French Quarter construction drags into festival season
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Green barricades block the construction throughout the French Quarter. Photo: Carlie Kollath Wells/Axios
French Quarter streets are a mess as New Orleans heads into its busy spring festival season.
Why it matters: Businesses say they are struggling as a behind-schedule construction project drags on.
The big picture: The New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board told businesses earlier this month that utility work is finished in some blocks and crews will now focus on repairing roads, according to WWL's Rachel Handley.
- But additional blocks will need to close to complete the work, SWBNO said, according to Handley's report.
Catch up quick: SWBNO started the French Quarter main transmission project last summer, erecting green fences that block large swaths of Decatur and St. Peters streets.
- The street surface was ripped up, leaving just dirt. The goal is to replace water, sewer and drainage mains throughout the city's oldest neighborhood.
- Entergy and Delta Utilities also are upgrading infrastructure, according to a SWBNO presentation and the Times-Picayune.
- FEMA is funding the $9 million-plus project.
Timeline: The project was expected to take a year to complete, SWBNO previously said.
- The original plan was to finish by the end of the month, but there have been delays from weather and archaeological digs.
- SWBNO did not answer Axios' request about an updated timeline.
- The city is not involved in the construction, says Steve Nelson, the city's deputy CAO of infrastructure.
Zoom in: Businesses have responded with promotions and signage like the "Fence 75" drink special at Tableau and a wish wall near Zhang Bistro.
- But management at Cafe Sbisa, French Toast, Turtle Bay and Zhang Bistro tell the French Quarter Journal that business is down significantly.
- The owners of French Toast tell the Journal they are "blowing" through their savings and hoping to make it through the construction.
- New Orleans & Co., the city's tourism arm, has a marketing campaign to help the businesses. SWBNO, in a press release, encouraged businesses to put up signs "to inform customers that they remain open."
What's next: A SWBNO spokesperson tells Axios they expect to provide another update on the project later this week.
