Bird’s Eye View of Lafitte Greenway Construction

UPTDATE: WWL-TV covered the Lafitte Greenway on December 9, 2014.

December 3rd, 2014 update

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/12/lafitte_greenway_farmers_marke.html

Would-be gardeners wishing to grow and sell small crops along the Lafitte Greenway had reason for hope Wednesday when the White House announced it wanted to help install a farmers market in the developing park.

The project was among 26 handpicked by the White House Rural Council and other federal agencies to receive federally financed technical guidance as a means to boost local food farming around the country.

Dubbed the “Local Food, Local Places” initiative, the projects collectively have $800,000 to draw from. It’s unclear how much of that will go to the Friends of Lafitte Corridor, the non-profit booster group tapped to spearhead the farmers market plan.

Sophie Harris, the group’s executive director, said federal support likely will come from paid consultants as opposed to grants or particular financing.  “We’re really grateful for federal assistance,” she said. “We think it’s a great opportunity.”

The fruit it could bear is also uncertain: The projects could veer from a farmers market to implementing community gardens throughout the greenway. The master plan doesn’t specifically set sites for such gardens, Harris said, but that could change.

Friends of Lafitte Corridor plans to hold stakeholder community meetings next spring to hash out their next steps. That number includes Xavier University and Sprout Nola, which is working to build a teaching farm between Mid-City and Treme on Broad Street.

Construction of the greenway, which stretches from the French Quarter to City Park, began in March and is expected to wrap up next spring.

“There’s a grand vision for the greenway, and we’re going to get an amazing park next spring, but there is still much left to do,” Harris said.

Lafitte Greenway farmers market to receive federal help, White House announces

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Aerial Images of the Greenway’s Progress

Craig Guillot of NOLA Aerials captured extraordinary aerial low-altitude images of Lafitte Greenway on October 20, 2014. Construction of the Greenway is over 50% complete in these images, shot from two locations:

1. North Prieur: The site of the new soccer/football and baseball fields, where we see the Greenway’s utility as a transportation corridor to the new BioDistrict hospitals and the Central Business District.
2. Jefferson Davis Parkway: The Greenway and the Jefferson Davis Bike Path intersect at the base of Bayou St. John at the new bicycle roundabout. Take the Jefferson Davis Trail into City Park and out to the lakefront, or follow it the other direction to Uptown New Orleans.

North Prieur

 

Jefferson Davis Parkway

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Click here for more photos of the progress on the Lafitte Greenway.

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/viewer?mid=zV06vuvcN3M4.kQshOWTF5l-Q
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Placement of the asphalt portion of the Lafitte Greenway bicycle and pedestrian path is now 75% complete in Areas 2, 3, 4, and 5. The Department of Public Works construction contractor, Durr Heavy Construction, has completed installing most of the trail lighting fixtures in Areas 3 and 4, and continues installation of trail lighting in Areas 2 and 5. Lighting wiring will be installed toward the end of the project construction, when the project is ready for public use.

The contractor has completed collecting the cobblestones that will line the Carondelet Walk crushed stone path. The contractor will begin constructing the walking path, which will run along Lafitte Ave., in November. The Carondelet Walk starts at N. Claiborne Ave. and will end at N. Galvez St. The remaining cobblestones not being used as part of the walking path will be moved off-site to a DPW storage facility in early November.

Please note the N. Lopez St. pedestrian bridge is closed and will remain closed for the duration of construction in Area 3.

Please note the N. Rocheblave St. pedestrian path is now closed and will remain closed for the duration of construction in Area 4. A new, paved N. Rocheblave St. walk will be constructed as part of this project. Please use N. Galvez or N. Broad streets during construction and avoid entering the construction site.

Crews have removed the sidewalk on the uptown side of Lafitte Ave. between N. Prieur and N. Galvez streets. The new Carondelet Walk on the interior of the park will replace the old sidewalk. Crews will also soon begin replacing the sidewalk on the uptown side of Lafitte Ave. between N. Rocheblave and N. Dorgenois streets. Crews will begin replacing sidewalk on both sides of N. Galvez St. shortly. Please use the temporary walking paths on N. Galvez St. during sidewalk construction.

Conversion of St. Louis St. between N. Carrollton Ave. and N. Soloman St., from two-way directional traffic to one-way traffic in the lakebound direction is scheduled to begin Nov. 10. Crews will mobilize to this portion of roadway in mid-December.

Durr Heavy Construction continues final grading of Areas 2, 3, 4, and 5.

The overall project is about 60 percent complete and on schedule to be opened to the public in spring 2015.

To expedite construction, Durr Heavy Construction has divided the Lafitte Greenway project into six sections:

Area 1 – N. Alexander St. to N. Carrollton Ave.

Area 2 – N. Carrollton Ave. to Jefferson Davis Pkwy – currently under construction

Area 3 – N. Jefferson Davis Pkwy to N. Broad St. – currently under construction

Area 4 – N. Broad St. to N. Galvez St. – currently under construction

Area 5 – N. Galvez St. to N. Claiborne Ave. – currently under construction

Area 6 – N. Claiborne Ave. to Basin St.

Please use caution when driving, bicycling or walking near active construction sites. Traffic cones, construction fencing and safety signage are in place to keep everyone safe. Please respect the signage and fencing – do not enter active construction sites.

Thank you for your continued patience.

Cheryn Robles, APR

Community Outreach Specialist

Department of Public Works