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Commerce Continues While Construction is Underway
Great news! The City of New Orleans has secured billions of dollars for infrastructure improvements along business corridors. As a community, we understand the long-term benefit that these improvements have for residents and businesses. StayLocal has partnered with the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development and RoadWorkNOLA to provide support to businesses for any short-term impact businesses may experience while roads are improved.
Tips & Resources for Businesses During Construction
Tap in to receive construction updates from RoadWork | Dept. of Public Works (DPW) in New Orleans:
Receive a weekly newsletter containing status updates on all DPW projects by subscribing here.
Text ROADWORK to 77295 and follow the link provided to create a profile;
Or, visit readynola.gov/alerts to add to a profile, in order to create an alert for each business or impacted location. Watch our how-to here.
2. Get regular updates about RoadWork NOLA Projects.
Follow @RoadworkNOLA on Facebook, Twitter, Next Door and Instagram; and Dept. of Public Works on Instagram @nola_publicworks
Visit roadwork.nola.gov for block-by-block details active, complete and planned projects and road closures. Head to nola.gov/dpwprojects to visit Public Works’ projects page.
Resources
Road Construction Toolkit for New Orleans Businesses:Tips for managing short-term interruption .-The toolkit important contact information, best practices, cases studies, sample communication to customers, signage guidelines, and more to help your businesses during road construction.
StayLocal “Ramp Up” Marketing Tool Kit - StayLocal in partnership with NVisions Communication and Consulting provides pointers to stay connected with your customers, including graphics and collateral that can be used with your company’s branding.
Roadwork.nola.gov – This website shows block-by-block details on planned, active, and complete construction projects and permitted road closures.
nola.gov/next/public-works-projects/ - The Dept. of Public Works provides details including project scope on a project-specific basis.
Sewerage and Water Board Notices - SWB announces repairs on this page of its website, and notice is required 72 hours in advance of the start of work (except in the case of emergency repairs).
DOTD.la.gov - This page shows scheduled improvements and traffic updates for the Louisiana State Transportation Department District 2 (Greater New Orleans); may include mapped updates of permitted lane closures.
New Orleans Business Continuity Guide - The purpose of this guide is to familiarize New Orleans businesses with available resources that can help them assess their disaster risk and prepare for the unexpected. You can read about real life solutions to major business disruptions devised by some of New Orleans’ most resilient business owners starting on page 18.
StayLocal’s general business resources -Information about financial or other technical assistance matters
Claims Process
Claims processes differ based on project. The following represent some options for pursuing claims.
New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board - Learn more about how SWBNO considers damage claims
Partners
Department of Public Works
Role: Coordinate aspects of outreach and community input
Contact: Kristen Watson, Director of Communication, Department of Public Works roadwork@nola.gov | 504.658.7623
Louisiana Dept. of Transportation and development
Role: Plan and implement improvements to state highways.
Contact: Joey Robert, Project Engineer, District 2 - joseph.robert@la.gov | 504.253.6120
New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board
Role: Maintain all facilities while providing the city with providing the city with adequate drainage, sewerage collection, and drinking water.
Contact: Ceara Labat, Community Engagement Coordinator - clabat@swbno.org | 504.521.2177; see above for SWB Claims.
Office of COmmunity and Economic Development
Job: Support all businesses affected by contraction and serve as a liaison between City agencies and business
Contacts: Courtney Stuckwisch Wong, Deputy Director - castuckwisch@nola.gov | 504.658.4075; Margrett Magee, Business Services Manager -momagee@nola.gov | 504.658.4237
Regional transit authority (RTA)
Role: Reroute public transit when scheduled road work interrupts service lines.
Contact: David Lee Simmons, Director of Communications- dsimmons@rtaforward.org
our role
StayLocal is here to support independent businesses affected by construction to which we provide resources and marketing opportunities.
Contact: Maryann Miller, Program Manager - maryann@staylocal.org | 504.252.1259
You can also reach out to your City Councilmember
SELA-specific Projects
Army Corps of Engineers (ACE)
Role: Contractors overseeing SELA (Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control System) projects which reduce flood damages in the City of New Orleans and surrounding parishes by improving drainage.
Contact: Rene Poche, Public Affairs - rene.poche@usace.army.mil / 504.862.2201
SELA Hotline: 877.427.0345 / www.facebook.com/usacenola
Parking (Sela projects)
Concern: Construction and flooding are making parking difficult.
Answer: Construction teams are supposed to park at least two blocks away from project.
TIP: Write down the license plate number and car disruption and call the SELA Hotline 877-427-0345. This way the ACE can keep track of complaints and alert supervisors.
Cleanliness (sela projects)
Concern: Businesses and residents would like trash to be picked up and construction waste to be removed.
Answer: Army Corps of Engineers says any specific construction concerns should be relayed to Caitlin Campbell (Caitlin.e.campbell@usace.army.mil / 504-862-2545) instead of any workers on site. This way the ACE can keep track of complaints and alert supervisors.
Signage for Traffic (sela projects)
Concern: The roadwork is affecting the flow of traffic and blocking signage.
Answer: If there is a specific area in need of better signage or an area with unclear signage for traffic purposes contact Caitlin Campbell (Caitlin.e.campbell@usace.army.mil / 504-862-2545)
NOTE: The Army Corps, as a federal agency, cannot put up signs directing people to businesses since it is considered marketing.
Signage for businesses - General Orleans Parish Guidelines
Businesses can put up signs to let people know you are open and direct customers to the store's entrance or parking area.
+ Window signs at your business are allowed without a permit.
+ Fence signage is allowed, just get an okay from the foreman. (NOTE: the temporary fences are frequently moved and the construction teams will not reposition signs, so make sure you monitor your fence signage.)
+ Barricade signs - To get signage on a "road closed" barricade contact Dawne Massey at DPW (dmassey@nola.gov).
+ Banners require a temporary permit.
+ A-frame signs:
Limited to 6ft wide by 5ft tall
Limited to business hours only and must be stored indoors
One A-frame sign is permitted per business
Minimum 20ft separation required between A-frame signs
Must be within 15ft of the primary business entrance
Cannot interfere with pedestrian traffic or violate ADA accessibility standards or other accessibility codes
Public right-of-way signs require a lease of servitude
TIP: To learn more or to apply for a sign that requires a permit, visit the City of New Orleans' One Stop Shop.