NEW ORLEANS, LA – The Corps is proposing design changes for construction of portions of the Greater New Orleans Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System. At a public meeting on Monday, Oct. 25, 2010 at the Belle Chasse Auditorium, 8398 Highway 23, in Belle Chasse, community members will have the opportunity to provide feedback on construction of Westbank risk reduction measures.
The proposed modifications are outlined in an Addendum to the draft Individual Environmental Report 12 Supplemental which is available for public review through Nov. 19, 2010, and available for download on www.nolaenvironmental.gov.
The document and public meeting will discuss:
• Impacts associated with construction of building gates at the entrance and exit of the Belle Chasse Tunnel, additional project gates, floodwall and levee risk reduction features, and the re-routing of the golf course access road. The purpose of the project features is to reduce risk from a storm surge event that has a one percent chance of occurring in any given year. Construction of these risk reduction features would generate traffic impacts to residents and commuters.
- The proposed construction schedule would call for a complete closure of the Belle Chasse tunnel each Friday from about 7 p.m. to the following Monday at about 5 a.m. for approximately 15 weekends beginning in about March 2011.
- During about the 12th week of the construction, the tunnel would be reduced to one lane of traffic.
- Two-way traffic would be allowed on the Belle Chasse Bridge on the construction weekends, similar to how the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development closes the tunnel for routine maintenance work.
• A proposal to use the “Westbank N” borrow site as an alternative disposal site for levee material removed during the construction of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway West Closure Complex eastern floodwall and road realignment, and from construction of the Hero Canal Levee.
Public meeting details are:
When: Monday, Oct. 25, 2010
Informational open house from 6 to 6:30 p.m.
Presentation and discussion begins at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Belle Chasse Auditorium
8398 Highway 23, Belle Chasse, LA 70037
The proposed action is fully described in draft Individual Environmental Report 12 Supplemental Addendum which is available for public review and comment through Nov. 14, 2010. Draft IER 12 Supplemental Addendum may be downloaded at www.nolaenvironmental.govand is available by request. To request a copy of draft IER 12 Supplemental Addendum contact Patricia Leroux at patricia.leroux@usace.army.milor call 504-862-1544.
Questions or comments concerning the hurricane system should be addressed to:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
c/o Public Affairs
PO Box 60267
New Orleans, LA 70160-0267
Phone: 504-862-2201
Fax: 504-862-1724
E-mail: AskTheCorps@usace.army.mil