Summary

New Orleans is installing new 10-mph-rated bollards on Bourbon Street to replace failing barriers ahead of the Feb. 9 Super Bowl, despite knowing they can’t stop moderate-to-high-speed vehicle attacks like the deadly New Year’s Day incident that killed 14.

The city prioritized ease of use over crash safety due to maintenance issues with older barriers.

Critics argue the new system leaves vulnerabilities, as the engineering report showed vehicles could still exceed the bollards’ speed rating.

Officials face scrutiny over balancing security and daily operations in the crowded tourist zone.

  • @WoodScientist
    1•2 days ago

    I don’t understand why they don’t just make the whole street permanently pedestrian-only. This isn’t that hard. You move things by cart along the street itself. Need to make a delivery? You drive it to within a couple blocks, then use a cart. Same for taking trash out.

    This isn’t some radical new kind of logistics. Every shopping mall in America works like this. Shop owners don’t complain that they can’t drive a delivery truck right up to their store front in the mall. Customers manage to park and walk around just fine. Trash gets cleaned up.

    This is the solution to this problem. But the people of the city or state are just too motoronormative to comprehend it.