Jefferson Parish, Department of Public Works
Jefferson Parish, LA
ECM provided engineering designs and prepared plans, specifications, and estimate (PS&E), including sequence of construction plans, traffic detour plans, for this $14.5 million, 6-Lane divided, Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) major roadway. This corridor of Severn Avenue with businesses on both sides, including Lakeside mall on east side is the most heavily travelled street in Jefferson Parish. The purpose of the project is to make Severn Avenue corridor pedestrian friendly street. As a part of the Federal Aid Urban System program, all engineering design and plan preparation was performed in accordance with LADOTD standards and guidelines. Plans and specifications were reviewed by the DOTD road design section, and all their comments were incorporated on the plans.
During field investigations and preliminary study, ECM engineers discovered that the existing pavement has signs of distress in many locations as well as evidence of street flooding during moderate to heavy rain events. ECM recommended to the Parish that improvements to the existing subsurface drainage are essential to make the project a success for the intended purpose. Since existing subsurface drainage systems are in the paved areas and the project scope included removal and replacement of the PCC roadway, ECM engineers recommended to replace drainage system, adding large new trunk lines for retention of runoffs to minimize flooding in the area.
Work included topographic and subsurface utility survey; development of existing and proposed drainage maps with associated hydraulic computations, design for the new 3 lanes each for North and South bound PCC roadway, widening and improvements to roadway intersections, modifications to traffic signals including new pedestrian signals, new decorative streetlights; new 8-foot wide brick paved sidewalks with ADA compliant ramps; new landscaping including irrigation system, roadway striping and designing a dedicated bike lane with buffer and construction of ten parklets with pavers, benches, potted plantings, bike racks, etc.