City of New Orleans Launches Frenchmen Street Rideshare Pilot Program

September 26, 2024 | From City of New Orleans

City of New Orleans Launches Frenchmen Street Rideshare Pilot Program

The Mayor's Office of Nighttime Economy today announces the launch of a new rideshare pilot program for Frenchmen St. The program is aimed at reducing vehicular traffic. As one of the major strips in New Orleans for live music and entertainment, Frenchmen Street is often clogged with bumper-to-bumper traffic on this short two-block strip. During this pilot program, the Office of Nighttime Economy has partnered with Uber & Lyft to create rideshare drop off and pick up zones around the area to alleviate the traffic jam. Uber & Lyft alone, accounts for roughly 80 percent of that traffic, according to their data.

Like other cities, New Orleans is moving toward implementing permanent designated rideshare zones in the future for a safer and more efficient solution to this ongoing problem, so that residents and visitors can enjoy the Frenchmen Street attractions without the hassle. The rideshare pilot program will run from Sept. 26 through Nov. 24 on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. During that time, rideshare traffic only will be prohibited from entering Frenchmen St.

"We're excited to roll out the Frenchmen Rides initiative for improved safety for both patrons and nightlife workers on Frenchmen Street," said Michael Ince, Director, Mayor's Office of Nighttime Economy.

"We look forward to continued collaboration with businesses and other stakeholders as we work to improve the overall experience of Frenchmen Street. I commend Rob Bell, Community Projects Manager, Mayor's Office of Nighttime Economy for spearheading this initiative."

The pickup and drop off zones will be located exactly one block away from attractions, on the river-bound side of Elysian Fields Avenue. Non-rideshare vehicular traffic and pedestrian activity will retain access to the street, allowing for safer, less congested movement along the Frenchmen Street strip.

Designated pickup & drop-off locations are common internationally and across the country. New Orleans residents are likely to have encountered them at the airport, attending Saints games or during the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Many cities across the country have employed geofencing solutions for busy nightlife strips, similar to Frenchmen St.

"By putting safety at the forefront, Uber and the City of New Orleans are working together to provide dedicated space for Uber users near one of the city's busiest nightlife streets, while encouraging more shared mobility," said Javier Correoso, Uber Director of Public Affairs.

"Through the Mayor's Office of Nighttime Economy and in deploying tactics from Uber's Nightlife Operating Manual, New Orleans is at the forefront of reimagining what the future of curbside access looks like to best suit the needs of consumers."

The two designated rideshare zones are located on Elysian Fields Avenue, one block off of the Frenchmen strip.

• Zone 1 - 700 Elysian Fields Ave (next to Washington Sq Park)
• Zone 2 - 500 Elysian Fields Ave (next to Premium Parking lot

All rides created in the Uber and Lyft app to or from Frenchmen Street, between Esplanade Ave & Royal Street, will be directed to one of the two rideshare zones.

Signage in these zones will remain 'as is' for daytime hours. For designated nighttime hours, signage will be changed to 'Passenger Zone: No Parking' with enforcement and penalties levied for violators in accordance with standard violations, which includes ticketing and towing.

For more information and updates, visit: Nighttime Economy - Programs - Frenchmen Rides - City of New Orleans (nola.gov)

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