New Orleans Regional Transit Authority
Encyclopedia
The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA or NORTA as it is called by some residents) is a body established by the Louisiana
State Legislature in 1979; since 1983 it has controlled bus and streetcar service in the City of New Orleans
.
Previously, public mass transit
, electric, and natural gas
were all controlled by a private utility company, New Orleans Public Service Incorporated
(NOPSI), now known as Entergy New Orleans
. The switch to a public operation was motivated by lack of profitability and the desire to be eligible for federal funding.
NORTA has one of the largest fleets of buses in the nation and it also has the reputation for being one of the cleanest and safest systems.
hit to transport people to a refuge of last resort, the Louisiana Superdome
. Much of the city flooded due to the storm. The NORTA Administration building on Plaza Drive appears to have been in ten feet of water. Almost eighty-five percent of the fleet was rendered useless and inoperative; 146 city buses were visible outdoors in the flood at the 2817 Canal St. facility, while only 22 were at 3900 Desire Pky. The 8201 Willow St. facility was one block within the flood but was built above street level. The buses at the flooded facilities were mostly written off.
, Esplanade Avenue, Claiborne Avenue, St. Claude Avenue, Judge Perez Drive
, General Meyer Avenue, Lapalco Boulevard, Robert E. Lee Boulevard, and the Chef Menteur Highway. And just two express routes, Lake Forest Express and Morrison Express, both serving Eastern New Orleans
, have been reinstated so far.
A year before Katrina, in addition to local and express bus service, NORTA brought Bus Rapid Transit
to the city. The first BRT line opened up on Broad Street, with two more lines opening up months later running along Tulane Avenue and Saint Claude Avenue.
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(UPT)/Loyola Avenue corridor streetcar line started construction in August 2011 and is planned to begin revenue service starting in June 2012. The line will be less than a mile long, and will connect the Canal Streetcar Line through the Central Business District to the UPT Amtrak Station and Greyhound Depot.
The French Quarter Rail Expansion is scheduled to begin construction in Spring 2012 with revenue service planned for Fall 2013. The French Quarter Route will be 2.48 miles long and have 13 stops. It will extend from a loop via North Rampart, Canal, and Basin Streets, down N. Rampart and St. Claude Avenue to Press Street. A branch is to extend from St. Claude via Elysian Fields Avenue to connect with the Riverfront line at the foot of Elysian Fields and Esplanade Avenues. A future extension is projected down St. Claude Avenue past Press Street to Poland Avenue, next to the Industrial Canal. This would require crossing the Norfolk Southern Railroad at Press Street, which the railroad opposes on safety grounds.
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
State Legislature in 1979; since 1983 it has controlled bus and streetcar service in the City of New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
.
Previously, public mass transit
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
, electric, and natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
were all controlled by a private utility company, New Orleans Public Service Incorporated
New Orleans Public Service Incorporated
New Orleans Public Service Incorporated is a former electric and natural gas utility and mass transit provider that was based in New Orleans, Louisiana....
(NOPSI), now known as Entergy New Orleans
Entergy
Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. It is headquartered in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana.-History:...
. The switch to a public operation was motivated by lack of profitability and the desire to be eligible for federal funding.
NORTA has one of the largest fleets of buses in the nation and it also has the reputation for being one of the cleanest and safest systems.
Hurricane Katrina
City buses were used before Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
hit to transport people to a refuge of last resort, the Louisiana Superdome
Louisiana Superdome
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
. Much of the city flooded due to the storm. The NORTA Administration building on Plaza Drive appears to have been in ten feet of water. Almost eighty-five percent of the fleet was rendered useless and inoperative; 146 city buses were visible outdoors in the flood at the 2817 Canal St. facility, while only 22 were at 3900 Desire Pky. The 8201 Willow St. facility was one block within the flood but was built above street level. The buses at the flooded facilities were mostly written off.
