Transcript Slide 1

Lower
Harvey Canal
Crossing
State Project No. 700-26-0274
Federal Aid Project No. STP 2603 (501)
Environmental Assessment
PUBLIC MEETINGS
JANUARY 11th & 13th , 2005
MEETING AGENDA
 Welcome / Introductions
 Project Overview:
- Purpose and Need for Project
- Environmental Assessment
- Alternatives Developed for Consideration
 Brief (30 min.) recess for examination of
exhibits and one-on-one Q & A
 Public Comment and Questions
 Adjournment
PROJECT PURPOSE
AND NEED
NEED FOR NEW LOWER HARVEY CANAL CROSSING:
 West Bank is one of the remaining growth areas in
the metro area south of Lake Pontchartrain.
 As most of the areas closer to the river have been
developed , new growth is focused more towards the
southern areas of Jefferson Parish and in
Plaquemines Parish.
 Several transportation projects underway or under
study to provide better access, both now and in
anticipation of this growth:
1. Destrehan Avenue
Widening, Lapalco to
Patriot
3
2. Extension of
Destrehan Avenue to
Lafitte-Larose Hwy
3. Peters Road on- and
off-ramps at West
Bank Expressway
1
4. Extension of Harvey
Blvd across Bayou
Barataria Outfall
Canal to Engineers
Road
5. Extension of Peters
Road via bridge
across GIWW into
Plaquemines Parish
6. Extension of Harvey
Blvd to Peters Rd.
4
6
2
5

Upper Harvey Canal
has 4 crossing
points: LA 18, Harvey
Tunnel, West Bank
Expressway, Lapalco
Blvd.

No crossing of
Harvey Canal below
Lapalco Blvd., yet
this is where growth
is occurring

Lapalco Blvd.
currently has a
narrowing at the
Harvey Canal - the
bridge is 4 lanes
while the boulevard
is 6 lanes on either
side.

New Crossing of
Lower Harvey Canal
is needed to address
these issues.
PROJECT PURPOSE
AND NEED
Purpose of New Lower Harvey Canal Crossing :
 Provide added accessibility for West Bank
residents and businesses
 Increase the capacity for east-west travel on
the West Bank
 Become a key addition to the local hurricane
evacuation network
 Could help commercial traffic, including flow
from proposed Millennium Port
ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENT
Q:
What is an Environmental
Assessment?
A:
Study in which several tasks are
performed:
ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENT
 Define/Describe purpose and need for project
 Describe the area to be affected (study area)
 Develop alternative measures to be taken to address
purpose and need (at least two: one will always be the NoBuild Alternative)
 Build alternatives will be evaluated, and those that do not
adequately address the purpose and need or which are not
feasible will be eliminated from further consideration
 Describe and compare the impacts to the study area
resulting from the alternatives: the Build Alternative(s) and
the No Build Alternative
 Select a Preferred Alternative, and summarize its impacts
 Document all work, including Public Participation
 3 preliminary areas
for crossings:
Lapalco (parallel
span or widening),
Harvey Boulevard, &
Engineers Road area
 Engineers Road area
eliminated due to
physical constraints
and lack of access
for residents
 2 types of bridge
crossing considered
at Harvey Blvd.:
moveable-span and
fixed-span
 2 alternatives
developed at Harvey
Blvd; one includes
Harvey Blvd.
extension to Peters
Rd., the other
connects directly to
Peters Road
DEVELOPMENT OF
ALTERNATIVES
Four Alternatives Considered:
 Alternative 1: Lapalco Blvd. Parallel Span Bridge
(moveable span)
 Alternative 2: New Moveable Span Bridge at Harvey
Blvd. connecting to Harvey Blvd. extension
 Alternative 3: New Fixed Span Bridge at Harvey Blvd.
connecting to Harvey Blvd. extension
 Alternative 4: New Moveable Span Bridge at Harvey
Blvd. corridor connecting to Peters Road
Evaluation of Build
Alternatives
 Explore pros and cons, impacts of each
 Use information gathered to date
 Consider public input
 Complete Alternative Evaluation
Final Steps
(after Alternative Evalaution)
 Examine and document likely environmental
impacts of Build Alternative(s) vs. No-Build
alternative
 Select Preferred Alternative
 Complete EA document and hold Public
Hearing
 Obtain Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI)
THANK YOU
Written Comments may be sent to:
Lower Harvey Canal Crossing EA
c/o N-Y Associates, Inc.
2750 Lake Villa Dr.
Metairie, LA 70002
Letters should be postmarked by January 23rd, 2005