NEW ORLEANS — Mayor LaToya Cantrell today was joined by Deputy Chief Administrative Office for Infrastructure Chief of Staff Sarah McLaughlin Porteous and Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO) Deputy General Superintendent of Engineering and Services Stephen Nelson to celebrate the completion of a $8.3 million, 37-block roadwork project in Lakeview. Today’s ribbon cutting ceremony is a testament to the Cantrell Administration’s continued commitment to improving the City’s aging infrastructure.
“Today, we are cutting a ribbon on one of our largest roadwork construction job that includes 37 blocks of infrastructure improvements,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “We will soon begin onboarding several new construction projects that are not in overly burdensome areas of the city, but we must keep the work going. We remain on the front lines of climate change and will continue focusing on much-needed infrastructure improvements and on how we can be more resilient and sustainable in our efforts.”
The scope of work includes repaving the asphalt roadway, repairing damaged sidewalks and driveway aprons, installing Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant curb ramps at intersections and replacing and repairing damaged underground water, sewer and drainage lines.
“About 2,600 of the City’s total 20,000 blocks are currently under construction, which represents a lot of upgrades that are underway, and there is a lot of progress on the horizon,” said Porteous. “In District A alone, we’ve completed 42 projects valued at $157 million, 25 projects are under construction valued at $339 million, and there are 10 projects valued at $71 million currently in the bid and award phase. We know that this amount of work is not easy for residents to navigate. But when we reach a milestone like this one, it becomes clearer that the long-term quality of life improvements outweigh the inconveniences that happen during the construction.”
These projects were funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and are part of the City’s Joint Infrastructure Recovery Response Program (JIRR) in partnership with the SWBNO. The Lakeview North Group C project represents an over $2 million investment by SWBNO and included 29 blocks of water line work.
“Today, we stand with our neighbors in Lakeview celebrating 29 blocks of new water main and infrastructure, which replaced some water mains that dated back to 1912,” said Nelson. “We are proud to work with our partners at the City of New Orleans to emphasize a culture of replacement when it comes to our aging infrastructure to fulfill our commitment to infrastructure resilience and reliability.”
Since May 2018, the Department of Public Works (DPW) has completed 158 projects at an estimated value of $581 million. Currently, DPW is continuing citywide construction on 51 roadwork projects at an estimated value of $583 million.
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