Roadwork update: Audubon, Black Pearl, East Carrollton, Broadmoor, Central City, East Riverside, Fontainebleau, Hollygrove, Octavia

The Mayor’s Office announced in its monthly roadwork newsletter that an unprecedented amount of infrastructure work — altogether more than $550 million in roadway and other projects — is currently underway in New Orleans.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell also said more more projects are in the works. She noted that $350 million in bonds approved for a tax-exempt sale will lead to multiple projects out for advertisement in the coming months. These projects include improving public spaces, adding stormwater storage and fixing streets.

Additionally, about $100 million in joint infrastructure roadway projects, $10 million in capital building projects, and $100 million in green infrastructure projects will go out for bid in the next few months.

“This rapid progress has absolutely come with challenges and hardship for some of our residents,” Cantrell stated. “But we all have a shared goal – which is to safely upgrade our infrastructure, make us even more resilient, and to improve the overall quality of life. So, I ask for your continued patience as we work together through an extraordinary time in our city.”

The monthly Roadwork NOLA newsletter highlighted the continuing sewer line replacement work on Versailles Boulevard and Sycamore Street in the Marlyville Fontainebleau Group C project and the waterline work in the Central City Group A project as examples of success.

The following projects are currently underway in Uptown neighborhoods.

Audubon Group A

Boh Bros Construction crews are currently performing underground utility work and roadway restoration on State Street as part of the $7.3 million  Audubon Group A  infrastructure improvement project.

Crews will continue coordinating waterline tie-ins with the Sewerage & Water Board this month. Work in this area is expected to be complete this spring and the overall project in summer 2021.

This project was designed by All South Consulting Engineers. View the public pre-construction community meeting presentation here.

Black Pearl/East Carrollton Group A

The $11.9 million Black Pearl/East Carrollton Group A project, which began construction in August 2020, continues to make progress. Contractor Hard Rock Construction has completed portions of the roadway on Hickory and Plum streets, and sewer line work continues on Burdette and Adams streets.

In the coming months, work will also include Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramps and concrete work. The project is expected to be completed in spring 2022, weather permitting.

There have been a large number of lead service line replacements on this project between the water main and residential or business meters. If residents receive a notification that a lead service line is being replaced, the following steps should be completed:

• Run cold water at a high flow at all of your faucets for at least 5 minutes each, one at a time, starting with the faucet closest to your water meter, to remove any lead particles that may have gotten into your plumbing when we were working on your service line.
• After flushing your faucets, clean your faucet aerators. Lead particles can be trapped in aerators. Simply unscrew the aerator from the tip of the faucet, wash and replace it. The city recommends continued flushing for at least a month before using the water for drinking and cooking after the repair has been completed.
• Consider having a licensed master plumber inspect the service line from the meter to your home. If it is a lead line, the city recommends replacement.
• Customers may also call the S&WB’s Water Quality Laboratory at 504-865-0420 to request to have your water tested for lead.
• Consider obtaining NSF-certified filters that are rated to remove lead.

Click here to view a map of the project, which was designed by All South Consulting Engineers. The city hosted a virtual community meeting via WebEx in July 2020 to discuss anticipated impacts. View a copy of the presentation here.

Black Pearl Group B

The $5.1 million Black Pearl Group B project began construction in December 2020. Contractor Infinity Construction is replacing sewer lines in the 7600 and 7800 blocks of Dominican, which will  continue for the next three months. Sewer line replacements also continue on the 400 block of Short Street.

Click here to view a map of the project, which was designed by Jacobs Engineering Group.

The city hosted a virtual meeting via WebEx in November 2020 to discuss anticipated impacts to the community. View a copy of the presentation here.

Broadmoor Group A

Hard Rock Construction crews have begun waterline work on the $13.6 million Broadmoor Group A project. Crews continued waterline test closures as well as full water line tie-ins, and also began working on roadway and sidewalk restoration.

Residents are asked to continue to be mindful of “No Parking” signs installed prior to roadwork. Vehicles are eligible for towing if not moved within 24 hours of signs being placed.

This project was designed by Digital Engineering and Imaging and is expected to be completed in spring 2022, weather permitting.

The city a virtual meeting via WebEx in November 2020 to discuss anticipated impacts to the community. View a copy of the presentation here.

Central City Group A

Waterline work continues under close collaboration with Sewerage & Water Board in the Central City Group A project. Barriere Construction crews are working weekends to remain on schedule and address curbing and repaving efforts.

In March, crews continued waterline and sewer line work in addition to sidewalk and driveway apron restoration. The project is scheduled to be completed in fall 2021, weather permitting.

This $9.1 million full-depth reconstruction project was designed by C.H. Fenstermaker and Associates. The city hosted a virtual meeting in August 2020 to discuss anticipated impacts to the community. View a copy of the presentation here.

 East Riverside/Garden District/Irish Channel/St. Thomas

In March, Drennan Construction installed asphalt in the 2400 and 2500 blocks of Mistletoe Street and started the repaving process in the 1900 block of Dublin Street.

Crews also began pouring new concrete sidewalks and driveway aprons throughout the project footprint. Roadway excavation began in the 8900 blocks of Apple and Nelson and was followed with installation of the binder layer of asphalt. The binder is one of the final layers of pavement restoration and residents are able to drive on it.

The $15 million infrastructure improvement project is scheduled to be complete in the second quarter of 2021.

Waggoner Engineering is the project designer. The project is funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The presentation from the public meeting about the project is available here.

Hollygrove/Leonidas Group A

In March, Drennan Construction installed asphalt in the 2400 and 2500 blocks of Mistletoe Street and started the repaving process in the 1900 block of Dublin Street. Crews also began pouring new concrete sidewalks and driveway aprons throughout the project footprint.

Roadway excavation began in the 8900 blocks of Apple and Nelson streets and was followed with installation of the binder layer of asphalt. The binder is one of the final layers of pavement restoration, and residents are able to drive on it.

The scope of work for the $15 million infrastructure improvement project may include: replacing/repairing damaged underground water, sewer and drainage lines; repairing damaged curbs and gutters; patching the roadway with asphalt; replacing damaged sidewalks and driveway aprons; and installing Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramps at intersections. It is scheduled to be complete in the second quarter of 2021.

Waggoner Engineering is the project designer. The project is funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The presentation from the March 26, 2020, public meeting about the project is available here.

Marlyville/Fontainebleau Group C

Wallace C. Drennan Inc. crews are continuing sewer line replacement work on Versailles Boulevard and Sycamore Street as part of the Marlyville/Fontainebleau Group C project. The new sewer line systems are replacing pipes that are more than 70 years old.

Crews will return to blocks that have temporary street aggregate installed to perform roadway restoration in the second or third quarter of 2021.

If residents notice catch basins obstructed with construction materials, please contact Roadwork NOLA at 504-658-ROAD (7623).

This $10.5 million project was designed by Schenk, Endom & Flanagan.

The project began in October 2020 and is expected to be completed in winter 2022, weather permitting. Information about this project was made available at a public pre-construction meeting on Sept. 10, 2020. The presentation can be found here.

Octavia Street (Freret-Claiborne) 

The $5.1 million Octavia Street (Freret-Claiborne) project is set to begin construction. This project was designed by Richard C. Lambert Consultants and will be constructed by Command Construction Industries. Click here to view a map of the project scope.

The project is expected to be completed in winter 2021, weather permitting. See here for information on the project.

For more information about these projects and other upcoming work, please visit roadwork.nola.gov or call 504-658-ROAD (7623).