LADOTD begins phase one of Crescent City Connection lighting project

514 NOW, DRIVERS USING THE CRESCENT CITY CONNECTION SHOULD EXPECT SOME DELAYS AND PREPARE FOR SOME TRAFFIC DISRUPTIONS. TRAFFIC ANCHOR DEJA BROWN HAS THE DETAILS ON A MAJOR LIGHTING INSTALLATION PROJECT THAT’S TAKING SHAPE, AND HOW IT WILL IMPACT YOU. TALK ABOUT THIS FOR A MINUTE. THE CRESCENT CITY CONNECTION BRIDGE IS GOING THROUGH A LITERAL GLOW UP. HOW DOES IT FEEL? WE’RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT. ASIA. THIS IS A THIS IS A LONG AWAITED PROJECT. WORK IS UNDERWAY ON THE $21 MILLION CRESCENT CITY CONNECTION BRIDGE REHABILITATION AND DECORATIVE LIGHTING PROJECT. THE. OUR CONTRACTOR FOR THIS PROJECT IS FRESH HEARTS ELECTRIC, AND THEY ALSO HAD DONE THE DECORATIVE LIGHTING AND THE PROGRAMABLE UH, LIGHTING FOR THE SUPERDOME. CONTRACTORS HAVE ALREADY INSTALLED CONCRETE BARRIERS TO BLOCK THE RIGHT LANE HEADING TO THE WEST BANK ON THE BRIDGE AND THE TCHOUPITOULAS ONRAMP, THE RIGHT LANE FOR THE EAST BANK BOUND ON THE CRESCENT CITY CONNECTION WILL BEGIN TO BE CLOSED THIS THURSDAY EVENING. BOTH LANES WILL BE CLOSED. THE RIGHT LANE, PLUS THE TCHOUPITOULAS ONRAMP BE COMPLETELY CLOSED, WITH THE CONTRACTOR STARTING WORK ON MONDAY, MAY 6TH. AFTER THE INITIAL CLOSURES IN JULY, A SECOND PHASE WILL BEGIN CLOSING THE LEFT LANES OF EACH MAIN SPAN. KEEP IN MIND THAT TCHOUPITOULAS ON RAMP WILL REMAIN CLOSED, SO USE THE DETOUR AT MAGAZINE. THIS PHASE IS EXPECTED TO LAST THROUGH MID-AUGUST. CARS UNDERNEATH THEM IN CASE THERE’S TOOLS OR MATERIALS THAT HAVE THE ABILITY THAT COULD FALL AND CAUSE A SAFETY HAZARD, THE CLOSURES ARE ESSENTIAL FOR CREWS TO SAFELY INSTALL ELECTRICAL CONDUITS AND WIRING FOR THE NEW LIGHTING SYSTEM. AFTER HURRICANE IDA, THE DECORATIVE LIGHTING SYSTEM BECAME INOPERABLE. IT WAS A SYSTEM THAT WAS OVER 30 YEARS OLD, BOYLE SAYS. AFTER WITHSTANDING MANY STORMS AND IMPACTFUL WEATHER CONDITIONS, IT WAS TIME FOR A REPLACEMENT AND WE’VE WORKED VERY HARD TO TO GET THIS PROJECT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY. WE’RE EXTREMELY EXCITED, NOT ONLY FOR THE CITY BUT FOR OUR CONTRACTOR, FOR ALL OF THE, UH, CITIZENS. IT’S JUST A REAL EXCITING TIME, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THIS PROJECT COMPLETED IN TIME FOR THE SUPER BOWL, WHICH WILL BE HERE BEFORE WE KNOW IT. AND THEN HOPEFULLY WE’LL HAVE IT LIT UP IN BLACK AND GOLD WHEN THE SAINTS WIN THE SUPER BOWL. THAT’LL BE THOSE COLORS ARE OPTIONAL FOR CERTAIN FOR WDSU TRAFFIC PATROL. I’M DEJA BROWN. ALTHOUGH THE PROJECT IS FACILITATED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, THEY SPLIT THE COST WITH THE NEW ORLEANS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. THE CITY WILL OPERATE AND MAINTAIN THE LIGHTING SYSTEM ON TH

Starting Tuesday, April 30, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development says one lane in each direction of the Crescent City Connection bridge will be closed until August. The bridge will begin phase one of a $21 million decorative lighting project. Scott Boyle, district engineer administrator for LaDOTD, said the Tchoupitoulas onramp to get to the Westbank will also be closed through August, and the Magazine Street on-ramp will be the detour for those drivers."In order to safely construct the new infrastructure, it will be required for our contractor to close down a lane in each direction starting Tuesday night," Boyle said. "The contractor has to work overhead. We can’t have motorists driving under the contractor with equipment, tools, and materials, so that’s the reason for these necessary lane closures."After the completion of phase one, DOTD will begin the second phase and the left lane of the westbound and eastbound lane and the entrance ramp from Tchoupitoulas Street will begin. DOTD says the second phase will last through August 2024. The lights will be similar to the ones you can see at the Superdome – and the plan is to have the project done in time for the Superbowl. "It's our intent to have this complete by early January 2025," Boyle said. "Once complete, the system will be rehabilitated. We will have programmable LED lights. The lights will have the ability to be changed to different themes. It can be multiple colors: purple, green and gold. It can be red, white and blue, similar to the Superdome. We are addressing many other issues as well. This is an iconic structure that's symbolic with the city of New Orleans. Hurricane Ida decimated the system. We are proud of this project and what it means to represent both sides of the Mississippi River."

NEW ORLEANS —

Starting Tuesday, April 30, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development says one lane in each direction of the Crescent City Connection bridge will be closed until August.

The bridge will begin phase one of a $21 million decorative lighting project.

Scott Boyle, district engineer administrator for LaDOTD, said the Tchoupitoulas onramp to get to the Westbank will also be closed through August, and the Magazine Street on-ramp will be the detour for those drivers.

"In order to safely construct the new infrastructure, it will be required for our contractor to close down a lane in each direction starting Tuesday night," Boyle said. "The contractor has to work overhead. We can’t have motorists driving under the contractor with equipment, tools, and materials, so that’s the reason for these necessary lane closures."

After the completion of phase one, DOTD will begin the second phase and the left lane of the westbound and eastbound lane and the entrance ramp from Tchoupitoulas Street will begin. DOTD says the second phase will last through August 2024.

The lights will be similar to the ones you can see at the Superdome – and the plan is to have the project done in time for the Superbowl.

"It's our intent to have this complete by early January 2025," Boyle said. "Once complete, the system will be rehabilitated. We will have programmable LED lights. The lights will have the ability to be changed to different themes. It can be multiple colors: purple, green and gold. It can be red, white and blue, similar to the Superdome. We are addressing many other issues as well. This is an iconic structure that's symbolic with the city of New Orleans. Hurricane Ida decimated the system. We are proud of this project and what it means to represent both sides of the Mississippi River."

LADOTD begins phase one of Crescent City Connection lighting project

Share

Share

GET LOCAL BREAKING NEWS ALERTS

Share

Top Picks