New Orleans Canal Street Streetcar Northern Terminal

[daveklepper]

The "mass transit magazine" website reports from NEW ORLEANS that the new streetcar terminal for the Cemeteries car line will open in December:

 

<https://tinyurl.com/y9aenvoo>

 

Canal Boulevard, City Park Ave. Intersection to Reopen in Coming Days, New Orleans RTA Says

 

NOV 30, 2017 

 

SOURCE: MCCLATCHY

 

Nov. 29--The intersection of Canal Boulevard and City Park Avenue will reopen Monday after a four-month streetcar line construction project, and it's not a moment too soon for nearby businesses and local motorists.

 

The roughly $10 million project, which began July 31, is wrapping up a week behind schedule. It will move the drop-off spot for riders of the RTA's Cemeteries Line from the south side of City Park Avenue to a new streetcar and bus transfer terminal on the north side.

 

That's music to the ears of local merchants, who have been dealing with lost business due to the shutdown of the busy intersection, which draws in traffic from the interstate highways, Midcity and Old Metairie.

 

Tyler Coats, manager of the Herb Import Co., said his store probably lost about of third of the revenue it would normally earn over the last four months.

 

"It's been difficult for us," he said. "We've definitely noticed a decrease in business."

 

"There's been periods of time where we're just dusting the same thing over and over again, whereas before the day would fly by because there were so many people coming in and out," he said. "Time has slowed down."

 

To cope, Herb Import has kept a lighter staff -- which of course means fewer hours for employees -- and has relied on its loyal customers for support.

 

"They've really gone above and beyond to try to continue to patronize us," he said, noting that this is particularly the case with Herb Import's coffee shop because there are many alternatives in town.

 

"The regulars have actually really pulled us through it," he said. "(The construction) has definitely been a topic of conversation for everyone who has come through the door."

 

The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority acknowledged before the project began that it could be an impact on businesses, but officials said shutting the intersection down was necessary to get the job done quickly enough to comply with the federal grant that funded the work.

 

The RTA also made a last minute adjustment that kept two lanes of Canal open for the first month of the work.

 

"The project continues to maintain its progress to achieve on-time and under-budget completion," the authority said in a news release. "The RTA's general contractor and subcontractors have been working tirelessly to complete the construction as quickly as possible."

 

Coats said he can't complain about the extra week.

 

"We're all familiar with how construction projects go and the Bourbon Street fiasco," he said. "We're just happy that it's relatively on-time."

 

He did have some suggestions for future projects, saying that grant money should include funds to offset loss-of-business for local merchants, and that some form of lighting should have been brought in to make up for the loss of electricity to the street lights.

 

"It's pitch black out here at night," he said. "We have no street lights whatsoever and that's a danger for us. They should have made an effort to keep some lighting."

 

Coats said he does think the project, which aims to make things safer for the streetcar riders who previously had to walk across City Park Ave. to catch the bus, was necessary.

 

"The truth is, something needed to happen there," he said. "I've been working here eight years and I've seen a handful of people get run over (out) there."

 

The new terminal, which will include covered seating and waiting areas, will also include new street crossings and traffic signals.

 

[end text]

 

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Edward B. Havens

Tucson, Ariz.

[CandOforprogress2]

They need a Funeral Trolley Car for the Cemetary EOL-

[Electroliner 1935]

I have seen many older transfer stations where there were two shelters and each vehicle made two stops. The first stop for an arriving vehicle was next to the platform for the departing other mode vehicle and visa-versa. That is a bus to streetcar transfer and a streetcar to bus transfer. More convienent for the passengers and less congestion for them. Departing vehicle could board its passengers and then leave, then the arring vehicle could go wait for its next trip and its connecting vehicle. The diagram makes this look like patrons have to walk between two areas and cross the bus lane. Is there a covered walkway or are the patrons required to get wet if it rains? Wonder whether space considerations required this design.

[Paul of Covington]

   Yes, there will be a covered walkway between the areas.   I don't know why they spaced them so far apart.

   There was a plan proposed a few years ago that seemed to me to make more sense.   Instead of the loop, it had the streetcars reversing direction within the Canal Blvd. neutral ground and the buses parked along side for a quick and easy transfer.   It was shelved after intense nimby opposition.   At that time I had sent NORTA an email suggesting an expanded trainshed type of facility, but they replied that that was their original proposal, but it was met with intense opposition, so they scaled it back.    I still can't figure out why all those people in the graveyards were so opposed to the plans.

    Some info and plans:

 http://norta.com/getattachment/Getting-Around/Cemeteries-Transit-Center-Project/4-Presentation-PDF.pdf.aspx?lang=en-US

   Drone coverage of construction:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpTXFLV4glF5PrwoERO9oaQcdkN80XngZ

[daveklepper]

I suspect the area between the streetcar and the bus loops will be used for seating, benches for people waiting.

[Overmod]

Paul of Covington

I still can't figure out why all those people in the graveyards were so opposed to the plans.

I can't either, but they tended to vote for Ray and his party in large numbers...

[CandOforprogress2]

Next logical extention is to Metairie LA.....then we would have a real commuter light rail line

[richg1998]

I have never been able to get to New Orleans but think of the place when I ride New Orleans Public Service car 836 at the Connecticut trolley museum.

An uncle lives in New Orleans also.

Rich