Year in Review: Investing in Infrastructure
01/02/2024
 By City of New Orleans
A Message from Mayor LaToya Cantrell
“Six years ago, and less than ten days on the job, I was rescued from my home in a high-water vehicle because five and a half inches of rain had fallen in two and a half hours. I tell this story and reflect on our ‘fair share’ movement often as these were defining moments for my tenure as mayor, rooted in addressing crises.
 “The City of New Orleans remains on the front lines of climate change, and we are leading the way in addressing this continuously increasing challenge. We are investing in restoring our damaged streets, upgrading our drainage, sewer and stormwater management systems, and implementing our $150 million FEMA-funded Hazard Mitigation Program. The Department of Public Works (DPW) has partnered with the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO) to complete the $2 billion FEMA-funded Joint Infrastructure Recovery Response Program. So far, we’ve invested $750 million and currently have forty-nine roadwork projects under construction valued at $692 million, which has prompted a deadline extension by FEMA from 2024 to 2026. “While the city has proactively been working to alleviate flooding, we must also learn to live with water. We continue to prioritize innovative projects like the $31 million Mirabeau Water Garden and $5.3 million Oak Park mitigation work to improve subsurface drainage systems and repurpose streets and walkways. These efforts will help reduce flooding for hundreds of households. The SWBNO Power Complex is another long-term solution that is actively under construction and will provide the power needed to increase pumping capacity during extreme weather events.
“The city also prioritized improving recreational facilities, parks and playgrounds, and public buildings, which are critical for our people. Bringing community centers, swimming pools, and stadiums back online is an investment in our family spaces and will enhance the quality of life in neighborhoods across the city.
“We understand this work is disruptive and challenging for residents, but it is necessary. The combination of stormwater infrastructure, street and drainage upgrades, and recreational amenities will help us thrive as a city. The City of New Orleans remains laser focused on addressing these challenges and our investments will yield results. We are doing the work!"
Sincerely,
Mayor LaToya Cantrell
City of New Orleans
The Department of Public Works DPW, in partnership with SWBNO, is restoring our damaged infrastructure using $2.3 billion in local and federal funds, including $2 billion from FEMA’s Joint Infrastructure Recovery Response (JIRR) Program. The scale of this work is the most comprehensive that our region has seen in a generation.
DPW continues to address the 3-1-1 backlog and is conducting French Quarter lighting surveys. The department also addressed lighting poles, retrieving 277 that were knocked down and resetting 827. There are DOTD LED streetlight upgrades underway on I-610 between Elysian Fields Avenue and the I-10 Interchange and an ongoing investigation regarding the Bullard Avenue to I- 510 lighting.
The city welcomed Clinton "Rick" Hathaway as the new DPW director, who was the second executive leadership team member to be confirmed by the New Orleans City Council. Shannon A. Oldfield-Blanks was appointed as the deputy director.
The Capital Projects Administration The Capital Projects Administration (CPA) completed 18 projects at public facilities valued at $40 million.
Completed projects include:
The administration has 16 projects currently under construction valued at $185 million and recently kicked off projects on the following facilities:
Continuing its focus on bringing public buildings back online, the administration issued a Notice to Proceed for FEMA-funded redevelopment plans at the historic Municipal Auditorium valued at $38 million.
The Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans SWBNO is working to restore the city's aging infrastructure in partnership with DPW through the JIRR Program. The following infrastructure projects have been implemented this year utilizing federal and state dollars:
As part of its Smart Metering Program, SWBNO is replacing approximately 140,000 meters, which is anticipated to take up to three years. This modern solution will meet customers’ needs and address some of the utility’s biggest challenges, including its billing practices. SWBNO also launched a new pumping and power dashboard and implemented expanded communication protocols to respond to extreme weather events. The board recently appointed Steve Nelson as its new General Superintendent.
Moving into 2024, the board plans to tackle major initiatives, such as the Lead and Copper Rule Improvement requirements, with a focus on leveraging state and federal funds to address critical infrastructure needs and enhance the utility’s performance.
The Office of Resilience and Sustainability The Office of Resilience and Sustainability (ORS) and the city's Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Taskforce, managed by ORS, have supported or partnered on several awarded grants, securing millions of dollars on climate and infrastructure projects, including the following:
The city has secured $24.6 million in funding for Lincoln Beach, began design work for Phase I redevelopment and signed a contract with Sasaki Associates, Inc.
ORS has initiated a residential recycling outreach and education campaign in collaboration with Sanitation and The Recycling Partnership and, in partnership with NOHSEP and New Orleans & Co., piloted Recycle Dat!, recycling 1,475 pounds of aluminum, 1,500 pounds of glass, and 11,535 pounds of beads and throws. ORS submitted a Fleet Transition Plan to the city council to estimate a timeline and the costs associated with transitioning the city fleet to electric vehicles as part of the Climate Action Plan.
Lagniappe Infrastructure Programming The city announced a new graffiti abatement initiative to tackle the persistent challenge of unsightly graffiti on buildings, properties, and thoroughfares. Since its launch, 37 removals have been completed totaling over 54,000 square feet and another 44 work orders are pending.
DPW and ORS partnered with the New Orleans Regional Planning Commission to determine the feasibility of walk, bike, and transit access safety upgrades along the state highway in New Orleans East. The New Orleans East I-10 Service Roads Safety Study is anticipated to wrap up by the end of the year.
The city also launched the new DPW Maintenance Dashboard to display updates on service requests.
ORS assisted with Mayor Cantrell's attendance at the United Nations’ (UN) Climate Change Conference, also known as COP28, in Dubai. While there, she participated in several panels and discussions pertaining to local and global climate adaption strategies. A full list and recap of her speaking engagements can be found here.
Source:City of New Orleans
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