Commuting In New Orleans

New Orleans is unique when it comes to commuting. It was the first to have a commuter railway, the St. Charles Streetcar line (which is the oldest continuously operated railway in the world). Yet it has failed to keep up with most modern cities in that it lacks any sort of high-speed rail service to move people from outlying communities.

This has proven to be more of a problem since Katrina. Before the storm, most of the city’s residents who would not or could not drive were content to walk, take a bus or ride the streetcar to work. Now, however, many of those residents have been displaced to the outlying areas — some as far as Baton Rouge. For most of these people a car is the only option, as there are very few other alternatives.

For residents who have returned to New Orleans, streetcars (which were out of service for 15 months after the storm) and busses remain a great way to get around town. This was how most of the city’s hotel and restaurant workers commuted to work before Katrina and remains so today. For those who can afford it, the city also has ample taxi service.

New Orleans also has several ferries that carry both pedestrians and cars across the Mississippi River daily. They run from 6AM until either 8:45PM or 12:15AM daily, depending on the ferry. Many people who live across the river from New Orleans depend on the ferries to get them to and from work each day. Unfortunately, the city does not have a water taxi service similar to Boston or London.

For many middle class workers, there is little choice but to drive into the city. There are a few bus routes, including one from Baton Rouge called LA Swift. While free after just after the storm, it now costs $5 one way. For many who are living in Baton Rouge while waiting for their homes to be repaired here in New Orleans, the two hour ride each way is worth it compared to the $20 to $30 in gas such as trip would cost them in a car.

While there has been talk for years of putting light rail service to connect New Orleans’ streetcar lines with its suburbs and airports, so far that is all it has been is talk. It is becoming increasingly hard, however, for people to afford either the time or money it costs to commute by car daily. Some think it is only a matter of time before light rail becomes inevitable, There is even talk of rebuilding a sky rail system – similar to that used in the 1984 World’s Fair to transport people back and forth across the river.