NORTA seeks public input to develop Streetcar Modernization Master Plan
Image credit: NORTA
The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) is creating a plan to upgrade and improve streetcars. The agency has announced two final public meetings in September to hear the latest recommendations and share thoughts on improving accessibility, safety, reliability and efficiency across the streetcar system.
Accessibility is a central focus of the Streetcar System Modernization Master Plan. In the consent decree resulting from O.E. v. New Orleans Regional Transit Authority, RTA is required to develop a comprehensive plan outlining the steps necessary to achieve full wheelchair accessibility on the St. Charles Streetcar Line by November 2026. The Streetcar System Modernization Master Plan will help guide that work while identifying broader opportunities to create a safer, faster, more reliable and inclusive streetcar system for all riders.
The Streetcar Modernization Master Plan will inform future streetcar investments and improvements. Recommendations will look at a 5- to 15-year horizon to start work on the community-led modernization scenario. The project will progress hand-in-hand with two other modernization projects currently underway:
- All-Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP) for the St. Charles Streetcar line
- Harmony Circle Track Replacement project
RTA has engaged a Project Advisory Committee (PAC) to inform, guide, and advise NORTA’s streetcar system modernization master planning process. The RTA Board of Commissioners will receive the proposal this fall.
Source: NORTA
