New Orleans Regional Transit Authority
The RTA is continually investing in major projects that improve and expand our service to our customers. Our most anticipated capital projects concern our new streetcar lines.
The expansion of our streetcar network is not just good for our riders. It’s also good for the city of New Orleans. Streetcar lines bring significant economic development to the neighborhoods they pass through.
Simply put, people enjoy riding the streetcar. New streetcar lines tend to bring increased pedestrian traffic to neighborhoods, new retail shops and other businesses, and new housing units.
The RTA is currently in the process of constructing two new streetcar lines:
Contact the expansion's hotline number for any complaints or issues with construction.
The UPT/Loyola Avenue Segment
This segment, a little less than a mile long, will run from the Union Passenger Terminal (UPT) down Loyola Avenue to Canal Street.
The UPT is New Orleans’ Amtrak station and next to the city’s Greyhound bus station, so the corridor will serve as a vital bridge between inter-city transit and the local transit system. The segment will connect to the Canal streetcar line while carrying passengers through areas of the Central Business District (CBD) and near the Superdome and the New Orleans Arena. Even though the line isn’t projected to be put into service until June 2012, it has already attracted $1.1 billion in new development and in redevelopment of neglected properties along Loyola Avenue.
French Quarter Expansion
The 2.5-mile segment will run from Canal Street along Rampart Street (with a spur on Basin Street) along the edge of the French Quarter. As Rampart Street changes to St. Claude Avenue, the line will continue to Press Street in the Bywater. In addition, a segment will turn off St. Claude down Elysian Fields Avenue toward the river at which point it will tie in with the existing Riverfront streetcar line.
More than 70,000 residents live in the medium-density neighborhoods adjacent to the French Quarter corridor. Much of the housing in these areas is affordable, and residents who live in these neighborhoods often find employment in the downtown hospitality industry and in businesses located in the CBD. Connecting these workers to the streetcar system will give them better access to the many employment opportunities available in the French Quarter and the CBD.
Other Projects
The RTA has also installed over 200 shelters in the City of New Orleans to improve comfort, safety, and convenience for riders with another 100 scheduled for installation.
Bus Signage
The RTA is replacing every bus stop sign throughout our system with new ones.
Website
If you were familiar with our old website, you certainly agree the website you are looking at now is a great improvement. The attractive design, expanded content, and new tools such as the trip planner and text alerts make using our transit system easy.
Ticket Vending Machines
Riding the RTA is even easier with Ticket Vending Machines available at major transfer points. You can pre-purchase your boarding pass to ride any RTA vehicle by cash or credit/debit card.
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