NEW ORLEANS – Today, the Fix My Streets Financing Working Group held its first public meeting at the Orleans Tower, 1340 Poydras St., at 10:30 a.m., to begin the process of finding solutions to address New Orleans’ long-term infrastructure needs.
Established by Executive Order by Mayor Landrieu, the Fix My Streets Financing Working Group has been charged with developing recommendations about how the City can pay for interior street repairs. The Executive Order charges the Working Group with the following:
• To review all estimates for replacements and repair of all streets and subsurface utilities in New Orleans
• To review all current funding sources for street and subsurface utility repairs in New Orleans
• To review the pavement condition survey completed by the City of New Orleans that will be used for street prioritization
• To review strategies that parties are currently using to inform the public about construction progress and timelines, as well as future construction
• To review information about national best practices for financing infrastructure repair and recommendations that other organizations may submit to the Working Group
• To review the planning processes, policies and implementation strategies undertaken by the various agencies fixing streets and subsurface utilities
• To assess the affordability of the various options for financing infrastructure repairs
• To make final recommendations to the Mayor and the City Council regarding a long-term strategic financing plan for infrastructure repairs—particularly streets and subsurface utilities- in Orleans Parish
The Fix My Streets Financing Working Group is comprised of members with expertise in finance, business, construction, engineering, transportation and civic engagement. Appointments to the working group include:
• Chair, Dr. Norma Jean Mattei, President-elect, American Society of Civil Engineers, former Chair, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New Orleans
• Hon. Nadine Ramsey, Councilmember District C, Chair of New Orleans City Council Public Works, Sanitation & Environment Committee
• Hon. Jason R. Williams, Councilmember-At-Large, City of New Orleans
• Walter Brooks, Executive Director, New Orleans Regional Planning Commission
• Shawn Wilson, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
• Robert Lupo, CEO, Lupo Enterprises, real estate developer, founder of Fix My Streets campaign
• Todd James, Principal, Mathes Brierre Architects, board member, Young Leadership Council
• Henry F. “Freddy” Yoder, Jr., retired President & Chief Operating Officer, Durr Heavy Construction, Fix My Streets campaign
• Eric Songy, President, Bocage Neighborhood Association, Fix My Streets campaign
• Barbara Woolfolk, Past President, Villa Sites Neighborhood Association
• James R. Amdal, Director, UNO Transportation Institute
• Wayne Neveu, Special Counsel, Foley Judell, National Association of Bond Lawyers
• Damon Burns, CEO, Munivestor
This working group will meet several times from today through February 2016. Preliminary recommendations will be made in time for the State’s regular legislative session local bill filing deadlines should any legislation be needed. Additional meetings may be required throughout the year.
