Through responsiveness to neighborhood concerns and innovative design, we have made modifications to the project over the last decade to significantly reduce impacts to the surrounding communities. These project modifications have increased the cost of the project, and these costs are in addition to the $37 million mitigation plan:

• The authorized project (North of Claiborne Avenue plan) will cause no displacement of homes.
• A temporary bridge at St. Claude Avenue will provide uninterrupted vehicular access across the Industrial Canal during project construction. This is a $17 million project feature.
• An innovative plan for replacement of the Claiborne Avenue Bridge will require its closure to vehicular traffic for only 2 weeks.
• Off-site construction of the 1,200-foot replacement lock will minimize construction time and noise.

In addition to these project modifications to reduce impacts, we have also committed to a number of actions to avoid adverse construction impacts and which represent prudent and innovative engineering design and construction practice. These actions are included in the construction cost of the project, but not in the mitigation plan. Thus, these costs are also in addition to the $37 million mitigation plan. These actions include:

• Reduction of noise from pile driving to allow no "unacceptable" noise levels in residential areas.
• Designation of specific routes for construction-related traffic in order to avoid congestion.
• Repair of road damage related to construction activities.
• Maximum use of barges to move materials and equipment to reduce traffic impacts.
• Public access to and aesthetic treatment of newly created open space adjacent to new lock will be developed.
• Landscaping and aesthetic treatment of new levees, floodwalls and bridge approaches will be implemented to soften visual impacts.