Complete the Greenway: Demonstration + Libations

The Complete the Greenway: Demonstration + Libations event was such an inspiration! Hundreds of community members gathered at Second Line Brewing to show outstanding support for the Greenway's trail completion, test out the pop-up demonstration, and share valuable feedback at our interactive input stations. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

At our interactive input stations, we asked the following questions:

  • What are other uses in this area to consider? What should be accomodated?
  • What do you know about this neighborhood that we need to know? Flooding? Traffic? Stakeholders? Safety?
  • What types of bike infrastructure do you want to see?
  • What do you want to see and do here? Programming? Landscaping? Events?
  • What should the completed Greenway connect to? Where will you use it to go?

Here is what we heard back:

  • CONNECTIVITY: Enhance the Greenway's connections to the following locations.
    • City Park
    • Canal Boulevard Transit Center
    • Delgado Community College
  • INFRASTRUCTURE: Incorporate the following infrastructure enhancements.
    • Green Infrastructure
    • Crossing Safety & Traffic Calming
    • Accommodate parking for residents of Passera Ct.
    • Flexibility in bicycle infrastructure design due to limited space.
    • Trash dumping sites transformed to green space.
    • Community focused trail-oriented development.
  • AMENITIES: Include the following amenities in the trail completion project.
    • Expand existing Greenway amenities:
      • Public Programming & Events
      • Trees and Shade
      • Shade
      • Water fountains for people and pets
      • Educational signage
      • Safety and Security
      • Rest & Seating
      • Bike Repair stations
    • Dog Park
    • Water features
    • Community gardens

THANK YOU for sharing your valuable expertise with us!

We are so grateful for the support of our partners: The City of New Orleans Office of Transportation, NORD, Regional Planning Commission, Regional Transit Authority, Bike Easy, Ride New Orleans, and HousingNOLA.

A special thanks to The Plant Gallery and Bike Easy for donating materials for our pop-up demonstration.

Check out photos of the event here!

Snag a Yard Sign!

Will you help us spread the word to #CompleteTheGreenway? Stop by our office for your very own sign to spruce up your yard or block. 

Office Location:

Sojourner Truth Neighborhood Center

2200 Lafitte Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119

Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 9am to 5pm

 

About the Lafitte Greenway Trail Completion

The Lafitte Greenway is the vibrant backbone of New Orleans’ bike network, yet today, it falls geographically short of the public vision. The City of New Orleans’ 2013 Lafitte Greenway Master Plan--developed with extensive public input--envisions the Greenway spanning 3.1 miles to connect neighborhoods from Basin Street in the French Quarter to a trailhead at Canal Boulevard. However, due to budget limitations during the 2014-2015 construction, and continuing complexities related to an active rail spur and property ownership, today the Greenway ends abruptly one-half mile short of the envisioned trailhead.

In 2018-2019, over 1,000 community members and area stakeholders signed a petition encouraging the City of New Orleans to take up the project to complete the Greenway. The Complete the Greenway: Demonstration & Libations event is an interactive conceptual planning event at the outset of this initiative. The event is designed to organize public energy, and provide stakeholders with a space to share input with City leadership and stakeholder organizations, identify priorities and concerns, revisit and ground truth the 2013 Greenway Master Plan today.

One significant opportunity that has arisen since the 2013 Master Plan is the potential to connect the Greenway to the RTA's Canal Boulevard Transit Center, opened in 2018. This would create a multimodal transportation connection at a key regional transit hub. Other potential benefits of the Greenway's trail completion include:

  • Providing an active and safe transportation route for travel to schools, playgrounds, businesses, and employment centers, including a connection to a central bus and streetcar transit center.
  • Increasing recreation options and encouraging physical activity, health and wellness, and social interaction.
  • Promoting economic development and job creation in surrounding neighborhoods, and adaptive reuse of industrial sites.
  • Providing sustainable ecosystem services that mitigate air pollution, including stormwater management features.

In 2005, the spark for the Lafitte Greenway began when neighbors and friends hiked the abandoned rail corridor and imagined a trail. Please join us on June 26 for a pop-up and demonstration to imagine and shape what could be for the Greenway’s completion.

Want to learn more about the initiative? Check us out on WWLTV & WVUE Fox 8 News and at lafittegreenway.org/complete

Your support is what keeps us moving forward. Spread the word and stay involved with us!