Whose grass?

As the road work along St. Charles between Louisiana and Jackson has progressed these last few months, I've noticed they've also been raising the curb of the neutral ground and filling in fresh sod on the outside of the streetcar tracks. While that's been going on, separate crews have been up above Louisiana just kind of shoveling dirt around on the neutral ground.  I've been curious about what that's been about but now I think it might have something to do with this.

Officials in the city of New Orleans have considered installing artificial turf along parts of the St. Charles Avenue neutral ground to protect it from the wear and tear of both large crowds at Mardi Gras and even the daily activity of runners.


Last year, the department had previously requested $2 million for a “St. Charles Avenue Neutral Ground Restoration” that would repair landscaping in the neutral ground using “grass pavers” between the streetcar tracks along the Mardi Gras parade route, and a form of artificial turf called “Celebration Bermuda” along the rest of the neutral ground. That request did not receive funding in the current year’s budget, and the department dropped it from its list of proposed projects for the next year, department director Ann Macdonald told city planners last week.

So they've been trying different kinds of grass. But they're also afraid everything they've tried is going to be too expensive because, no matter what they choose,  a bunch of Chads will kill it with tents every Mardi Gras. Of course, we can't do anything about that.  Better to scapegoat joggers and pedestrians, right?

The department has also considered green infrastructure pavers in the neutral ground, but officials with the Regional Transit Authority oppose the idea, MacDonald noted, because they worry it would encourage even more people to use the streetcar tracks for running.

RTA, in keeping with its character as of late, just can't abide the public using public space when they're trying to entertain tourists on it... which, let's face it, is what the St. Charles Streetcar is for. Maybe if someone figured out a way to charge a fee for running there, though. One of those run-keeper phone apps with a per-mile billing function that kicks in when you're on the tracks? I'm sure the mayor's Innovation Team can get on that. 

Third time is the charm

The St. Charles Streetcar is coming back.  You may have heard this before, though.

After Katrina, for example, it was out of service for two years as extensive repairs were done to the overhead power system.  When it re-opened, the Warren Easton Marching Band was enlisted to herald its return. I'd never seen a band march on the neutral ground before.



But that only lasted a few short years before it was determined that the whole line would need to be dug back up in order to replace rotting rail ties.



This project only took three years to complete.

The original idea was to do the upriver half of the line, between South Claiborne and Napoleon avenues, followed by the downriver half, from Napoleon Avenue to Canal Street, with the whole project wrapping up by early 2012. Things did not go as forecast.

The contractor hired to handle the $7 million project almost immediately walked off the job, bringing all work to a halt for a few months. Then, once it resumed, the task turned out to take far longer than expected, and the project was split into multiple phases. 

But even then, a few short months later, they had to go dig right back in.

Streetcar service through the Uptown area will be interrupted in three phases over the summer in order to accommodate the SELA drainage project, RTA officials told Carrollton residents on Monday night. 

 And so all summer (the tourism offseason, btw) nobody could get across any of the major intersections of St. Charles without hassle.



And, of course, no streetcars ventured out of the first ward.



Uptown residents, well used now to disappointment,  heard the promise that rail work would finally end in early September and hunkered down for news of an extension.

But then today, things are looking up.

Streetcar service along the entire length of St. Charles Avenue is to be restored this weekend, according to the Army Corps of Engineers.

Just don't expect similar relief from construction sites for drivers on New Orleans' storied thoroughfare.

Crews are just about finished installing sections of three new drainage canals below the streetcar tracks that cross Jefferson, Napoleon and Louisiana avenues. But work on the canals will continue underneath the adjacent road pavement for the next few months, requiring drivers to still shift lanes across the neutral ground.

The streetcar should start carrying passengers Sunday from Canal Street clear to the end of the line at South Carrollton and Claiborne avenues, the corps announced Wednesday (Sept. 2) on behalf of the Regional Transit Authority.

Don't get too too excited.  The Uptown Demilitarized Zone is still very much in effect. SELA is not expected to be complete until 2018 (at the earliest.) But just the notion that one small part of the project can finish on time should give some folks some hope.   Maybe we should schedule a parade.

SELA season

Cleverly timed. They say they've timed this for "while school is out for summer" but what they really mean is there aren't as many tourists around who will want to ride on the streetcar amusement.

You thought traffic in Uptown New Orleans couldn't get any worse. Wait until June 1.

That's when the Army Corps of Engineers, in coordination with the Sewerage & Water Board and the Regional Transit Authority, will rip up streetcar tracks at three major intersections along St. Charles Avenue to continue installing major federal drainage canals.

Those crossings, at Jefferson, Napoleon and Louisiana avenues, will be compromised for 90 days, allowing crews to do the work simultaneously to minimize snarling traffic while school is out for the summer.

This just after they finished putting in the new rail ties last year.



If you're Uptown, it might be a good time to make sure your bike is in good shape. Although people keep trying to make that more complicated than it needs to be as well. 

Collision course

The St. Charles streetcar rail tie replacement project has made it into the Garden District.  As far as I know, this is the final stretch of the line where work remains to be done. Back in December, we were told the whole project would wrap up by the end of April so about a month and a half behind that schedule seems right.

Over the past week or so, work crews have divided into two teams moving toward one another one coming from different directions. A person can stand in the intersection at Fourth Street and see one team making its way uptown from Jackson Avenue.



And then turn and see the other coming down from Louisiana.



From the looks of things, they'll be putting in a golden spike somewhere between there and Second Street.  Maybe someone will give a speech.

So it will be an apple store after all

Just not the kind of apples the rumor mill was wishing for.

Construction is under way at the former Borders bookstore at 3338 St. Charles Avenue. A worker at the Uptown site said it's going to be a "health food store," with offices upstairs, and should be open in about eight months.

It will be Family Dollar

Makes more sense than any of the "buzz" to this point, anyway. Also nice to see yet another bank branch is going up across the street. It will be caddy corner to the new bank branch that just opened.