NEW ORLEANS — Seven years ago, New Orleans authorities initiated the installation of adjustable barriers at intersections within the iconic French Quarter, intended to temporarily limit vehicle access to the area, which is typically bustling with pedestrians, particularly at night.
However, a tragedy unfolded on New Year’s Day when a motorist drove a pickup truck into a crowd, resulting in the deaths of at least 15 individuals. The steel barriers, referred to as bollards, were in the process of being replaced and were not engaged at that time.
City records indicate that the replacement project along approximately eight blocks of Bourbon Street, stretching from St. Ann Street to Canal Street, commenced on November 18. In areas where the steel columns were taken out, temporary patches were made using asphalt, as noted in the documentation.
City officials have yet to clarify if the intersection where the truck crashed was actively undergoing construction, nor have they commented on whether the ongoing replacement project created any vulnerabilities.
According to city communications, some of the older bollards had been found to be unreliable and non-functional at times. The city stated, “In the interim, white gate barriers have been employed in these locations, managed by the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) to ensure the street’s security and control vehicle access for safety reasons.”
One day before New Year’s Eve, city officials issued a traffic advisory regarding the bollard replacement, informing the public that crews would work until 2 p.m. on Monday while attempting to minimize road closures during the celebrations.
The site of the tragic incident occurred at the intersection of Bourbon and Canal, where the pickup truck circumvented a police blockade and crashed into a mass of celebrants. The driver was killed by police on the scene, and the FBI is investigating the matter as a potential act of terrorism.
In light of increasing vehicle attacks in recent years, many cities globally have adopted the use of bollards in areas with high pedestrian traffic. Major urban areas such as New York City have implemented similar retractable steel barriers in places like Times Square, City Hall, and Wall Street, which are also prevalent in cities such as London, Paris, and Tokyo.
Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser expressed the need to explore various safety measures following the New Year’s Day incident. He mentioned that there have been proposals over the years to transform large portions of Bourbon Street into a pedestrian plaza, under the management of a team focused on safety. “You can’t prevent something like this when someone wants to kill people,” he stated, emphasizing the importance of carefully reviewing safety protocols to decrease the chances of a similar event occurring, whether in New Orleans or another location.
In response to questions regarding the removal of the bollards, Nungesser added, “How does that happen for a major event?” Initially installed in December 2017 as a part of a $40 million safety initiative, the bollard system in New Orleans included four sets strategically placed at the intersections of Bourbon Street. The inner two bollards can be retracted when activated by a ground-level control panel to allow a passage of approximately 13 feet (4 meters) for vehicles.
Aaron Miller, who oversees the city’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, noted that the bollards were intended to be deployed nightly in accordance with city regulations, closing portions of the popular French Quarter to vehicles. In the absence of pedestrian-only zones, the bollards would be employed to block intersections during special city events or by ordinance.
The barriers were specifically designed with the goal of reducing risks to pedestrians in an area regarded as “an iconic or symbolic target,” according to Miller. The recent incident occurred during the ongoing assessment and replacement of the Bourbon Street bollards, which entails removing the old structures, curing concrete pavements, constructing new bases, and installing metal sleeves for the new bollards, as stated by city officials. Presently, out of the 16 planned replacement locations, 11 have seen new installations.
Daily inspections are being conducted to track progress, and recent testing confirms that the required material strength has been achieved. On December 10, the city shared an image on social media displaying a damaged street in the French Quarter, with two bollards resting on a pallet nearby. The completion of this construction project is anticipated by early February 2025, in time for New Orleans to host the Super Bowl.
The project involves replacing older bollards with new removable stainless-steel versions and repairing sidewalks in several locations, according to documents from the Department of Public Works. A forecast update provided in November indicated that concrete pouring activities were taking place on both sides of Bourbon Street without necessitating the closure of intersections to vehicle traffic.
