City, SWBNO to Begin Major Infrastructure Upgrades on Conti Street Between Bourbon & Chartres Streets

The City of New Orleans, Department of Public Works and Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans today announced that they will begin a $4.3 million full-depth reconstruction (replacement of the roadway and underground utilities) project beginning at 8 a.m. on Monday, March 15, weather permitting. Hard Rock Construction, LLC crews will install fencing around the 700 block of Conti Street roadway between Bourbon and Royal streets and close the block to vehicular traffic. Public safety is our priority; all businesses will remain open and accessible throughout construction.

The scope of work calls for removing and replacing the existing pavement, replacing and upsizing the existing drain lines and catch basins, replacing the existing water lines, repairing and/or replacing the existing sewer lines, replacing the existing low-pressure gas lines with high pressure gas lines, replacing and/or repairing the existing underground electrical duct banks, replacing sidewalks and adding Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant curb ramps at intersections and a mid-block crossing at Exchange Place, as well as bollards the length of the block on the Esplanade side/4th Circuit Supreme Court.

Lessons Learned

The project team has incorporated lessons learned from the Bourbon Phase 2 project into the framework for work on Conti Street.

• Exploratory Trenching: As part of the plan and design process, the contractor completed exploratory trenching to identify the actual locations of the utilities beneath the ground to help prevent schedule delays during construction.
• Storage of Materials: Construction supplies will be stored offsite outside of the French Quarter (expect more traffic from deliveries).
• Contractor Parking: The contractor is only permitted to have 10 vehicles parked in the vicinity of the construction. All other vehicles must be parked outside of the French Quarter.
• Entergy Working in Advance: Additionally, Entergy Gas and Entergy Electric are working in advance of the City’s project to minimize conflicts and associated delays. Both Entergy Gas and Entergy Electric recently completed their utility upgrades in the 700 block and have shifted their crews into the 600 block.

Work Plan and Closures

Hard Rock crews will continue with a seven-day work week from 8 a.m. until sunset each day. Once construction is completed in the 700 block of the Conti roadway (anticipated in June 2021), the fence will be removed, and work will begin on sidewalks. When all construction has been completed in the 700 block and Entergy Gas/Entergy Electric crews have wrapped up their upgrades in the 600 block of Conti Street, Hard Rock crews will shift their operations into the 600 block roadway between Royal and Chartres streets.

• Full Roadway Closure: 700 block of Conti Street will be closed to vehicular traffic beginning at 8 a.m. on Monday, March 15, and remain closed through the duration of construction on this block. Commuters are advised to detour from Bourbon Street onto Toulouse Street and then onto Royal Street.
• Workday Closure: 600 block of Conti Street will be intermittently closed to vehicular traffic daily while Entergy Gas and Entergy Electric crews are upgrading their utilities. Intermittent closures will continue through the duration of the project. During the day, commuters are advised to detour from Bourbon Street onto Toulouse Street and then onto Decatur Street. The 600 block will reopen to vehicular traffic each night.
• Temporary Closure: 300 block of Chartres Street will be closed to vehicular traffic daily while Entergy Electric crews perform work at the intersection of Conti and Chartres streets. During the day, commuters are advised to detour from Bienville Street onto Bourbon Street onto Toulouse Street and then onto Decatur Street. The 300 block will reopen to vehicular traffic each night.
• Future Intersection Closure: At some point during the project, the intersection of Royal and Conti streets will be closed to accommodate utility upgrades. A traffic advisory will be sent ahead of that closure.

Timeline and Project Participants

The project, which was designed by Mott McDonald, LLC and is being constructed by Hard Rock Construction, LLC is anticipated to run through winter 2021 (approximately four months per block). Project partners include Entergy Electric, Entergy Gas, Cox Communications and AT&T.

Questions about this project should be directed to 504.658.ROAD (7623) or roadwork@nola.gov.