New Orleans Travel & day 1

Well i made it, I'm here on the ground in the big easy, New Orleans.

The trip down was great only a few minor issues, not getting all your broading passes when you check in is one issue. When we all checked in to Air Canada in St. John's most of us were only able to get boarding passes to Toronto, then we had to go check in again. Weird computer malfunction it was called. The flight to Toronto, and to Chicago was prefect on time the whole way. the one from Chicago was delayed by an hour because of snow and deiceing but that was fine we got here safe and sound and in one peace.

Upon arriving we took the shuttle to the car rental company and got our SUV's, and headed to the mission, taking in a few sights along the way, couldn't see much because it was dark. We got all settled into the mission, and met the people here, this place is great, nice bunk rooms, clean bathrooms, and showers, excellent kitchen.

After getting settled in we headed down the Jackson Square, and ate at the Corner Grill, excellent food, excellent place, and the people were very grateful of the work we are doing, they could not thank us enough, and that means a lot. After eating we walked around the area, and walked Bourbon St. Wow, thats one long street, it wasn't too crazy, at all. lots of bars. We headed back and settled in for the night then.

We got up bright and early this morning at 6am, hit the showers, and ate breakfast before 7. We headed to the school we the girls would be working to look at the site, renos have started on the school its self with an massive addition and reno under way, the contractor was really nice to bring us in the office and show us the plans and talk to us about the construction concepts.

We then headed out to get our survey rentals, brand new equipment! excellent! we then went to met Hal Roake, the executive director, of the Broadmoor Development Corp. the group we are doing the work for. He talked to us about the projects we will be doing, and the work it entails.

the plan is for me and Brent to take on an extension of the project completed last year by Jon and Derek, the traffic calming circle, or roundabout at the intersections of napolpian, fouitblue, and South Broad. the guys developed the plan last year, the BDC wants me and brent to devlope cost estimates, deatiled plans, and conparason to an existing roundabout at the lakeview mall.

this is going to be itneresting, while our work does not focus on design, but impelentation. Hal has set up meetings with the City of New Orleans, for us to help pitch the idea. the plan for tommorow is to survey the roundabout at the lakeview mall. and overlay it on the area, for conparison.

The girls will be doing the work aboud the school, that was orginally planned, surveying the area, and meeting with persons of interest. looks to be a great project.

Once we and brent gets our data from the mall, there is a few more sites to survey, areas, that are planned to be developed in to community parking lots.

Once all our meetings was done we headed to the mission for dinner, po-boy sandwhichs and salad, excellent meal.

We then went on somewhat of a tour of the city, stoping at the area were the levee broke, to see the area, we toured a home that had been damaged, all was left was the framming, we seen the dmage caused to the street, and sidewalks.

Hal then took us to one of the pumping stations on the outlow cannel, this one is equiped with gates, to stop the flow back from lake ponchutrain. that is what caused most of the trouble with katrina. it was quite eye opening to see it. he then took us to the mall to show us the traffic circle that we will be surveying tommorow. from there we headed to the school and toured the area, and met with Ms. Hanna, one of the nicest persons we met, she was the first person back into the broadmoor area after katrina. the the BCI helped rebuild her home, she took us in for a tour of her house, and told us lots of stories.

From there we headed back for a feed of red beans and rice, and settled in for the night.

heres a few pics form today.
The Andrew Charter Wilson School (girls project)


The roundabout at the lakeview mall, which me and brent will survey


The pumping station./gate at the lake.

abandon home lake area.

Tree branch stuck in power lines, near libray site.


A local drainage design, a bayou swell, it funnels water into to water loving low maintenance plants


I well post more on facebook as i get time.

Night AllyeAll
Cor