Greater New Orleans Expressway Commission, Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, Consulting Engineer Retainer Contract, Metairie, Louisiana

Client: Greater New Orleans Expressway Commission

Completion Date: Ongoing

GEC has an on-going retainer contract, begun in 1991, to serve as the Consulting Engineer for the Greater New Orleans Expressway Commission (GNOEC), Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, in accordance with the GNOEC General Bond Resolution. The GNOEC is responsible for constructing, maintaining, repairing and operating the 24-mile dual span bridge across Lake Pontchartrain connecting Jefferson and St, Tammany Parishes. The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is primarily constructed of precast prestressed concrete deck girder spans supported on 54” diameter concrete pile bents. Steel girder spans provide increased clearance for small marine vessels at the North, Center and South Humps. Passage for larger vessels is allowed at the North and South Channels. The North Channel is the site of a Bascule Bridge, which is manned 24 hours.

As GNOEC Consulting Engineer, GEC has performed the following tasks to safeguard the interests of the bondholders in accordance with the GNOEC General Bond Resolution:

• GEC has reviewed the Operations and Maintenance of the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway and related facilities and made recommendations.
• GEC has reviewed and made recommendations on the Operations and Maintenance budget.
• GEC has reviewed insurance and developed determinations of replacement values.
• GEC has reviewed surplus property and certified for sale or disposal.
• GEC has provided consultation to GNOEC Administration, Staff, Counsel and Consultants.
• GEC has provided Monthly Consulting Engineers Reports to the GNOEC on the status of Projects both in design and under construction.
• GEC has attended the Monthly GNOEC meetings.
• GEC has performed emergency inspections of GNOEC facilities and provided a report of findings following incidents on the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway and related GNOEC facilities. GEC has performed inspections after hurricanes, vessel collisions, vehicle collisions and fires and other incidents.
• GEC has performed the annual AASHTO physical condition inspection of the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway and related GNOEC facilities and provided GNOEC with a report of findings.
• GEC has developed the Annual GNOEC Consulting Engineers Report.
• GEC has provided planning and scheduling for future GNOEC repair and improvement projects.
• GEC has developed the 1992 GNOEC Capital Improvements Master Plan Rehabilitation Program designed to restore the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway and related GNOEC facilities to their as built condition.
• GEC participated in the preparation of the GNOEC Master Plan for the Year 2016. The 2016 Master Plan is a work program consisting of a series of improvements to maximize the capacity of the existing Causeway Corridor and approach road network.
• GEC has developed a 25-year maintenance forecast used to determine revenue requirements in advance of Bond refunding and refinance.
• GEC developed the GNOEC Lake Pontchartrain Causeway Comprehensive Fog Plan. This plan provides for a series of improvements to increase safety on the Causeway during inclement weather conditions.
• GEC has developed the GNOEC Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plan.
• GEC has analyzed toll plaza configuration and recommended toll plaza configuration and toll tag lane designations to minimize delays in accessing the Causeway and improve toll collection efficiency.