NEW ORLEANS — On Feb. 11, Helena Moreno announced a new street-smoothing plan for New Orleans that will create an in-house Street Maintenance Unit within the Department of Public Works aimed at accelerating street repairs and improving road conditions.
The proposal allocates $6.25 million in unused capital funds to invest in paving and street maintenance equipment and hire roughly 50 workers dedicated to pavement and street repairs.
“You’re probably wondering ‘How are you able to get this done with the budget crisis the city is facing?’ but I want to remind you that the budget crisis is impacting our general fund dollars. I was able to find unassigned bond money to utilize for this,” said Moreno in a social media post following the press conference. She said the money has been “sitting there since 2019 and 2024.”
The ordinance, to be introduced on Feb. 12 and up for a final vote on Feb. 26, supports the creation of the Street Maintenance Unit by defunding $5.8 million worth of projects initially flagged to be put out to bid to private contractors. This move allows that maintenance work to be performed by the city’s new crew.
“This announcement is about smoothing out our streets,” said Moreno. “This is how we can quickly ensure that our broken sidewalks are fixed, that all of our streets riddled with potholes are smoothed out.”
With the unit in place, the City will reduce reliance on outside contractors and help make street repairs faster. The Street Maintenance Unit will be the city’s first durable, in-house street and infrastructure repair group in years and was created as part of a group of executive actions on Mayor Moreno’s first day.
“As a candidate, I promised Super Bowl-level coordination for infrastructure repairs — and as Mayor, we are delivering on that promise with the new in-house paving unit and the allocation of more than $6 million to get workers started on these necessary improvements,” Moreno said. “We like to think of this task force as NOLA taking care of NOLA, as we focus on hiring people from the city to tackle the work that needs to be done.”
Moreno made the announcement exactly one month after taking office. “I know that you’ve been wanting much better streets for quite some time. I have too. Let’s go get it done.”
Additional Reallocations
Additional reallocations tied to the ordinance outline other capital projects that will be canceled or adjusted to help support the creation of the in-house paving unit:
- The Broad St. Bridge Delineator Upgrades will be canceled as grant funds will be pursued for $283,500.
- The Downtown Development District cancelled $17,693 for drainage improvements allowing for further support of the street paving team’s creation.
- A French Quarter project construction estimate came back too high from a contractor, so $144,450 was cancelled allowing for those funds to be added to the street paving unit’s creation.
Councilmembers Back Moreno In-House Shift
“Not only are we giving New Orleanians the basic services they deserve when it comes to paving streets quickly and more efficiently; we’re giving citizens of the city jobs to do the work, instead of hiring out of town contractors,” said Director of Public Works, Steve Nelson.
“In recent years, city government has become way too comfortable contracting our basic city services to the best bidder,” said Council President J.P. Morrell. “With the creation of an in-house paving unit, we are bringing city services back into public hands, where accountability, quality, and long-term value matter more than the lowest short-term price.”
“These updates put our infrastructure dollars to work where they matter most,” At-Large Council Member Matthew Willard said. “By investing in skilled workers and essential equipment within the Department of Public Works, we are building a stronger in-house repair team that can ultimately fix streets faster and more efficiently. This approach reduces our reliance on outside contractors, delivers better accountability, and ensures residents across New Orleans see real, tangible improvements to street quality in their neighborhoods.”
“One of my top platforms during my campaign – and now as District A Councilmember – is bringing basic city services and back in-house to reduce our reliance on outside contractors,” said District A Councilmember Aimee McCarron. “This in-house paving crew will have more flexibility prioritizing projects, responding to emergencies, and ease the pain for residents awaiting street repaving. I am thrilled Mayor Moreno’s administration is continuing to prioritize our internal workforce, and I look forward to rebuilding in-house services to better serve all residents.”
“We’re using our capital budget to make a smart investment that pays off for residents,” said District B Councilmember Lesli Harris. “An in-house paving unit means better coordination, lower costs over time, and a more reliable way to deliver basic city services without draining operating funds the City simply doesn’t have.”
“There is real value in the City having the ability to respond to street conditions in an expedited and efficient manner. Establishing an in-house paving unit allows us to deploy resources quickly, address priority needs as they arise and maintain direct accountability for the quality of work performed,” District D Council Member Eugene Green said. “City employees are invested in the long-term condition of our infrastructure and are held to the standards and oversight that come with public service. I strongly support the creation of this in-house paving task force, whose results can be reviewed in real time to ensure we are meeting the City’s most pressing street-paving needs. In this instance, the benefits of public-sector delivery clearly outweigh reliance on private contractors.”
“For District E and communities across the city, this means fewer delays, more efficient use of public dollars, and a stronger focus on maintaining the streets, drainage, and public assets our residents depend on every day,” said District E City Councilman Jason Hughes. “I’m proud to co-sponsor this effort to make our infrastructure response more proactive and results driven.”
