Q2 2018

B O U R B O N S T R E E T Mardi Gras Ready: Bourbon Street Gets a New Look Long-lasting, Colored Concrete, Granite Curbs and New Sidewalks Add to Vibrant Area By Sheryl S Jackson ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS STREETS IN THE UNITED STATES —Bourbon Street—is getting a makeover. The street was named in 1721 in honor the French ruling family at the time—the House of Bourbon. The al- most 300-year-old street is a busy commercial and entertainment street that is recognized as the heart and the gateway to the French Quarter. In the spring of 2017, the first phase of amajor reconstruction of Bourbon Street began with four of the planned eight blocks of Bourbon Street. The multi-million-dollar French Quarter Infrastructure Improvement Project calls for removing and replacing existing water and drainage lines, repairing the sewer line, repaving the roadway in concrete, in- stalling new sidewalks when necessary and installing Americans with Disabilities Act–compliant curb ramps at intersections. “There has not been a full reconstruction of the street since the early 1920s, so there were a number of surprises when we began,” says Chris McLellan, director of construction development for Hard Rock Con- struction, an ACPA member company. There were a lot of surprises, including utility lines that had been replaced, but not removed, and little room to work to upgrade the entire street system. While the street itself was closed to traffic during construction, the four blocks, or 1,400 linear ft. of the 20-ft. wide road, had to remain open to pedestrians because businesses didnot closeduring thenine-monthproject. “At the start of the project, we closed the 100 and 300 blocks to traffic to ensure access to businesses in the area, and then closed 200 and 400 continues on page 22 » www.acpa.org Quarter 2, 2018 21