NOLA persepctive: How transit friendly was New Orleans pre-Katrina? (Chalmette: neighborhoods, buses)

[Cali 2 Tha South n Back]

I've traveled through New Orleans a few times but never had the opportunity to stop and explore the city. But I've researched the city including the RTA system. I've dug through the internet archives and found a link to an old system map of RTA from 2005 detailing the 3 streetcar lines and lots of bus routes covering the entire city. http://web.archive.org/web/200701231..._05/System.pdf

From looking at it on the surface, NOLA seemed to be very transit friendly but I'm just assuming. Many lines running frequent as 15 minutes or less, lots of hourly coverage with some 24 hour service, plenty of different express non stop service to CBD and crosstown options for people not going downtown. Also Canal had buses continuous.

Now coverage of this today:
http://www.norta.com/RTA/media/RTA-P...-SystemMap.pdf

But I want a local perspective from longtime NOLA residents and former residents about how transit friendly was the city. I bet it would really suck that the city is probably forced to become car-dependent since I've heard horror stories in recent years of waiting times between buses on fewer routes and a smaller bus fleet. Any perspective would be appreciated.

[Neworleansisprettygood]

Because of the compact layout of much the city, transit has held on in New Orleans in a way that it hasn't in some other cities. I think the Broad Street line is the most heavily traveled in the south.

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by Neworleansisprettygood

I think the Broad Street line is the most heavily traveled in the south.

I read that somewhere.

New Orleans has more streetcars in operation and more in the pipe but much less bus routes covering the areas they previously did. Partly because of lack of density in certain neighborhoods post-storm.
What bothers me is the continuation of the slow streetcar plans. Who is going to ride that from Chalmette?! How late will the UNO students be?

[rburnett]

Originally Posted by Neworleansisprettygood

I think the Broad Street line is the most heavily traveled in the south.

Both the Canal and St. Charles Streetcar lines have much higher ridership than the Broad bus line.

See: http://media.nola.com/politics/other...ata%202012.pdf

[Neworleansisprettygood]

Originally Posted by rburnett

Both the Canal and St. Charles Streetcar lines have much higher ridership than the Broad bus line.

See: http://media.nola.com/politics/other...ata%202012.pdf

Neat link. I didn't know that that many people use the Riverfront Streetcar.

[rcp11889]

Originally Posted by annie_himself

I read that somewhere.

New Orleans has more streetcars in operation and more in the pipe but much less bus routes covering the areas they previously did. Partly because of lack of density in certain neighborhoods post-storm.
What bothers me is the continuation of the slow streetcar plans. Who is going to ride that from Chalmette?! How late will the UNO students be?

I take the St. Charles line daily and it's not that much slower. Buses can be faster when there's no traffic but it sure is nice passing up traffic on the neutral ground in a streetcar. Of course, if the Magazine bus came as often as the Streetcar it might be faster. Hard to really say.

[sconley9922]

I know I've said this b4, but light rail is the way to go....like the D.C. Metro