NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The Department of Public Works held a news conference on Tuesday, May 7, to provide updates on the progress of two city projects after numerous calls by city leaders to address safety issues.
“So far this year, we’ve repaired 1,689 outages. That’s including interstate and local roads,” said DPW Director Rick Hathaway. “We’ve resent 198 leaning poles, installed 44 new poles and retrieved 67 knocked down poles.”
There are currently around 250 lights being worked on across 27 sites.
“There are a substantial number of lights that are out and we’re working to repair those,” said Hathaway.
With hurricane season starting in three weeks, DPW officials say their catch basin cleaning program is making progress.
“Along with our contract, we do in-house drain cleaning. We have on average, three daily crews per day that handle drain cleaning and vacuuming of the drain lines. On average, our crews clean 400 catch basins, 200 drain manholes and flush 8,000 linear feet of pipe per month,” said Hathaway.
When there’s inclement weather, the department adds a fourth crew.
“To meet this increasing demand, DPW is fast-tracking internal staff hiring and training. We’re working with civil service, we have positions approved, funding is in place and we’re actively recruiting staff,” said Hathaway.
Hathaway is asking the public to take ownership of what’s around their home and do their part in keeping nearby catch basins clean. He’s asking for help in clearing out leaves or debris.
DPW officials also touched on the lack of enforcement against golf carts and low-speed vehicles. Hathaway says an ordinance outlining the legal operation of both vehicles.
“Golf carts are enjoyable for recreational use, but they lack the necessary safety features for street operation. Now, concerning low-speed vehicles, these are approved and safe in contrast. They are equipped with essential safety features suitable for street use. The vehicles must comply with regulations,” said Hathaway
LSVs must be registered and have a vehicle identification number, among other requirements. However, neither LSVs nor golf carts are allowed for commercial use.
Overall, DPW construction statistics show since May 2018, the department has completed 186 projects at an estimated value of $756 million. As of May 7, 2024, 58 roadwork projects are under construction with an estimated value of nearly $794 million.
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