NEW ORLEANS –The City of New Orleans issued the details of the New Year Holiday Public Safety Plan and traffic reminders in advance of Allstate Sugar Bowl events and the 2017 New Year’s Eve Celebration.
For months the Landrieu administration has been working on ways to increase security and protect citizens from large, terrorist-like attacks, City reps said. Beginning with New Year’s Eve and Sugar Bowl preparedness, the City will increase security measures throughout the French Quarter and other sensitive targets in the City.
New Security Measures
• Additional light towers
• Temporary security cameras
• Law enforcement sky towers
• A full complement of the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) and Louisiana State Police personnel
• K9 units
and
• Special operations personnel guarding Bourbon St. and other areas of interest.
Throughout these events, the public is encouraged to be patient and prepared for delays by making transportation arrangements accordingly. Motorists should be prepared for heavy pedestrian and vehicular traffic as security measures are being increased.
Starting on Friday, Dec. 30
From Friday, Dec. 30, through Monday, Jan. 2, extra NOPD officers will be deployed to the French Quarter and the Central Business District beginning at 3:00 p.m. daily with additional officers coming on throughout the evenings. Officers will be conducting traffic control, walking beat patrol and enhanced security and surveillance throughout the entire area.
Today, traffic restrictions for the French Quarter will be implemented starting at 8:00 p.m. or when pedestrian traffic necessitates closures to ensure safety.
• Entry to the French Quarter from Canal Street, Decatur Street, Esplanade Avenue and Rampart Street will be via controlled access only. Taxis, limos and those vehicles needing to access businesses in the French Quarter will be able to cross Bourbon Street, but Bourbon Street will be a pedestrian mall.
• Large trucks, busses and vans may be made to detour out of the area and only access the French Quarter on exterior streets. Exterior streets are all streets leading into the French Quarter on Canal, Decatur, N. Rampart and Dumaine streets.
From Saturday, Dec. 31
Beginning Saturday, Dec. 31, and ending Tuesday, Jan. 3, the 100 to 800 blocks of Bourbon Street will be closed to vehicular traffic from 5:00 p.m. – 4:00 a.m. each day.
French Quarter exterior and interior street closures will be enhanced for this weekend’s events. Interior and exterior French Quarter street closures will be effective nightly from approximately 8:00 p.m. – 4:00 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 31, through Monday, Jan. 2. Interior streets are all streets leading to Bourbon St. on Royal and Dauphine streets from Canal to Dumaine streets.
On Saturday, Dec. 31, the Allstate Sugar Bowl Fan Fest, located at Jackson Square and the Jax Brewery parking lot off Decatur Street, will begin at noon and last through Sunday Jan. 1. At 2:00 p.m. Saturday, the Allstate Sugar Bowl Parade will begin at Elysian Fields Avenue and Decatur Street, proceed down Decatur Street, past Jackson Square and the Allstate Fan Fest, disbanding at Canal Street. Street closures will start at approximately 2:00 p.m. and will include N. Peters Street from Canal to Conti streets and from Dumaine Street to Elysian Fields Avenue, and Decatur Street from Conti to Dumaine streets.
On Saturday, Dec. 31, NOPD officers will be monitoring the pedestrian crowd and will divert vehicular traffic from Decatur Street / S. Peters Street, between Canal Street and Esplanade Avenue, as needed based on pedestrian traffic. NOPD anticipates a large pedestrian crowd and encourages drivers to avoid this area.
Starting on Sunday, Jan. 1
From Sunday, Jan. 1, to Tuesday, Jan. 3, there will be traffic and parking restrictions in the French Quarter.
• From 6:00 p.m. – 6:00 a.m., there will be no parking on Canal Street from Convention Center Boulevard to N. Villere Street.
• From 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 a.m. each day, there will be no parking in the French Quarter from Canal Street to St. Ann Street between Dauphine Street and Royal Street.
• Between 5:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. each day, entry to the French Quarter will be controlled from Canal Street, Decatur Street, Esplanade Avenue and Rampart Street.
• Vehicles will not be able to cross Bourbon Street and will be detoured at all points along Dauphine and Royal streets. Large trucks, busses and vans may be made to detour out of the area completely.
• Motorists should be prepared for heavy pedestrian and vehicular traffic as security measures are being increased.
Starting on Monday, Jan. 2
On Monday, Jan. 2, for the Allstate Sugar Bowl, NOPD officers will be monitoring pedestrian crowds in the French Quarter and will divert vehicular traffic if necessary. NOPD will regulate traffic around the Mercedes-Benz Superdome starting approximately one hour before the start of the 7:30 p.m. game. Parking enforcement personnel will be monitoring for illegal parking, including blocking hydrants, driveways and sidewalks, or parking within 20 ft. of a crosswalk, intersection or stop signs. Motorists are also reminded to park in the direction of travel on one-way streets and with the right wheel to the curb on two-way streets.
In addition, RTA services including bus service may be interrupted during these event.
Details on any route changes are available here
