Even after the fence blocking one end of Newcomb Boulevard has been removed, controversy surrounding traffic flow along the street lingers on, as the New Orleans City Council postponed a decision Thursday on whether to make the street one-way.
Pending before the Council for most of this month has been an ordinance making Newcomb Boulevard one-way toward Freret Street, as some residents have argued that it is too narrow to be navigated by cars moving in both directions. Opponents, however, say Newcomb is not substantially narrower than other neighborhood streets, and that making it one-way would actually increase speeding by eliminating oncoming traffic that drivers would have to slow down for.
The ordinance was set for Thursday’s meeting of the City Council, but it was deferred without comment until May 8.
The Newcomb Blvd. residents should meet with the surrounding neighbors and present their plans and need for a one way street. They certainly underestimated neighborhood reaction to the gate issue big time! There is still a serious amount of residual distrust since the recent gate issue when neighbors were left out.
Does this mean that ALL streets of similar width and circumstances are now entitled to the same rights to one-way status or is this just for the privileged residents on Newcomb Blvd.? Remember….E-V-E-R-Y property owner on Newcomb Blvd. has off street parking. Many of their neighbors have NO off street parking. Maybe the privileged Newcomb Blvd. residents ought to use all that off street parking they already have!