As the City responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, New Orleans is still moving forward on crucial infrastructure improvements to make our roads safer and less stressful for everyone.
This is big! The City of New Orleans is finishing up improvements on Garden Oaks Drive from Old Behrman Highway to General De Gaulle Drive in Algiers. Even as the city responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, they’re following through on their commitment to improve the city’s infrastructure. And the best part: this is just the beginning of Mayor Cantrell’s and the City’s commitment to rapidly expanding the low-stress bikeway network throughout the city.
We’re proud to support the Mayor and the City in developing and now implementing the Moving New Orleans Bikes initiative. The New Orleans Complete Streets Coalition has been instrumental in ensuring widespread public engagement to show the benefits that Complete Streets and better bike infrastructure will have for all road users. Through that commitment we’re demonstrating the broad public support that exists across New Orleans for safe and accessible street design.
Thanks to these improvements, people who bike, drive, walk and take public transportation will be safer and experience less stress on the roads. Our roads should be safe and accessible to everyone, and with improvements like this, improvements that clearly demarcate space of the road for different ways to travel, we’re moving in that direction fast.
As Mayor LaToya Cantrell put it, “We have reaffirmed our commitment that even as we continue to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak, the infrastructure work continues around this city. One year ago we began in earnest the plan to expand our bikeway network in order to provide safer, more accessible and equitable transportation options. Now we’re seeing the results of strong community engagement and thoughtful planning on the ground in Algiers with the improvements along Garden Oaks — one of 11 different corridors on the Westbank.”
Especially in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re gratified to see the City continue prioritizing infrastructure improvement. Complete streets are crucial during this pandemic. Our ability to walk, drive, bike, and rely on transit during this pandemic remains essential, even as we do so at a safe distance from our neighbors.
As Councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmer (District C) said, “It is critical to ensure that any updates to our streets are safe and accessible for all New Orleanians. I’m excited that work on the first portion of the bike connectivity network will begin in Algiers. More protected bike lanes will improve the safety of pedestrians and motorists while providing bicyclists access to jobs, schools, grocery stores and a plethora of amenities in Algiers.”
This Covid-19 crisis is demanding all of our vigilance, day by day, week to week. But, we’re also keeping our eyes on the future, because this crisis will end and we’ll still need streets made safe and accessible for all of us and the ways we travel. .
The improvements on Garden Oaks go beyond a protected bike lane with flex posts and include the following: repairs to the roadway and improved drainage systems; added sidewalks and accessible curb ramps where gaps existed; installed bike lane striping with green conflict markings to increase driver and bicyclist awareness at driveways and bus stops; installed yellow center-line striping; and an assessment of streetlight repair needs.
To residents in Algiers, we’re excited for you all to try out this improved roadway and would love to know about your experience. Send us photos and videos of your experience biking, walking, or driving on the new Garden Oaks Drive on social media and use the hashtag #NOLACompleteStreets.
You can also read the full press release from the Mayor’s office below:
NEW ORLEANS — The City of New Orleans continues to implement its citywide bikeway network expansion effort to create a completely connected and safer system for bicycling. Improvements to one of 11 bike-focused “rapid-build corridors” in Algiers is anticipated to be complete next month. Contractors are currently working on improvements to Garden Oaks Drive from Old Behrman Highway to General De Gaulle Drive. Crews are installing the elements for the protected bike lane, including flex posts, new curbs, signage and lane striping. Improvements that have already been completed on the project include: repairs to roadway and improved drainage systems; added sidewalks and accessible curb ramps where gaps existed; installed bike lane striping with green conflict markings to increase driver and bicyclist awareness at driveways and bus stops; installed yellow center-line striping; and an assessment of streetlight repair needs.
“We have reaffirmed our commitment that even as we continue to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak, the infrastructure work continues around this city,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “One year ago we began in earnest the plan to expand our bikeway network in order to provide safer, more accessible and equitable transportation options. Now we’re seeing the results of strong community engagement and thoughtful planning on the ground in Algiers with the improvements along Garden Oaks — one of 11 different corridors on the Westbank.”
“It is critical to ensure that any updates to our streets are safe and accessible for all New Orleanians. I’m excited that work on the first portion of the bike connectivity network will begin in Algiers. More protected bike lanes will improve the safety of pedestrians and motorists while providing bicyclists access to jobs, schools, grocery stores and a plethora of amenities in Algiers,” said District C Councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmer.
The $1.3 million Garden Oaks Drive project is part of the Moving New Orleans Bikes (MNOB) initiative. The other 10 corridors are:
- Florence Drive (Old Behrman Highway to General De Gaulle Drive)
- Holiday Drive (Behrman Place to General Meyer Avenue)
- Lawrence Street (Hendee Street to Odeon Street)
- MacArthur Boulevard (General De Gaulle to Woodland Drive)
- Mardi Gras Boulevard (Shirley Drive to L.B. Landry Avenue)
- Newton Street (Mississippi River Trail to Behrman Avenue)
- Odeon Street (Wall Boulevard to Patterson Drive)
- Wall Boulevard (General De Gaulle to Holiday Drive)
- Westbend Parkway (General De Gaulle to Wall Boulevard)
- Woodland Drive (Tullis Drive to General Meyer)
All corridors are anticipated to be complete in 2021.
MNOB is an effort to improve the safety of people riding so more people can choose bicycles for transportation. Along with transit, walking and driving, bicycling is an important transportation option that provides numerous benefits to individuals, families, and our city — even for people who never ride. A better bicycle network will provide job access, health benefits, reduced demand for parking, and a general improved quality of life.