Carl S. Bordelon

Carl S. Bordelon, register professional traffic engineer, died Saturday, September 7, 2019 at Ochsner Kenner ED at the age of 92. He was a lifelong resident of Metairie and graduated from the old Metairie High School, which was located on Metairie Road. He retired from Jefferson Parish with 37 years of creditable service. He initiated and guided the development of Jefferson Parish’s Traffic Engineering Department and served for many years as the first parish Traffic Engineer Supervisor. He was a pioneer in innovative traffic engineering throughout Jefferson Parish. He installed the first fully electronic solid-state traffic signals in Louisiana. Under his tutelage, Jefferson Parish became the first agency in the United States to install adjacent mid-block bi-directional median crossing (better known as back-to-back U-turns), the first agency to install double left-turn lanes at signalized intersections in Louisiana, and the first to install double inside-sweep left turn lanes at intersections with abnormally wide medians, which allowed for simultaneous left turns.
For many years he served as the Jefferson Parish technical representative to the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development for the development of State projects in Jefferson Parish. The most notable projects were the Westbank Expressway, conversion of Barataria Boulevard from two lanes to multiple lanes, the Lafitte-Larose highway, Earhart Expressway, Clearview Parkway, Hickory (Dickory) Avenue, and the Williams Boulevard conversion to six lanes. He was the coordinator of Jefferson Parish’s Federal Aid Urban Program from its inception until 1982, where he worked successfully with federal, state, and local agencies on numerous projects throughout Jefferson Parish.
He retired from Jefferson Parish service on April 26, 1991. His membership in professional societies and technical organizations include fellow-grade membership in the International Institute of Transportation Engineers, member of the Southern section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, founding member of the Deep South section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, member of the Urban Traffic Engineers Council of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, member of the International Municipal Signal Association, and member of the American Public Works Association. He was a member of the American Legion Post 175 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6640. He served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Employees Retirement system of Jefferson Parish from 1973 to 1988. In 1978 he received the Charles E. Dunbar, Jr. award, which is a career service award for outstanding public service presented by the Louisiana Civil Service League. In 1987, he received the 3M Company Trailblazer Award for his leadership in Traffic Engineering. He had the distinction of serving under nine different heads of government in Jefferson Parish as follows: Police Jury Presidents J.J. Holtgreve and L.L. Hall, Interim Parish President Willie Hof, and Parish Presidents: C.J. Spencer, M. Dan Hogan, Thomas Donelon, Douglas Allen, Joseph Yenni, and Michael Yenni.
He was registered as a Professional Traffic Engineer in the State of California on the eighth day of June in 1977. He has received a certified copy of the registration sent to him by the California Department of Consumer Affairs State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers. He served aboard the USS Clinton APA-144 (Amphibious Personnel Attack ship) as a member of the US Navy amphibious forces during World War II. The USS Clinton was a well-traveled amphibious ship having traveled more than 90,000 miles in a one-year period. The ship’s crew was witness to many kamikaze suicide flights at Okinawa and survived sailing through the most destructive typhoon ever encountered by the US Navy in the Asiatic Pacific area, with wind speeds surpassing 150 miles per hour and waves exceeding 100 feet high. There were more than 250 Navy ships that were either sunk or heavily damaged in this typhoon. When the typhoon subsided, the USS Clinton was entering the South China Sea southwest of Okinawa and found itself in the midst of a minefield, where mines had been dislodged by the typhoon and were bobbing on the surface of the sea.
After the island of Guam was cleared of all enemy troops, Guam became the Western Pacific operating base for the USS Clinton where the ship took on board occupation troops from Guam and disembarked those troops on the Philippine Islands. Two weeks after the surrender pact was signed, the USS Clinton took occupation troops on board at Guam and disembarked them at Yokohama, Japan.
The US Navy awarded him the American Campaign medal, World War II Victory Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign medal with one Bronze Star for service at Okinawa, China Service medal, and the Navy World War II occupation medal. He also received the WWI China War Memorial medal issued by the government of Taiwan for services to the China Nationalist government in its civil war with the China Communists in 1945.
Carl was the son of the late Adam C. Bordelon and the late Stella Gautreau Bordelon. Beloved husband of the late Myrtle Bracey Bordelon. Brother of the late Adam C. Bordelon, Jr. Loving father of Sonya T. Bordelon, Pamella A. Cook, and Loretta A. Fonte. Grandfather of Heidi R. Gottesman, Paige R. Meche, Robert L. Rose, Jr., Stacy R. Lawson, Angela M. Ralston, the late W. Clayton Cook, and Misty C. McKinley. Great-grandfather to Amber R. Young, Justin A. Bates, Benjamin M. Hoppe, and Katie F. Cook. Great-great-grandfather to McKenzie Fischer, Kaliyah Young, and Khilee R. Young.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Funeral Services at Garden of Memories Funeral Home, 4900 Airline Drive, Metairie, LA 70001 on Saturday, September 14, 2019. Visitation will be held from 10:00 am until 12:00 pm followed by a service at 12:00 pm and a military graveside service at Cypress Grove Cemetery, 124 City Park Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119. Online condolences may be offered at www.gardenofmemoriesmetairie.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Carl S. Bordelon, please visit our floral store.