A popular recreational stretch of Moss Street between Lafitte Avenue and Esplanade Avenue along Bayou St. John will be temporarily closed to through traffic starting Wednesday, May 6. Residents, delivery drivers and emergency responders will still be able to access the area.
The closure is part of the city’s Slow Streets initiative, a collaboration between the Department of Health, the Department of Public Works and the Mayor’s Office of Transportation, with the goal to convert low-traffic roadways into pedestrian-friendly spaces. The initiative was inspired by similar traffic modification efforts that have been implemented in other American cities, including Boston, Oakland and Minneapolis.
The Slow Streets effort helps to "create safer, more accessible ways to navigate our city at this critical time," said Laura Bryan, director of the Mayor's Office of Transportation in a news release. "We are taking best practices from other cities who are responding to the COVID-19 outbreak and working with our team to be innovative and thoughtful to better serve our residents."
Throughout the duration of the stay-at-home order, both Gov. John Bel Edwards and Mayor LaToya Cantrell have encouraged constituents to spend time outdoors and exercise while following physical distancing guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, such as maintaining a 6-foot distance from other people, wearing a protective face mask and avoiding groups larger than 10.
But staying 6 feet apart has been challenging for outdoor enthusiasts gathering along the bayou, as they frequently have to dodge cars to follow the guidelines.
The Department of Public Works (DPW) reported that between March 20 and May 3, 9-1-1 received 117 calls about public gatherings taking place along the bayou.
The DPW then began collecting traffic counts on both sides of Moss Street and coordinating with other public safety officials (including the New Orleans Police Department, the New Orleans Fire Department and the Emergency Medical Services) to consider the impacts of a temporary traffic modification.
The city says there will be no changes to current on-street parking restrictions, and barricades, traffic cones and other signage will direct drivers on re-routing.
Additionally, a news release from the city says “No parking will be permitted on the bayou embankment and people should not set up tables, chairs and/or other items in the roadway.”
Officials are also considering other Slow Street implementations in New Orleans where people gather in the waning days of the stay-at-home order, which is set to expire in New Orleans on May 15 and move onto its first phase of reopening.
The traffic modification along Moss Street will remain in place until Monday, May 18, so that constituents will have more room to safely move around the area over the weekend
A map provided by city officials indicates where they will limit traffic for the duration of the stay-at-home order, so that residents will have more room bike, jog and walk around the popular Bayou St. John waterway.
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May 06, 2020 at 03:34AM
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Traffic to be limited along Bayou St. John for remainder of city's stay-at-home order - NOLA.com
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