Still recovering from the long-term impacts of Hurricane Katrina, the city is looking to build out and modernize its transit system to improve mobility for its many transit-dependent residents.
In an article for Governing, Jared Brey outlines plans to improve transit on land and water in New Orleans on the heels of the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority hiring a new CEO earlier this year.
In addition to opening a new ferry building this summer—“a major accessibility upgrade for the ferry system”—RTA plans to overhaul its bus network, which took a major hit after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. “According to The Data Center, just 4 percent of New Orleanians take public transit to work as of 2021, compared to 14 percent in 2000.”
To improve bus service, “RTA has begun collecting funding for a new downtown transit hub, and it has secured grants this year to buy new electric buses and to make upgrades to the ferry terminal in Algiers Point. It’s also in the early stages of planning its first-ever bus rapid transit (BRT) line — a service that could potentially slash commuting times for residents coming from outlying neighborhoods to the downtown job centers.”
According to the agency, which says roughly 22,000 people live within a quarter-mile of the line’s proposed stops, “The proposed 15-mile route would have fewer stops than traditional bus service, but, if it works correctly, more frequent and faster service with priority on the roadways.”
FULL STORY: Keeping Transit on Pace With a Changing New Orleans
Postponed Milwaukee BRT Project at Least a Decade Away
The county’s transit system won’t pursue a second rapid bus line due to financial constraints.
Van Ness BRT Speeds Travel by 36%, Earns Silver Designation
The San Francisco rapid bus line is making transit on the corridor more reliable and reducing traffic crashes and congestion.
Las Vegas BRT Line Breaks Ground
The new bus project will include pedestrian and bike improvements along a 12-mile stretch of the Maryland Parkway.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service