CONTACT: John Addison

NEW ORLEANS --

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, will begin construction this summer on two bridges to improve hurricane protection in New Orleans' Lakeview section.

Beginning late in July, the Filmore and Harrison Avenue bridges will be closed for rebuilding to accomplish floodproofing. This permits vital roadways, now sandbagged during a storm, to remain open.

This is floodproofing's biggest year, with construction beginning on five bridges. In all, 10 bridges are being floodproofed along three drainage canals in Orleans and Jefferson parishes. Total cost is about $25 million.

Floodproofing of bridges is an indispensable portion of the four-parish, $732-million Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity Hurricane Protection Project. It is being built by the Corps and four levee boards, in Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard and St. Charles pa

In floodproofing, the original bridge is demolished. Each replacement bridge will have steep, concrete sides. This continues the floodwall from one side of the canal to the other.

The two Lakeview bridges span the Orleans Avenue Canal, which lies between Lakeview and City Park. Angelo Iafrate Construction has a $2.36 million contract for the two-lane bridges.

"We are asked why we are replacing these bridges - just four blocks apart - at the same time. The answer is that we have coordinated this work with the neighborhoods and City Hall," said Col. William L. Conner, commander of the New Orleans District.

"They don't want to go through any more hurricane seasons than they have to without floodproofing," Conner said. "This is an encouraging sign that people are taking the hurricane threat seriously."

Floodproofing is vital, said Al Naomi, the Corps' senior project manager for the Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity project. "The new bridges are final links in the chain of protection provided by hurricane levees and floodwalls."

"In addition to keeping water out, we want to keep roadways open. The roadways' value becomes clear when hurricane evacuation is required,," Naomi said.

The Orleans Levee District and the East Jefferson Levee District are the local sponsors with the Corps for floodproofing the bridges.

Demolition of existing bridges is required for floodproofing in order to deal with hurricane storm surges, said Kevin Wagner, the Corps' project manager for the Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity project.

"There's a buoyancy problem. We want to keep these bridges from popping out if the water rises around them," Wagner said. "So we are providing new pilings with the strength to anchor them properly."

Once construction is complete, the levee districts take over operation and maintenance of the hurricane-protection projects.

The levee districts must begin sandbagging and closing floodgates about 36 hours before a hurricane's arrival. Floodproofing the bridges will allow the levee districts to shift their work forces, always stretched thin during storms, to other essential tasks.

The cost of floodproofing varies with each bridge. C.R. Pittman has a $3.33 million contract for a four-lane bridge now under construction, on Gentilly Boulevard over the London Avenue Canal in New Orleans.

In May, work began on the four-lane Leon C. Simon Boulevard bridge over the London Canal in New Orleans. Miller Excavating has the $3.86 million contrac

Construction begins in November on 1999's fifth floodproofing, a project that will also increase the capacity of a busy roadway linking New Orleans and Metairie. A four-lane bridge will be built to replace the two-lane bridge on Robert E. Lee Boulevard/Old Hammond Highway over the 17th Street Canal near the lakefront

In contracting, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers anticipates the possibility that a project may become vulnerable to hurricanes during construction. So the Corps requires contractors to have an approved Hurricane Plan. When a storm is approaching, the contractor is responsible for restoring the pre-construction level of protection. This includes pre-positioning the material required to plug any gaps.

The bridge floodproofing schedule: December 1997 - Completion of the first bridge, on Veterans Boulevard over 17th Street Canal, linking Metairie and New Orleans. January 1999 - Construction began on Gentilly Boulevard over London Avenue Canal, New Orleans. Completion: October 1999. May 1999 - Construction began on Leon C. Simon Boulevard over London Canal, New Orleans. Completion: February 2000. July 1999 - Construction will begin on Filmore and Harrison avenues over Orleans Avenue Canal, New Orleans. Completion: April 2000. November 1999 - Construction will begin on Robert E. Lee Boulevard/Old Hammond Highway over 17th Street Canal, linking New Orleans and Metairie. Completion: November 2001. February 2000 - Construction will begin on first bridge on Mirabeau and Filmore avenues over London Avenue Canal, New Orleans. Completion: October 2002. Project may be shortened by simutaneous construction. July 2000 - Construction will begin on Robert E. Lee over Orleans Avenue Canal, New Orleans. Completion: January 2002. 2002 - Construction will begin on Robert E. Lee over London Avenue Canal, New Orleans. Completion: 2003.

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