Phase 2 of the Bourbon Street Construction Project to Resume Monday, May 20, 2019

Today, the City of New Orleans announced that its contractor, Hard Rock Construction, LLC, will resume work on the Bourbon Phase 2 project Monday, May 20.  The project has been delayed since early March due to high water levels in the Mississippi River. The City was notified on Thursday that a waiver had been granted allowing work to resume as long as water levels in the Mississippi River remain below 17 feet at the Carrollton Gauge.  All businesses along this corridor will remain open and accessible throughout construction. 

Beginning at 8 a.m. Monday, crews will install fencing in the 750 block Bourbon Street roadway between Orleans and St. Ann streets. Crews will simultaneously begin repairs in the 600 block river side sidewalk between Toulouse and St. Peter streets.  Replacement of the sidewalks in the 700 block between St. Peter and Orleans streets will begin after Memorial Day.  

The project will continue with a seven day work week from 8 a.m. until sunset each day. No work will be allowed on the following days:

  • May 27: Memorial Day
  • June 7 – 9: Pride New Orleans
  • July 4 – 8: Independence Day, Essence
  • July 13: Running of the Bulls
  • August 10: Red Dress Run
  • August 29 –September 2: Southern Decadence, Labor Day

Before beginning Phase 2 construction in September 2018, the project team engaged French Quarter residents and business owners to develop the framework for an entirely new approach. Improvements include a more efficient work plan, contractor incentive / liquidated damages, Entergy Gas and Entergy Electric working in advance of the City’s project to minimize conflicts, improved fencing and lighting, as well as a full demobilization for Mardi Gras. 

The City is more than fifty percent complete with the Bourbon Phase 2 project; the contractor has fully reconstructed the roadway between St. Louis and Orleans streets (500-700 blocks) with upsized drainage, a better sewer system, new sidewalks and new, smoother pavement.  Additionally, the lighting and security have been upgraded between St. Louis and St. Peter streets.  Entergy Gas and Entergy Electric have also completed upgrades to their services in those blocks.  

The cost-shared project is scheduled to last through early fall 2019. It was designed by Mott McDonald, LLC and project partners include Entergy Electric, Entergy Gas, Cox Communications and AT&T.  A full description of the project and weekly updates are available at: http://roadwork.nola.gov/bourbon/

Overall Project Sequence of Construction

Block Tentative Schedule
(Fence in place)
* Approximate
Total Days Per Block
(Including Sidewalks)
500 (St. Louis – Toulouse) 9/24/18 – 11/30/18 75 Days
600 (Toulouse – St. Peter) 12/03/18 – 1/27/19 75 Days
700 (St. Peter – St. Ann) 1/27/19 – 2/17/19, 5/20/19 – 7/12/19 75 Days
800 (St. Ann – Dumaine) 6/23/19 – 9/6/19 75 Days
Total Days *Once the contractor moves the fence to the next block, sidewalks in the previous block will be worked on simultaneously 250 Working Days Total (exclusive of weather / events days)

Questions about the French Quarter Infrastructure Improvement Project may be directed via e-mail to roadwork@nola.gov or to our RoadworkNOLA hotline 504.658.ROAD (7623).