Post-disaster recovery
, service was restored to certain areas as they become habitable again. However, there is no 24-hour service on any bus or streetcar line. Streetcars have returned to the full length of Canal St. and the Riverfront, initially using the historic St. Charles Line streetcars, which were not damaged, as the red Canal cars were. In 2008, the St. Charles streetcar resumed running the entire length of its route. By early 2009, the red Canal streetcars were repaired and had taken over service on the Canal and Riverfront Lines. The buses that have been restored to operation have returned to several major thoroughfares, including Elysian Fields AvenueElysian Fields Avenue
Elysian Fields Avenue is a broad, straight avenue in New Orleans named after the Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris. It courses south to north from the Lower Mississippi River to Lake Pontchartrain, a distance of approximately . The avenue intersects with Interstate 610, Interstate 10, and U.S....
, Esplanade Avenue, Claiborne Avenue, St. Claude Avenue, Judge Perez Drive
Judge Perez Drive
Judge Perez Drive is a major, four-lane thoroughfare located in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana. The road was originally named Goodchildren Drive, but was renamed in 1972 for former political boss of St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parishes, Judge Leander Perez . However, in the late 1990s, St...
, General Meyer Avenue, Lapalco Boulevard, Robert E. Lee Boulevard, and the Chef Menteur Highway. And just two express routes, Lake Forest Express and Morrison Express, both serving Eastern New Orleans
Eastern New Orleans
Eastern New Orleans is a large section of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. Developed extensively from the 1960s onwards, it was originally marketed as "suburban-style living within the city limits", and has much in common with the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans...
, have been reinstated so far.
A year before Katrina, in addition to local and express bus service, NORTA brought Bus Rapid Transit
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
to the city. The first BRT line opened up on Broad Street, with two more lines opening up months later running along Tulane Avenue and Saint Claude Avenue.
Bus & Streetcar Route List
- 2 Riverfront Streetcar
- 5 Marigny-Bywater
- 10 Tchoupitoulas
- 11 Magazine
- 12 St. Charles Streetcar
- 15 Freret
- 16 Claiborne
- 24 Napoleon
- 27 Louisiana
- 28 M.L. King
- 32 Leonidas
- 39 Tulane
- 45 Lakeview
- 47 Canal Streetcar to Cemeteries
- 48 Canal Streetcar to City Park/Museum
- 51 St. Bernard - Paris Ave.
- 52 St. Bernard - Senate - St. Anthony
- 55 Elysian Fields
- 57 Franklin
- 60 Hayne
- 62 Morrison Express
- 63 New Orleans East Owl
- 64 Lake Forest Express
- 80 Louisa
- 84 Galvez
- 88 St. Claude/Jackson Barracks
- 91 Jackson-Esplanade
- 94 Broad
- 100 Algiers Loop Owl
- 101 Algiers Loop
- 102 General Meyer
- 108 Algiers Local
- 114 General DeGaulle - Sullen
- 115 General DeGaulle - Tullis
- 201 Kenner Loop
- 408 Algiers Local-Landry High School
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New Orleans Streetcar Expansion
Two new streetcar projects are currently underway with one already under construction. The New Orleans Union Passenger TerminalNew Orleans Union Passenger Terminal
New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal is the main train station in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is served by Amtrak passenger trains, and played a role in the recovery efforts from Hurricane Katrina in 2005.- History :...
(UPT)/Loyola Avenue corridor streetcar line started construction in August 2011 and is planned to begin revenue service starting in June 2012. The line will be less than a mile long, and will connect the Canal Streetcar Line through the Central Business District to the UPT Amtrak Station and Greyhound Depot.
The French Quarter Rail Expansion is scheduled to begin construction in Spring 2012 with revenue service planned for Fall 2013. The French Quarter Route will be 2.48 miles long and have 13 stops. It will extend from a loop via North Rampart, Canal, and Basin Streets, down N. Rampart and St. Claude Avenue to Press Street. A branch is to extend from St. Claude via Elysian Fields Avenue to connect with the Riverfront line at the foot of Elysian Fields and Esplanade Avenues. A future extension is projected down St. Claude Avenue past Press Street to Poland Avenue, next to the Industrial Canal. This would require crossing the Norfolk Southern Railroad at Press Street, which the railroad opposes on safety grounds.