St Roch Drainage Project

Megan FrostBrooke KellerMichael Kuhn

Amelia SchmidtPaul Walker

St Roch Neighborhood

• The neighborhood was first established in the early 1800s as a community for free people of color.

• The modern borders of the area are the diagonal stretch of Florida Ave to Elysian Fields Ave, St Claude, Almonaster Blvd, and I-10.

• It was the construction of the interstate that led to the down slide of the neighborhood., causing many businesses to close and those that were able to move.

DemographicsPopulation

11,975 living in 4,336 households77% in households with between one & four people

91.5% African-AmericanEconomy

27.2% earn less than $10,000/yearAverage income $25,859 (compared to $43,176 for the city as a

whole)Hurricane impact

44.4% of those surveyed experienced more than five feet of flooding

Information based on Environmental Knowledge and Needs Survey, by The Green Project; www.thegreenproject.org/StRochSurveyReport.pdf

St Roch Drainage Project

• The St Roch Community has been plagued with inadequate drainage for decades. Residents have asked for change, but nothing has happened.

• We have set forth to explore this issue comprehensively, and present our ideas for a resolution.

• While we recognize the large-scope of our proposal- both in finances and dimensions- we also believe its is imperative for the growth of the community.

Our area of study was from Elysian Fields Ave to Franklin Ave, and Claiborne to St Claude

Blue squares represent drains

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1 0 0 0 62 7 13

8

36

Problem RatingScale 1-10

All data from seventy surveys.

Frequency of Standing Water From June to November

10%

66%

24%

0-1 days per week2-4 days per week5+ days per week

Series10%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

86%

64%

21%

MosquitosCar/Walk ProblemsHouse/Yard Damage

Problems Associated with Standing Water

Additional Problems mentioned

• Frogs• Flies• Gnats• Roaches• Rodents • Trash

• Mud• Entry to homes

impeded• Odor

• Termites • Spiders

STANDING WATER

ROAD DETERIORATION

LACK OF CURBS

INADEQUATE INSTALLATION

COVERED/OVER-GROWN DRAINS

HOME DAMAGE

CAR DAMAGE

Lack of drainage poses many health risks

West Nile is the number one arthropod-borne virus that affects the US

The region has a history of outbreaks of West Nile

The such will continue to exist until appropriate measures are taken to eradicate the problem at its source- mosquitoes

January

March

May July

August

October

December

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

West Nile Virus Cases, Louisiana 2006

Information from CDC Louisiana Arbovirus Surveillance Summary, 2006

0-14 15-29 30-44 45-59 60-75 75+0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

NIDFeverDeath

Information from CDC Louisiana Arbovirus Surveillance Summary, 2006

Incidence by Age & Clinical Event for Humans with WNV

Solutions• Adequate water drainage will only be achieved with the

installation of drains throughout the neighborhood• In addition, a comprehensive solution will need to

include street to street curbs

• For both of these projects, street repaving is necessary • For the areas where drains exist, many of the lines are

overgrown, or are not accessible to the existing water flown

Priorities

• Elysian Fields Ave• Marigny St• Spain St• Arts St

• East/West Streets• St Roch Ave• Mandeville St

Blue squares represent drains

Finances

• $10 million in bonds for street improvements to each city council member over 5 year period

• $65 million has been allotted for 18 streets, including Elysian Fields

• Rebuilding the Water Systems of New Orleans Program

• If restarted post-storm

• Bring New Orleans Back • Sustainability Subcommittee

Contacts

• Greater New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board– Office of Community & Intergovernmental

Relations: 504.585.2175• Robert Jackson: 504.269.7978; rjackson@swbno.org

• Public Works– Robert Mendoza: 504.658.8000

• Louisiana Public Health Institute– Jennifer Ruley: 504.905.9654; jruley@lphi.org

• City Council– James Carter: 504.658.1030– Public Works Committee• Councilwoman Stacy Head: 504.658.1020

• House of Representatives– District 96• Representative Juan A LaFonta: 504.282.0265

– District 97• Representative Jean-Paul J Morrell: 504.942.5996