Groundbreaking Held For Bayou St. John, Fairgrounds, 7th Ward Group B Roadwork Project

New Orleans LA

23 January, 2021

4:30 PM

Description

From the City of New Orleans: January 21, 2021 Mayor LaToya Cantrell today joined other officials and community leaders to break ground on the $23 million Bayou St. John, Fairgrounds, 7th Ward Group B roadwork project – the Administration's largest awarded Joint Infrastructure Recovery Response (JIRR) program in terms of cost. [WATCH: Group B groundbreaking] "This roadwork project is one of the most expansive infrastructure projects under our JIRR Program that coordinates efforts of DPW and the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans. This $23 million FEMA-funded project includes work in three City Council districts – A, C and D – and will improve at least 122 blocks in the Bayou St. John, Fairgrounds and 7th Ward neighborhoods by spring 2022. It's a shining example of how we are moving this City forward when it comes to fixing our aging infrastructure despite the pandemic, safely and securely," said Mayor Cantrell. "We have an unprecedented amount of work going on across the city with 76 roadwork projects under construction valued at nearly $479 million. Here in the Bayou St. John, Fairgrounds and 7th Ward neighborhoods, this is the first of projects where a total of $47 million will be invested through the Joint Infrastructure program alone," said Ramsey Green, Deputy CAO for Infrastructure. "We're happy to support our state and local partners and be a part of such a large infrastructure project that will revitalize neighborhoods with new roads, enhanced drainage lines and updated sidewalks and curb ramps that meet the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicle commuters," said Eddie Williams, Public Assistance Infrastructure Director for the FEMA Louisiana Integration and Recovery Office. "This is just one of three major roads projects that will meet the growing needs of citizens." "This groundbreaking is a testament to our collective commitment to continue investing in the infrastructure throughout our great city," said Ghassan Korban, Executive Director, Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans. "I want to thank Mayor Cantrell and our partners at DPW for their leadership in pushing these critical projects forward." "There is ongoing street work across District A. The drainage improvements slated for Bayou St. John and the Fairgrounds offer hope for less flooding – thus less damage – in any future rain event. It's good to see so many improvements happening at once across our District," said Joe Giarrusso, City Councilmember, District A. "This massive infrastructure improvement project spanning 122 streets in three Council districts is an incredible milestone for our city and shows that this administration is putting our federal dollars to work. I'm thrilled that we remained focused on improving our aging infrastructure through the COVID-19 pandemic to keep our city moving forward. These investments will increase our residents' quality of life and open the door for future opportunities in New Orleans," Kristin Gisleson Palmer, City Councilmember, District C. "This project marks a substantial infrastructure investment into the Seventh Ward. More than half of the project budget is devoted to Sewerage and Water Board work. This includes replacements to aging water and sewer lines in over 40 locations within District D. Additionally, 29 streets in District D will receive patch mill overlays including both sides of AP Tureaud," said Jared C. Brossett, City Councilmember, District D. Of the $23 million project, $10 million will come from the Department of Public Works (DPW) and $13 million from the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO). Construction on this patch mill/overlay and incidental road repairs project is designed to repave the roadway from curb-to-curb; patch roadways with asphalt or concrete; replace damaged underground water, sewer and drainage lines; replace damaged sidewalks and driveway aprons; and install Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant curb ramps at intersections. The project team features contractors Urban Systems Associates, Inc. (Designer and Construction Manager) and Barriere Construction Co. LLC. Mayor Cantrell was also joined by Morgan Clevenger of the Fairgrounds Triangle Neighborhood Association. The project is indicative of the kinds of infrastructure opportunities for local businesses in 2021. On Monday, the MLK Holiday, Mayor Cantrell announced a restructuring of the procurement process to improve supplier diversity when it comes to awarding and tracking City contracts to local businesses. The restructuring includes moving the Office of Supplier Diversity under the Finance Department, led by Chief Financial Officer Norman White. This allows Supplier Diversity and Procurement, also under Finance, to have earlier involvement in the procurement process. On Tuesday, the City hosted Infrastructure Industry Day, a quarterly update on contracting opportunities for our local businesses. The City welcomed more than 140 participants on a teleconference call, which explained a range of infrastructure projects. This press release was produced by the City of New Orleans. The views expressed are the author's own.