DOTD completes cable barrier project in New Orleans East
Monday, December 08, 2014 at 4:04:38 PM
NEW ORLEANS, La. – Today, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development District Administrator Chris Morvant, along with Senator A.G. Crowe, Representative Austin Badon and public safety partners, celebrated the completion of the installation of cable barriers along Interstate10 in New Orleans East.
Cable barriers are a safety feature designed to deflect a vehicle that enters the median, keeping it from potentially crossing over into oncoming traffic. They absorb the impact of the collision and hold a vehicle in the median, not pushing the vehicle back into oncoming traffic.
Proof of the efficiency of this safety project is evident by several downed posts, awaiting repair, which mark the spots of recent incidents where motorists have left the road, but did not cross over into oncoming traffic. The $1.2 million project installed approximately eight miles of barrier protection along I-10 between I-510 and the Twin Span Bridge and was completed last month.
Morvant, speaking at the City Church on the I-10 service road, was joined by the legislators and Dr. Jeffery Elder, director of New Orleans Emergency Medical Services, whose agency handles most of the severe incidents.
“DOTD performs ongoing analyses on all interstates throughout Louisiana to determine where cable median barriers would be most beneficial in preventing cross-over collisions,” said Morvant. “New Orleans East certainly qualified for the added protection and we now have all 24 miles of I-10 in Orleans Parish protected.”
The Jindal Administration has continuously shown its commitment to improving the state’s infrastructure with an unprecedented investment of $6.6 billion, to date.
Senator Crowe, who worked with Representative Badon to see the project through, said, “It is refreshing to see progress here in the eastern part of our great city of New Orleans; this was one of the areas of most concern. We are very pleased and thankful that this barrier system is now available and we’re certain that it will save lives.”
Median crossover crashes often result in fatalities or severe injuries to occupants of the errant vehicle and the motorists in the opposing traffic lanes. Cable barrier installation is an innovative and cost-effective solution to prevent fatalities, and is proven in preventing crossover collisions. Upon completion of the project, all 24 miles of I-10 in New Orleans will have crossover protection.
Representative Badon echoed Crowe’s sentiments on working together, stating, “This shows what a bipartisan effort can do. We felt like we had to do something," said Badon. “We have had a number of fatalities and incidences on this highway due to fog and marsh fires. This is actually the second phase of a cable barrier project in East New Orleans. The first phase was at Dwyer and Chef Menteur Highway. This closes the gap.”
Fully funded by federal safety funds, the work was performed by Massana Construction, Inc., of Georgia. To date, DOTD has installed approximately 81 miles of cable barriers throughout the state at an investment of approximately $11.8 million.
“Responding to severe roadway incidents is never easy,” said Dr. Elder. “With the installation of the cable barriers, we hope we can reduce the number of fatalities caused by crossover collisions and save many families the heartache of losing a loved one.”
DOTD remains committed to highway safety and looks continuously for innovative and cost-effective measures. The cable barrier system is a testament to that commitment and, since they have been installed in Louisiana, there have been no incidents of vehicles crossing the median.