AUBRY: PATRICE BEL MERCADEL IS
HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE REGIONAL
TRANSIT AUTHORITY'S LATEST
PROJECTS.
>> WE DO PROVIDE OVER 18 MILLION
TRIPS TO PEOPLE THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE BEEN EXTRA BUSY IN JULY.
AUBRY: TALK ABOUT THE BIGGEST
PROJECT WE ARE STARTING AT THE
END OF THE MONTH.
>> JULY 31 WILL KICK OFF
CONSTRUCTION FOR THE CEMETERY'S
TRANSIT CENTER PROJECT.
IT'S A PROJECT ON THE BOOKS FOR
A WHILE AND SOMETHING WE HAVE
WORKED ON THE DESIGN THAT
PROVIDE THAT WILL BE A
CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE THAT IS
MANAGEABLE.
AT THE END OF IT, WIT
AND WILL
PROVIDE A TRANSIT CENTER BETWEEN
THE CANAL STREETCAR LINE ON
CANAL BOULEVARD WITH AMENITIES
ON THE STREET LIKE SHELTERS AND
COVERED WALKWAYS.
BULL MAKE CONNECTIONS TO THE
ORLEANS BUSES AND JACKSON PARISH
BUSES SO WRITERS WHO DEPEND ON
THEM TO GET TO WORK IN SCHOOL
HAVE A SAFER WALK ACROSS THE
INTERSECTION OF CANAL BOULEVARD
AND CITY PARK AVENUE.
AS A RESIDUAL BENEFIT OF OUR
PROJECT, WE WILL BE PUTTING IN
TRAFFIC SIGNALS.
SOME OF THE MHEM THAT
EXIST IN THE CORNER WILL GO AWAY
BECAUSE WE HAVE ALL THAT PLACE.
AUBRY: WELL IT WILL BE EXCITING
TO SEE THE CHANGES, WILL THERE
BE STREET CLOSURES?
>> THERE WILL BE SOME AFFECT.
THE STREETCAR LINE WILL BE CUT
BACK AT KELTON AVENUE AND CANAL
STREET
.
WE WILL HAVE BUSES RUNNING IN
THAT ZONE IN THE STREETS WILL BE
OPEN TO BLOCKS PRIOR TO WHERE
THE CONSTRUCTION STARTS.
THERE WILL BE A COMPLETE
SHUTDOWN OF THE CANAL BOULEVARD
CITY PARK INTERSECTION EFFECTIVE
30 DAYS AFTER CONSTRUCTION
STARTS.
FOR THE FIRST 30 DAYS, YOU WILL
STILL TURN ONTO CANAL STREET
FROM THE CITY PARK AVENUE EXIT
ON THE INTERSTATE.
AFTER THAT IT WILL BE A TOTAL
SHUTDOWN.
GO TO NORTA.COM.
WE ARE KEEPING THE SIDEWALKS OF
THE PURPOS
FOR PEDESTRIANS.
THE BUSINESS IS ALONG THE
CORRIDOR ARE OPEN AND THEY HAVE
BEEN GREAT SUPPORTERS OF US AND
GREAT NEIGHBORS.
AUBRY: I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT
IT WILL LOOK LIKE.
>> YOU CAN SEE IT NOW BECAUSE AS
A PRESENTATION ON OUR WEBSITE
WITH OUR TICK
ARTISTIC RENDERINGS TO
SHOW YOU THE CONDITIONS NOW WHEN
IT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL OPEN IN
FOUR MONTHS.
AUBRY: LET'S TALK HURRICANE
SEASON.
YOU HAVE A MEETING COMING UP
WHERE PEOPLE CAN GET MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT IF A HURRICANE
WERE TO HIT NEW ORLEANS, THERE'S
A MEETING WITH THE RTA.
>> THE RTA BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS ARE SO COMMITTED
TO MAKING CERTAIN THAT
ESPECIALLY OUR MOST RELIED ON
SERVICES FOR OUR SENIORS IN OUR
WRITERS OF DIFFERENT ABILITIES
ARE TAKING CARE OF DURING THIS
TIME.
WE ARE PART OF THE CITY'S
EVACUATION PLAN.
WE HAVE THE SHORT-TERM TRANSPORT
SYSTEM FOR THE 17 EVACUATION
SPOTS THAT TAKE PEOPLE TO AND
FROM LONG-TERM LOCATIONS FOR
TRANSPORTATION OUT OF THE CITY
IN THE EVENT OF A HURRICANE.
ON THURSDAY, JULY 20, AT OUR
OFFICES ON CANAL STREET, WE ARE
HOSTING A MEETING TARGETED TO
SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH
DIFFERENT ABILITIES SO THEY
UNDERSTAND THEY NEED TO REGISTER
WITH 311 AND WE WILL BE
PROVIDING A SERVICE TO GET THEM
SHORT-TERM TRANSPORT TO SYSTEMS
THAT CAN GET THEM OUT OF THE WAY
OF HARM.
THERE ARE GUIDELINES WE NEED
EVERYONE TO FOLLOW.
YOU CANNOT BRING FOR BAGS BUT
ONE BACK.
G.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT ARE
MOST AT RISK CITIZENS UNDERSTAND
WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO PROTECT
THEMSELVES AND HOW THE CITY IS
PLANNING.
WE ARE SO PROUD TO BE A PART OF
THE CITY'S EVACUATION PLAN AND
PART OF THE SYSTEM THAT GETS
PEOPLE TO SAFETY.
WE HAVE TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT
EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT THEY NEED TO
DO TO REMAIN SAFE AND WHAT RTA'S
ROLE IS IN IT.
AUBRY: ALL FANTASTIC AND
IMPORTANT INFORMATION.
IF YOU ELECT TO STAY UP-TO-DATE