SELA drainage work closes lanes on General De Gaulle Drive through August 3

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced temporary eastbound lane closures on General De Gaulle Drive in New Orleans to support ongoing Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project drainage improvements.

The closures were scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Friday, July 31, and continue through no later than 6 a.m. Monday, Aug. 3. They affect the stretch of General De Gaulle Drive between Georgia Street and Indiana Street.

Two right eastbound lanes were scheduled to close during that period. The two left eastbound lanes also were scheduled for temporary closure as work continued over the weekend, according to the Corps.

Traffic changes for drivers

Drivers using the eastbound roadway were urged to allow extra travel time and follow posted traffic controls during the work.

The announced schedule was temporary, running overnight and through the weekend rather than representing a permanent roadway change. The Corps did not provide a full completion date or total cost for the wider drainage project in its release.

Part of federally funded drainage work

The lane closures support federally funded improvements under the Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project, commonly known as SELA. The Corps said the project is intended to improve stormwater management and reduce flood damages.

SELA supports drainage plans in Orleans, Jefferson and St. Tammany parishes. The General De Gaulle work is therefore part of a broader regional flood-risk-reduction effort, while the immediate public impact is on traffic along the New Orleans corridor between Georgia and Indiana streets.

The Corps describes the project’s flood-risk-reduction benchmark as a 10-year rainfall event. For the area, it characterized that benchmark as about nine inches of rain in 24 hours.

That design benchmark does not mean the work eliminates flood risk or provides protection against every storm. The Corps’ description identifies the rainfall level used for the project’s stated flood-risk-reduction planning.

What happens next

The announced lane-closure window ran through no later than 6 a.m. Aug. 3. The Corps advised motorists to follow traffic controls while closures were in effect. Its release did not identify another specific traffic-closure date, a final completion date for the work, or a project cost.