Last year and despite unexpected challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic, a massive economic downturn, as well as eight storms that placed New Orleans in the cone of uncertainty, I made the decision to accelerate our infrastructure program. 
 

And now, there is an unprecedented amount of infrastructure work –  altogether more than $550M on our roadways and on our vertical construction projects with much more to come.

For the first time in more than five years, the City has approved nearly $350M in bonds for a tax-exempt sale, which will lead to multiple projects out for advertisement in the coming months. These projects will improve our public spaces, add more stormwater storage and fix more streets. Additionally, we will have about $100M in Joint Infrastructure roadway projects, $10M in capital building projects, and $100M in green infrastructure projects out for bid in the next few months. 
 

This rapid progress has absolutely come with challenges and hardship for some of our residents.  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 RoadworkNOLA success stories highlighted in this newsletter include:
 

• District A:  Wallace C. Drennan, Inc. crews are continuing sewer line replacement work on Versailles Boulevard and Sycamore Street as part of the $10.5M Marlyville - Fontainebleu Group C project. The new and improved sewer line systems are replacing 70+ year-old pipes.
   
• District B:  Waterline work continues under close collaboration with Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans in the $9.1M Central City Group A project. Barriere Construction crews are working weekends to remain on schedule and to address curbing and repaving efforts.

• District C:  The $5.7M Bywater-Marigny Group A project is now underway. This project was designed by Gaea Consultants, LLC and is being constructed by Roubion Roads & Streets, LLC.
   
• District D:  The $1.5M St. Claude Drainage Improvement Project project has been declared substantially complete as the contractor, Infinity Construction, finished up the project punch list this month. The project began in October 2019 and was designed by Waggoner Engineering.
   
• District E: We recently celebrated the completion of the Read East Group B, Group C, and Group D projects.  When combined, these projects represent $13M worth of infrastructure investments as part of the Department of Public Works and the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans' Joint Infrastructure Program.

Sincerely,

LaToya Cantrell