Baton Rouge Company Gets $44.8M Canal Contract in New Orleans

A Baton Rouge company has a $44.8 million, 48-month contract for concrete-covered canals along two New Orleans streets.

The Army Corps of Engineers says the canals will reduce the risk of damages from the equivalent of about nine inches of rain over 24 hours. Such storms have a 10 percent chance of happening in any given year.

Cajun Constructors Inc. has the contract for about 3,700 feet of canal along Jefferson Avenue between Dryades and Constance streets, and another 1,300 feet along Prytania Street between Nashville and Jefferson avenues.

All Prytania Street traffic in the construction area will be detoured. On Jefferson Avenue, southbound traffic will be detoured to Nashville Avenue.

The Corps says work should begin in late March or early April.