Attention New Orleans drivers: you'll need to plot a new course if your travels take you through the Central Business District this week. The City of New Orleans has put out a traffic advisory for a portion of Perdido Street, which will be shut down for improvements starting Sunday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. and extending through Thursday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. Specifically, the closure affects the stretch between S. Claiborne Avenue and S. Galvez Street, where crews will be milling and applying a fresh overlay, according to the City of New Orleans announcement.
For those needing to navigate around the closure, alternative routes are available via S. Claiborne Avenue, Gravier Street, S. Galvez Street, and Poydras Street. Detour details are provided in the map accompanying the City of New Orleans press release. To ensure the safety of everyone passing nearby, the city will install signage and traffic control measures, including barrels and fencing, around work area.
This inconvenient interruption comes as a part of the larger Central Business District Right of Way Improvement Project, and Barriere Construction Co., LLC is the contractor at the helm. This project not only covers the closure in question but also includes sidewalk repairs and is slated for completion by January 2025, pending cooperative weather. The City of New Orleans has reminded that construction schedules can vary significantly in response to weather conditions.
The Department of Public Works has been busy since May 2018, completing 219 projects with a whopping estimated value of $1.16 billion. The current portfolio includes 35 roadwork projects under construction, worth an estimated $521 million, making the Perdido Street work just a fraction of the city's extensive overhaul efforts. For updates and more information on the ongoing infrastructure projects, residents can visit the City of New Orleans website.
