(The Center Square) − The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a $51.5 million construction contract to advance long-delayed work on the Florida Avenue Canal, a key drainage project in New Orleans tied to the Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project.

On Sept. 26, the Corps’ New Orleans District selected M.R. Pittman Group, LLC of St. Rose to carry out SELA 26.1a, which covers utility and support work for Phase IV of the Florida Avenue Canal expansion between St. Ferdinand Street and Peoples Avenue.

The contract calls for installation of large-bore utilities under railroad tracks, construction of concrete and steel piles, temporary retaining structures, clearing and excavation, backfilling, and utility relocations.

“By awarding this contract for the SELA project, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is proud to advance this one-of-a-kind initiative for the region,” said Col. Scotty Autin, commander of the New Orleans District. “As the only internal drainage effort currently being implemented by the Corps, SELA addresses a critical vulnerability in low-lying areas – reducing the risk of flood damage for local businesses and residents beyond what perimeter surge defenses can provide.”

The Florida Avenue Canal project is intended to widen the existing flume from Elysian Fields Avenue to Drainage Pump Station 19, with additional drainage improvements in the Peoples Triangle and nearby neighborhoods. Planned upgrades include new subsurface drainage, curb and gutter work, and resurfacing along portions of Abundance, Treasure, Benefit, Deers, Eads, Painters, Montegut, and Desire streets.

The Corps completed plans for Phase IV more than a decade ago, awarding the first contract in September 2014 for $147.5 million. Work has lagged ever since. The phase was originally expected to be finished by 2021; it is 46% complete.

Earlier segments also face setbacks. Phase 2–3, awarded in 2014 for $119 million, is 85% complete despite a 2020 target finish.

The Corps terminated the original SELA 26 contract “for convenience” and split the remaining work into two new packages: SELA 26.1a, the utility-focused contract, and SELA 26.1b, which will cover channel excavation in a future award.

Funded primarily by the federal government, SELA is designed to reduce flood risk from heavy rainfall events in Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Tammany parishes. Improvements are intended to protect against a so-called 10-year storm – roughly nine inches of rain in 24 hours.

While hurricane surge protection has captured most of the post-Katrina attention, Corps officials say SELA’s urban drainage work is just as critical to daily resilience in a city where intense downpours routinely overwhelm pumps and canals.