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Welcome to Bike Easy’s first quarterly advocacy round up! This newsletter aims to give New Orleans-area residents insight into advocacy campaigns and opportunities to take action for better biking and complete streets around our region.

Lakeshore Drive Redesign Project

In April, the Flood Protection Authority presented a plan to reconstruct and reconfigure a section of Lakeshore Drive, from Canal Boulevard to the Orleans Ave Canal. This plan includes repaving, improving the transition of 4 lane traffic down to 2 lanes, increasing safety for pedestrian and bicycles entering and exiting protected lanes, and adding two additional enhanced crosswalks with pedestrian refuge islands. In doing so, the plan proposes to extend the 2-way bicycle track that is currently on the West End of Lakeshore Drive, as well as add a one-way bicycle lane on Lakeshore drive east of the Elysian Fields traffic circle. You can see the plan in the presentation here.

Call to Action: This project will be put to a vote by the Authority’s Board in the next few months. It is important that the community weigh in on this project, to express the need for continued bike and ped infrastructure improvements on Lakeshore Drive.

The portal to submit comments is here. The deadline to submit comments on this project, to the best of our knowledge, is the end of June.

 

River District Design Progress

Also in April, the River District Planning Committee hosted a Neighborhood Participation on the Development’s Master Plan. Links to the recording of that meeting, along with previous meetings and reports, can be found here. The Master Plan that was shared on April 23 had no plan for bicycle infrastructure – apart from a shared use sidewalk in the development (extension of the current promenade in front of the Convention Center).

This is problematic – as it is illegal for anyone over 15 years of age to ride their bicycles on New Orleans sidewalks, and does not plan for the movement of people on bikes during times of sidewalk congestion.

Call to ActionReach out to the River District here and request clarity on a space provided for bicycles to move around.  It is problematic to suggest the mixed used path of the promenade as a solution.  Additionally, we encourage you to reach out to District B Council Member Lesli Harris – Lesli.Harris@nola.gov with feedback.

Planned Road Construction on US90

LADOTD has put out a call for construction bid to complete new roadwork on Broad Street, from Tulane Ave to Bienville with a scope for sidewalk improvements, multi-use paths, ramps, ped signals and striping. This project will include repaving, and does not include any clear design for a bike lane (a missed opportunity to improve a much needed connection in that corridor).

Call to Action: Request clarity on this project’s inclusion of bikeway infrastructure, and inquire about their community outreach and feasibility studies directing these decisions.

People to contact:

Scott Boyle, District 02 Engineer Administrator Scott.Boyle@la.gov

Nicole Rizzo, Asst. District Traffic Engineer Nicole.Rizzo@la.gov

District B Council Member Lesli Harris Lesli.Harris@nola.gov

State Representatative Alonza Knox aknox@legis.la.gov

Senator Jimmy Harris harrisj@legis.la.gov

Senator Royce Duplessis  sen05@legis.la.gov

 

Upcoming Engagement Opportunity: Algiers Ferry Terminal Redesign Meetings

Thank you for your continued support in these efforts to make a safer, healthier New Orleans for all! Have a great summer!

Laura Harris, Bike Easy