Structural Engineering Firms Reinvent New Orleans Transport Towards the Future
It’s quite difficult to imagine a city without an efficient transport system as its backbone. While New Orleans continues its quest to bounce back from natural disasters of yore, much of the city remains waiting for completely rehabilitation. One area of focus for structural engineers is the transport sector.
Canal Street: An Icon Reimagined
This gem has truly been cemented in New Orleans history, being the main passageway for horse-drawn carriages and streetcars since the mid-1800’s. Today, this bustling side of town is home to popular hotels, restaurants and shops.
The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) continues to operate the streetcar systems, among the busiest is the line that traverses the length of Canal Street along the Mississippi and towards City Park. Hundreds to thousands of locals and tourists rely on these streetcars for daily commutes.
Changes through the Years
After Hurricane Katrina struck the city in 2005, the damage it left behind dealt a huge blow to the transport sector of New Orleans. More than half of the bus lines were unusable, and a notable number of street cars were decommissioned. It was a long and difficult process of restoration, and even until 2012, only about 36% of the RTA’s transit systems were back in order.
Still, the RTA perseveres and continues to bring back the same quality of transport that the locals have been accustomed to. In recent years, officials have proposed rehab projects for the transport system, estimated to cost around $3.5 billion. As of 2015 and 2016, the RTA was able to enhance its systems and lengthen operating hours, these efforts have helped to increase services to commuters by up to 11%. To date, a significant portion of the city can now be accessed within 30 minutes of walking or transit.
Initiatives for Restoration
Throughout the years, the RTA and the New Orleans government have been consulting with structural engineering firms to finally get the transport sector back on track. A few projects are focused on redesigning streetcar tracks for the Canal Street line, as well as inspecting and aligning the existing tracks. Another initiative aims to implement a more efficient and highly-accessible terminal for passengers.
Besides pinpointing issues to be restored on the streetcar system, engineering consultants have also been tasked to manage paving and reconstruction projects on major roads, such as Canal Street. More importantly, these street repairs will be integrating an upgraded waterline, new valves, manholes and a new and more efficient drainage system. These are also part of the preparations that New Orleans is taking to keep its residential and commercial areas virtually flood-free.
Sources
Canal Street – New Orleans, NewOrleansOnline.com
The State of Transit 2016, RideNewOrleans.org
New Orleans RTA Firm Unveils $3.5 Billion Transit Expansion Vision, NOLA.com
