The state has submitted its plan to address the aging Claiborne Expressway, after decades of talks and negotiations.
It involves $95 million dollars of work on the structure itself, revitalizing the area underneath and potentially demolishing four access ramps in Treme.
The plan, which was submitted by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, is a request for federal funding of $47 million, with matching funds coming from the state.
Dr. Shawn Wilson, Secretary of DOTD, said the Claiborne Expressway is past its useful life and needs serious work.
The Claiborne Expressway was built in the 1960s through the historic Black neighborhood of Treme, destroying businesses in the name of providing a faster commute for drivers heading to the city’s Central Business District. A proposed highway along the river was defeated by French Quarter residents. The Claiborne Expressway carries more than of 130,000 cars per day.
