transportation

Digital town hall to outline plans to revamp region’s transit system

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A initiative to overhaul the region’s public transit system, called New Links, was at a crucial phase in February. It had released three comprehensive transportation concepts and was asking the public to weigh in. That public input would drive the final proposal, Regional Planning Commission officials said. When the COVID-19 emergency hit, the New Links team was in the middle of intense outreach at busy transit stops and community meetings. Social distancing put a stop to that outreach.

city government

RTA is reducing service, waiving fares

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Beginning Sunday (March 29) in response to COVID-19 pandemic, the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority is further reducing its service. Some routes will remain on a Saturday schedule,  other lines will run less frequently and some routes will be eliminated during the coronavirus crisis. In addition, the RTA will waive transit fares for bus, streetcar and ferry service until further notice. The RTA continues to urge the community to use public transit for essential travel only and for riders to practice social distancing when using transit. Service suspended
The 11 Magazine, 15 Freret and 90 Carrollton buses will suspend service altogether from Sunday until further notice.

city government

S&WB planning water-main repairs in Carrrollton area on Saturday

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Sewerage & Water Board crews will repair a broken water valve on South Carrollton Avenue and Zimpel Street in the Carrollton neighborhood. Repairs will begin Saturday (March 7) at 8 a.m.

Repairs will continue through Sunday. The S&WB said it is making the repairs on a weekend to avoid disrupting service to nearby schools while classes are in session. During this repair, some residents in the Carrollton neighborhood will likely experience low to no water pressure. Residents are encouraged to have bottled water available and make other preparations.

events

Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon is here to stay on Sunday morning

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Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon runners will take to the streets — most of the streets, it seems — on Sunday (Feb. 9). Residents need to plan ahead for road closures and transportation delays. The Central City, Garden District, Touro, Milan, Uptown, Audubon and Lower Garden District neighborhoods will be affected by the event. Informational door hangers will be distributed to residents, businesses and organizations along the route, event organizers said.

city government

Yearlong Freret area roadwork begins

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The Freret roadwork project broke ground on Monday (Feb. 3), the Mayor’s Office announced. Work on the project, which is one of about 200 being funded across the city with more than $2.2 billion of FEMA money, will continue for another year. The boundaries for improvements are bounded by South Claiborne on the north, LaSalle Street on the south, Jefferson Avenue on the west and Napoleon Avenue on the east. This $4 million project was designed by Kyle Associates LLC and will be constructed by Hard Rock Construction LLC.

transportation

Blue Bikes moves toward expansion into more Uptown neighborhoods with its new e-bikes

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The city’s Blue Bikes bicycle sharing system has begun an expansion that will include more Uptown neighborhoods. In the coming months, the Blue Bikes service area will expand to more parts of the city, including Central City, Gert Town, Carrollton, Broadmoor, Riverbend and Uptown. Blue Bikes are currently in the Garden District, Lower Garden District and Central City and a handful of other Uptown locations: the Tulane campus, Touro area, Napoleon and Magazine, and Hoffman Triangle. These new locations will have a new fleet of e-bikes, scheduled to hit the streets starting Thursday (Feb. 6).

city government

Yearlong road repairs will begin soon in Freret Street area; meeting to provide details

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The city’s Department of Public Works and the Sewerage & Water Board has planned extensive road repairs in the Freret Street area. A public meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 8, will provide residents an opportunity to learn more about the upcoming Freret Group A project and get their questions addressed, according to a notice from District B Councilman Jay Banks’ office. Roadwork NOLA is hosting the meeting to discuss the repairs scheduled to begin soon in the Freret Street area. They will include:

• Repaving the asphalt roadway from curb-to-curb;
• Patching the roadway with asphalt or concrete;
• Repairing damaged sidewalks with driveway aprons;
• Installing Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant curb ramps at intersection; and
• Replacing/repairing damaged underground water, sewer, and/or drainage lines.

city government

Blue Bikes expanding Uptown service, switching to electric-assisted bikes

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On the second anniversary of the city’s Blue Bikes program, Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced expansion of the bike-share service to include more Uptown locations. The city also plans to replace its fleet with electric bikes, Cantrell announced. Blue Bikes will be expanding in the Uptown, Riverbend, Carrollton, Broadmoor, Gert Town and Central City neighborhoods. More bike service is also planned for Algiers and the 7th Ward. “While everyone rides for different reasons, the system mirrors our city, and bikes are located in a growing number of neighborhoods to meet different needs — from City Park to the CBD to the French Quarter to Central City,” Cantrell said.

events

Original New Orleans Lady & Men Buckjumpers second-line on Sunday

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The Original New Orleans Lady & Men Buckjumpers second-line, one of the season’s most popular, is happening this Sunday. The social aid and pleasure clubs’ members will line up at 11:30 a.m. at Verret’s Lounge, 1738 Washington Ave., and the parade will begin at noon. It will travel the Central City, Milan, Broadmoor, Gert Town, Marlyville and Fontainbleu neighborhoods.  The parade will disband at 5 p.m.

Parking enforcement personnel will be monitoring the area. Call 504-658-8100 to report illegal parking. Traffic will be restricted in all affected neighborhoods along the route below.

city government

City, RTA to begin work to improve accessibility at St. Charles streetcar stops

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In early November, the city’s New Orleans Department of Public Works and the Regional Transit Authority will begin an approximately two-month project to improve access for people with disabilities at six streetcar stops. The RTA selected stations at major intersections and at the beginning and end of the St. Charles Avenue streetcar line. The RTA will operate a shuttle bus during construction. Traffic along the route will also be affected.