Closure scheduled from April 20 through April 23
NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, has coordinated with Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LaDOTD) and Plaquemines Parish Government to temporarily close the Belle Chasse Tunnel April 20 through April 23, 2012 in preparation to set new overhead roller gates at the entrance and exit of the tunnel. This work is part of the Greater New Orleans Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System which reduces the risk associated with a storm surge event that has a one percent chance of occurring in any given year, or a 100-year storm surge.
“The tunnel will be temporarily closed beginning at 7:00 p.m. on Friday evening and re-opening Monday morning at 5:00 a.m. to allow workers to install beams from which the overhead roller gates will hang,” said Ted Carr, project manager. “Two additional closures will occur within the next two months for the gate installation and testing.”
The Belle Chasse Tunnel is part of Louisiana State Hwy 23 and typically allows two lanes of southbound traffic to pass beneath the Intracoastal Waterway in Plaquemines Parish. During the temporary weekend tunnel closure, a single lane of traffic in each direction (north and south) will be re-routed onto the Belle Chasse Bridge. The weekend re-routing will be similar to the LaDOTD’s monthly maintenance closures of the tunnel. In accordance with LaDOTD guidance, signage near the tunnel will remind drivers of the re-routing.
As construction of the Greater New Orleans Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System continues, residents and commuters are urged to use caution near active construction sites. If at any time there are questions about construction of the system, call the Corps’ toll free Construction Hotline at 877-427-0345.
Release no. 12-022