NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Findings in a newly released report by the New Orleans Office of Inspector General, Edward Michel, revealed several issues within the Department of Public Works.  One finding showed the DPW failed to routinely update traffic signal data and performance measures for traffic signals throughout the city. The department relies on the 311 system to update the data, but the OIG says the department failed to update the status of these requests. LaPlace brothers arrested following drug investigation "So, as a result, it was impossible for the public to actually reliably track traffic signal outages throughout the city," said Michel. A second finding revealed major staffing issues. The OIG says the department's lack of staff made it difficult to conduct repairs and maintenance in a timely manner. "The level of staffing in the traffic signal shop was substantially lower than that of other jurisdictions," said Michel. A 2019 survey found agencies across the country responsible for 450 to 1,000 signals averaged around 43 staff members to perform traffic signal work. However, up until May of this year, the DPW had only 2 employees to maintain the city's 462 traffic signals. One of those employees was injured and restricted to light duty. By July, the DPW hired more people but remained severely understaffed. Records also show the city was unable to find a contractor to do routine maintenance and repairs. Former New Orleans inspector pleads not guilty in federal fraud case "Frequent and prolonged traffic outages can increase public safety risk, contribute to traffic congestion. Traffic congestion can impede commerce by delaying deliveries, increasing operating costs and limiting the availability to customers. So, it's critically important that we get this right," said Michel. The OIG says the DPW also failed to keep maintenance records. They had limited inventory for repairs and did not have adequate facilities to guard against theft of their already limited resources. The OIG released a list of recommendations to assist the department with improving operations and to better ensure public safety. The OIG says the DPW has already begun addressing these issues. Latest Posts: Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter. 2 important dates in still unsolved hit and run death Dollar General employee finds puppies dumped in trash amid cold Arkansas weather Report by inspector general reveals safety hazards made by DPW More beautiful fall weather for next couple of days Construction of new Ochsner Children’s Hospital in Jefferson to move forward despite pushback