Online tools help New Orleans residents check on catch basins, road projects and crime

The city of New Orleans is adding to its collection of online tools to help you find answers on things important to your neighborhood, from road construction to when your block’s catch basin was cleaned last.

Why it matters: No one likes to sit on hold or be transferred to five different departments. The online tools make it easy to find information on your own terms.

Driving the news: The city last week launched a dashboard that tracks bike, pedestrian and vehicle crashes.

• "We hope to bring awareness to the alarming rise in traffic crashes in New Orleans, especially those crashes that have resulted in a death or injury, and to underscore the importance of safe driving practices,” said Jennifer Avegno, director of the New Orleans Health Department.

The latest: The city now operates 30 dashboards, applications and data websites, including:

• Transportation Safety Dashboard: Tracks crashes involving pedestrians, cyclists, automobiles and motorcycles/ATVs. Includes a heat map of the city in terms of fatal crashes.
• Roadwork: Enter an address to get details on construction projects, including budget and timeline.
• Catch Basin Maintenance: Check when your catch basin was last cleaned and inspected. You can also adopt a catch basin.
• Streetwise: Track crashes and street flooding in real time.

• Community Crime Map: See crimes reported to New Orleans police on your street.
• Explore NOLA: See how many short-term rentals are registered in your neighborhood.
• Vieux Carre Virtual Library: Want to research your building in the French Quarter? Check out this map-based electronic archive of historic images, documents and records.
• Enforcement Dashboard: Shows map of cases and types of outcomes for code enforcement, short-term rentals and more.
• Historical Murder Dashboard: Tracks the daily count of homicide victims along with their demographic information.
• One Stop: Apply for permits, licenses and projects through one portal.

What's next: A city spokesperson says staffers are working on two more dashboards about publicly-owned property and property management condition. Stay tuned.