Heads up, New Orleans residents and visitors: If you're planning to navigate the French Quarter, you might want to pencil in some extra time or find an alternative route. Starting immediately, and lasting till about mid-August, you won't be able to drive through the 700 block of St. Ann Street. The reason? A significant overhaul of the aging infrastructure beneath your wheels and feet is underway.
The city's DPW, pairing with the muscled experience of Boh Bros. Construction Co., is diving into a necessary evil of urban living: roadwork. The area between Bourbon and Royal Streets will be off-limits to cars, as workers hustle to replace underground water, sewer, and drainage pipes, according to a City of New Orleans announcement. But it's not just the gutters they're grooming; they will also be repaving the asphalt, perfecting the sidewalks, and ensuring ADA compliance with new curb ramps at intersections.
For those fretting about the detours and signage maze, rest easy; traffic control measures are set to guide motorists and pedestrians safely around the construction, a necessary accommodation as the ROW Improvements Phase 2 Project pushes through to the end of November, if the weather stays on its best behavior.
Details shared by the city mention that crews will remove the entire roadway to get this done, repave curb-to-curb, repair any broken sidewalks while they're at it, the project is part of the larger DPW773 2024 Right of Way (ROW) Improvements Phase 2 Project aimed at upgrading city infrastructure in a more comprehensive manner.
