Adding value through innovation to protect the people of New Orleans from 100-year floods
Market
Civil & Marine
Key Services
Construction
Preconstruction
Self-Perform
Steel Fabrication
Strategic Partnerships
Delivery Method
Early Contractor Involvement (ECI)Self Perform %
70Work Hours
700,000The challenge
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, safeguarding New Orleans from future hurricane and flood devastation was paramount. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) engaged Alberici to construct the Seabrook Floodgate Complex across the Inner Harbor Navigational Canal. The complexity lay in fabricating and installing massive gates while minimizing costs and adhering to stringent timeline requirements.
Key Facts
Keystone Award Winner, Associated General Contractors of Missouri
Award of Merit, ENR Texas & Louisiana
$16 million in savings
710 tons steel fabrication
Challenge met
Alberici rose to the challenge by utilizing our St. Louis-based facility to self-fabricate the colossal steel gates. Working under an Early Contractor Involvement contract, Alberici performed extensive preconstruction services and engaged in formal partnering sessions with USACE and the designer of record. The strategy led to accepted innovations like a temporary rock dike that curbed tidal flow during construction, enabling the use of barge-mounted cranes for gate installation.
This foresight reduced costs by 9 percent from the initial estimate, slashed the schedule by three months, and delivered temporary flood protection during construction, meeting the congressionally mandated 100-year perimeter flood protection milestones. Alberici’s synergy with USACE became the bedrock of fortification for New Orleans, a testament to our prowess in disaster-resilient infrastructure.
Recent Projects
Kings Bay Dry Dock Recapitalization Project
Melvin Price Locks & Dam Main Lock Overlook Alterations
