Making 17 City Evacuation Pick-Up Spots Memorable
Vanessa Bolano WGNO News

November 28, 2011
NEW ORLEANS—

Hurricane season ends in two days, but tonight plans are in the works to redesign evacuation pick-up spots. It's a call to artists and WGNO's Vanessa Bolano has the details.

Theodore George has been living in Central City for 20 years, yet today he can't tell us where to go for assistance during an evacuation.

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“I don’t know where it is. I'm in the neighborhood,  but I don't know where it is.”

The City Assisted Evacuation Plan helps residents evacuate when they can't on their own. A "bus stop" of sorts, but up until now only a small sign has been the identifying marker. The sign though is not clearly visible in Theodore's neighborhood, and not much better in slumped back against a tree Treme.

There are 17 evacuation pickup points throughout the city. They've been in place since before Gustav, but many people don't even know where they are. Now Morgana King with the Arts Council of New Orleans hopes artists will make them memorable.

“So that everyday, 365 days a year, there's a reminder of the exact place that you need to go. We're hoping that it's a beautiful addition that you'll want to see everyday and then when it's time, you know what it means and it's a signal for you,” says King.

King will be reviewing the work of artists from around the country. $200,000 is the budget for the 17 sites, and chances are the final design won't look like anything we've seen.

“It's right now up in the air. It could be a really nice sign, a sculpture, it could be a bench. We're going to go through these proposals and find the best match for New Orleans.”

The design challenge is a collaboration between the Arts Council of New Orleans, Evacuteer.org, and the City of New Orleans. One artists will be chosen in February.

To apply click here for details. The deadline to apply is midnight.

They hope to begin installing the new design by the start of next hurricane season.