NEW ORLEANS –The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, will begin transitioning southbound travel lanes at the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway into the second detour phase beginning on Dec. 8. The lane shift, originally scheduled to occur December 5, was postponed due to weather conditions. The lane shift is necessary to accommodate ongoing construction of the Greater New Orleans Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System.
On December 8, two southbound travel lanes will be open in the morning. Beginning at 11:00 a.m., the southbound roadway will be striped in preparation for the lane shift. Upon completion of the striping, southbound travel lanes will be shifted onto the overpass at the completed portion of the 15 foot floodwall.
Northbound traffic lanes are scheduled to transition onto the overpass in January 2012.
Once complete, the newly constructed ramp will stretch from the Causeway peninsula to just north of 6th St. Tie-ins will link the new floodwall feature with the existing Jefferson Parish lakefront levees. The floodwall defends against a storm surge event that has a one percent chance of occurring in any given year, or a 100-year storm surge event. Construction on the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is scheduled to be complete in Dec. 2012.
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. For more information on the HSDRRS is available at:
www.usace.army.mil.
Release no. 11-004