Building a Safer, Stronger New Orleans

1,547 street miles. 149 bridges.

The Department of Public Works (DPW) is responsible for maintaining and improving the city’s streets, sidewalks, streetlights, traffic signals, parking enforcement, and public right-of-way infrastructure. Our mission is to enhance mobility, safety, and accessibility for residents, businesses, and visitors while ensuring compliance with city codes and standards.

The Department of Public Works is comprised of five (5) divisions:

Engineering
Ground Transportation Bureau
Maintenance
Traffic
Parking & Towing

Report a Problem

If you see an issue with streets, streetlights, traffic signals, or sidewalks, report it to NOLA 311—New Orleans’ official non-emergency government service.

📞 Call 311 or visit nola.gov/311 to submit a service request.

The Department of Public Works (DPW) is dedicated to maintaining and improving our city's infrastructure. While we handle many roadway and traffic-related issues, some concerns—such as water, sewer, and drainage—are managed by the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO).

For assistance with water and sewer issues, please contact SWBNO at 504.52WATER (529.2837) or report a leak online: Report a Leak .
- We also have this generic link, if you'd rather link everything to this one page. https://www.swbno.org/CustomerService/ReportAnIssue
  
  that brings you to all issues you can report: customer service, drainage, and water/sewer.
To report street flooding or clogged/broken catch basins, please call NOLA 311 or visit the SWBNO FloodTracker for more information.

Working together, we can keep our city's infrastructure running smoothly.

Divisions

Engineering

DPW offers Construction Engineers working in the City specific guidelines to ensure they meet all City codes and standards.

Ground Transportation Bureau

GTB oversees permitting, regulating and enforcement of vehicles and drivers operating for-hire, including taxis, pedicabs, and buses, as well as tour guides, tour planners and tour companies within the city of New Orleans. The GTB office is closed to the public so all applications for GTB are required to be submitted online.

Maintenance

The DPW Maintenance Division is responsible for filling potholes, and ditching. To report a maintenance issue, click here to contact 311.

Traffic

The Department of Public Works Traffic Division is responsible for installing and maintaining the city's traffic signs, signals, and roadway striping. The Division also handles permits for street closures and construction activities in public rights-of-way, including work on streets, sidewalks, and underground utilities.

Additionally, the Traffic Engineering Division oversees the city's streetlight system. This includes repairing and replacing streetlight fixtures, poles, pole bases, wiring, circuitry, and junction boxes. To report a traffic-related issue, click here to contact 311.

Parking & Towing

The Department of Public Works Parking & Towing Division issues tickets when parking regulations, outlined in the City of New Orleans Municipal Code, are violated. Avoid parking tickets by referencing the list of frequently violated parking regulations here.

The Division is also responsible for enforcement of City ordinances in regard to public safety by managing curb space (on-street parking) in certain densely populated areas. Measures include ticketing and towing violating vehicles, immobilizing vehicles, and towing abandoned vehicles. Additionally, this Division is responsible for establishing and managing residential parking zones throughout the City. The City may tow cars immediately in the interest of public safety.

DPW Main Division

(504) 658-8000 Email DPW Main Division

1300 Perdido Street 6W03 New Orleans, LA 70112

9am—5pm
Monday—Friday

Jobs

Department of Public Works includes:

Services

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Programs & Initiatives
Accessibility of Streets and Sidewalks

The Department of Public Works (DPW) addresses a variety of issues that impact the accessibility of streets and sidewalks within Orleans Parish These include providing physical accessibility features on City of New Orleans streets, a process for public accommodation requests, a means by which accommodation grievance procedures can be initiated, and tracking progress toward compliance.

Learn more

Programs & Initiatives
Crescent City Connection Lighting

The Crescent City Connection isn't just a bridge—it's a canvas that reflects the spirit of New Orleans. From red, white and blue on Independence Day to purple, green and gold on Mardi Gras, each lighting tells a story.

Whether celebrating a holdiday, raising awareness, or honoring an organization, the bridge connects us through color and light.

Learn more

Programs & Initiatives
Mobility and Safety

Learn more

Topics

Latest News

September 11, 2026 | From City of New Orleans

TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Baronne Street at Washington Avenue

The City of New Orleans Department of Public Works (DPW) is advising motorists that the traffic signal at Baronne Street and Washington Avenue is currently operating in flash mode after the signal equipment was knocked down on Aug. 24.

Motorists approaching the intersection should treat it as a four-way stop and proceed with caution.

September 11, 2026 | From City of New Orleans

TRAFFIC ADVISORY UPDATE: Roadway Improvement Work to Continue on St. Charles Avenue Beginning September 15

NEW ORLEANS — The City of New Orleans Department of Public Works (DPW) is advising residents and motorists of the next phase of roadway improvement work along St. Charles Avenue as part of DPW Project No. 771.

Beginning Tuesday, September 15, 2026, DPW contractor Hardrock Construction Co. LLC will begin work within the 5400–5700 blocks of St. Charles Avenue. Work will include sidewalk, driveway and ADA-related improvements, followed by milling, asphalt paving and permanent roadway striping.

August 19, 2026 | From City of New Orleans

TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Portions of Peoples Avenue to Close for Milling and Paving Work

NEW ORLEANS — The City of New Orleans Department of Public Works (DPW) will temporarily close portions of Peoples Avenue beginning Monday, Aug. 24, to perform milling and paving work.

Beginning at 7 a.m. Monday, Aug. 24, the 6400 and 6500 blocks of Peoples Avenue will be fully closed to vehicular traffic. The closures will remain in place continuously through 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25. The 6300 block of Peoples Avenue will have limited access during the same period.

August 6, 2026 | From City of New Orleans

TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Temporary Lane Shift of Eastbound Travel on Florida Avenue at the Clouet Street Intersection

The City of New Orleans announced that beginning Friday, August 7, 2026, the Department of Public Works (DPW) contractor Hard Rock Construction, will execute a temporary lane shift for vehicular traffic for approximately one month to accommodate watermain construction. Construction will be ongoing at the Florida Avenue and Clouet Street intersection within the parking lane. This lane shift is necessary to complete repairs on the large 48-inch and 30-inch watermains in accordance with the RR403 Desire Group C and D NOFOG Project. Vehicular traffic will still be able to utilize Florida Avenue to travel.

July 29, 2026 | From City of New Orleans

TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Eastbound Berg Canal Bridge Closure on Morrison Road Beginning July 30

NEW ORLEANS – The City of New Orleans announced today that, starting Thursday, July 30, the Department of Public Works (DPW) will close the Berg Canal Bridge eastbound on Morrison Road. This closure is necessary to mobilize equipment needed to accommodate bridge repairs as part of the Morrison Road Improvement Project. The closure is expected to remain in effect until September 2026.

During this time construction crews will perform approach slab replacements.

July 29, 2026 | From City of New Orleans

Southbound Jourdan Road Bridge to Eastbound Almonaster Avenue Reopens to Traffic

NEW ORLEANS – The Department of Public Works (DPW), in coordination with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), will reopen the southbound Jourdan Road bridge connection to eastbound Almonaster Avenue on Friday, July 31.

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Building a Safer, Stronger New Orleans

1,547 street miles. 149 bridges.