Construction Update: French Quarter Infrastructure Improvement Project

The City of New Orleans, Department of Public Works’ construction contractor, Hard Rock Construction, LLC is approximately 95 percent complete with Phase I of the French Quarter Infrastructure Improvement Project (FQIIP) on Bourbon Street.  Due to the New Year’s holiday and to ensure public safety with hotels at full occupancy in the French Quarter, the City will temporarily suspend construction activities beginning midday on Saturday, Dec. 30 until Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018 at 6 a.m.

Status of Phase I Construction

Reconstruction of the 100 – 300 blocks of Bourbon St. will be completed by Friday, Dec. 29; however, sidewalk restoration, minor pipe work and bollard installation will be suspended in the 400 block until crews return on January 3. Temporary asphalt access ramps will be installed tomorrow (December 29) to ensure that patrons can continue to safely access businesses in the 400 block of Bourbon St. until this work is completed.

Phase I is now scheduled to be completed in mid-January 2018. The City will be doing outreach to businesses along this corridor with a more specific schedule.

Phase II Exploratory Work

In order to help minimize construction impacts and accelerate construction of Phase II, Bourbon Street from St. Louis to St. Ann Streets, the City will conduct exploratory trenching throughout January 2018 to identify the exact locations and size of existing utilities which were either missing or inaccurately depicted on available Bourbon Street construction drawings. Additional crews will begin exploratory work on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018 at 6 a.m.

The 500-800 blocks will not be fenced off during exploratory trenching and there will be continuous access to all businesses and residences.  Any open trenches will be surrounded by orange safety fencing/cones and the excavations will be filled with temporary asphalt when the work is completed.  Other impacts include intermittent road and sidewalk closures, construction equipment, limited parking availability, elevated noise levels and dust.

Exploratory Trenching: 

• Several (2-3) large exploratory excavations from property line to property line per block – includes removal, replacement of brick sidewalks, curbs, pavement, etc.;
• Several small exploratory sewer house connections excavations per block; and
• One exploratory excavation per intersection.

Anticipated Schedule:

January 3 – January 16: 500, 600 Blocks

January 16 (or following completion of 500, 600 Blocks) – January 31: 700, 800 Blocks

The multi-million dollar French Quarter Infrastructure Improvement Project calls for removing and replacing existing water and drainage lines, repairing the sewer line, repaving the roadway in concrete, installing new sidewalks when necessary and installing Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant curb ramps at intersections.

A full description of the project scope is available at: http://roadwork.nola.gov/bourbon/

For questions and/or concerns about the project, please contact RoadWorkNOLA at 504-658-ROAD (7623) or send e-mail to roadwork@nola.gov.