New Orleans City Council is currently holding meetings on the city’s 2017 proposed budget. What’s next on the list? Spending millions of dollars on public developments.
On Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016, the city is proposing to spend $871 million on public construction projects, which include upgrades to the city’s sewer and drainage systems and terminal expansion at the Louis Armstrong International Airport. $480 million dollars of the overall budget is expected to be allocated to road repair.
New Orleans streets are in need of repair. According to a study mentioned by The Advocate, 65 percent of New Orleans streets are rated to be in poor condition. It is estimated that it would take ten years and 3.6 billion dollars to bring all of New Orlean’s streets to a fair rating.
While the Federal Emergency Management Agency pledged $2 Billion in road and drainage repair, the development process is planned to take years.
It has also been suggested that the proposed funding use to upgrade pedestrian crosswalks and intersections. The city of New Orleans has the most dangerous crosswalks in the state.