Client:
City of Kenner
End Date:
2019 May
Services:
Design
THE QUESTION.
HOW WILL WE ACCESS THIS NEW $1 BILLION, WORLD CLASS AIRPORT TERMINAL?
Aerial of Connector Road from the Airport to I-10.
A question not immediately posed or answered in April 2013 when the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (LANOIA) announced its decision to construct a new, world class terminal facility on the north side of the existing terminal.
In 2014, the City of Kenner, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD), New Orleans Regional Planning Commission and the City of New Orleans along with LANOIA discussed upcoming terminal construction. It was during this meeting that the partnering entities were tasked with constructing a new entrance roadway to provide immediate public access when the terminal opens.
This improvement project was crucial as public access was paramount and the long term improvements involving a flyover ramp from I-10, were tied up in funding procurement along with a lengthy design-build schedule.
WE ANSWERED.
Digital Engineering (DE) was selected as the design engineer in August 2014 and little did we know at the time that this seemingly straightforward roadway project would involve drastic scope changes during the design and construction phases, as well as a fire station relocation.
One of the major hurdles DE managed was in 2017 when LANOIA and LADOTD officials wanted to further increase the roadway capacity by adding a number of travel lanes to and from the Airport. The dilemma: a fire station sat in the median for the additional lanes.
After much collaboration, the solution was determined: DE would assist in the demolition and relocation/reconstruction of the fire station while simultaneously developing engineering drawings for a change order to the existing roadway project already under construction. This change also involved additional surcharge to accommodate a total of ten travel lanes south of Veterans Boulevard.
DE rose to the challenges and complexities this project involved and with a focus on:
surpassing the trust the City and four funding partners had in our team;
supplying the public with a timely airport access roadway;
ensuring the health and safety of the local community;
providing minimal disruption to traffic and businesses during construction
and assisting the City of Kenner with relocation of an existing fire station.
We worked closely with LADOTD and Barriere Construction to ensure all improvements were completed by May 15th, six months ahead of the November 2019 terminal opening date.