Ron Spooner for a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of a 17-block, $7.4 million roadwork project in the Lower Ninth Ward. This project was funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and is a part of the City’s Joint Infrastructure Recovery Response (JIRR) program in partnership with SWBNO.
“The issues affecting the Lower Ninth Ward community are the same issues that have been a cornerstone of my administration, including investing in infrastructure and improving the quality of life for all our residents,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “I am excited to stand with everyone here today to highlight the completion of another roadway rehabilitation project in District E that our residents have been waiting for. This is yet another project making our city more sustainable and resilient as we continue to get the job done across New Orleans.”
The scope of work includes replacing damaged underground water, sewer and drainage lines, repaving the roadway, replacing damaged sidewalks and driveway aprons and installing American with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant curb ramps at intersections.
“I am happy to be a part of this journey,” said Councilmember Oliver Thomas. “As the Chair of the City Council Public Works Committee, I have witnessed firsthand what some of the challenges are. I want to thank our Mayor, Mr. Joe Threat, and Mr. Ron Spooner for their great efforts on the project on behalf of my family and everyone else that owns property and lives in this neighborhood. We have received many complaints about roadwork issues, so this is a great day for our community. Let’s replicate this throughout our great city.”
“Projects like this require complex, daily coordination with SWBNO, engineers and project managers and is a testament of how we’re moving the city forward,” said Deputy CAO for Infrastructure Joseph Threat. “We’ve got a lot of work to do. However, we appreciate the residents patience as our priority remains getting the work done because every resident matters.”
Today’s ribbon cutting ceremony is a testament to the Cantrell Administration’s priority to improve the City’s aging infrastructure. Within the next year, construction is scheduled to begin on more than $1 billion in additional JIRR projects. Currently, there are 55 roadway projects under construction spanning 2,800 city blocks, valued at $615 million.
“It is an honor today to celebrate this milestone with our community and our partners – and it’s always an honor to be standing with Mayor Cantrell to cut the ribbon on this project in one of New Orleans’ most significant neighborhoods, the Lower Ninth Ward,” said SWBNO Interim General Superintendent Ron Spooner. “This project represents a $2.3 million total construction commitment from SWBNO and is yet another example of the progress that can be made when we all work together.”
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