“Slowin’ Down the Party: New Orleans’ Bold Plan to Tame Bourbon Street with 10 MPH Speed Limits”
**New Orleans’ Bourbon Street Under Lockdown: Uncovering the Flaws in City’s Vehicular Attack Safety Measures**
In the wake of the deadly New Year’s Day vehicle attacks on Bourbon Street, the city of New Orleans has been under scrutiny for its safety measures against vehicular attacks. A comprehensive review of city documents and interviews with sources reveal that the city’s safety planning and bollard system selection have critical flaws that left the street vulnerable to attack.
**Simulating the Attack**
In the months leading up to the attacks, the city conducted simulations to determine the feasibility of an attacker driving a vehicle into crowded areas. Engineers discovered that a vehicle similar to the one used in the attacks could enter the street at speeds of 12 to 70 mph, which would far exceed the capabilities of the new bollards being installed. The simulations found that the attacker could maintain these high speeds by driving without turning and proceeding straight into the street.
**Bollard Capacity**
The new bollards, installed in an effort to prevent such attacks, have a crash rating of only 10 mph. While these barriers can slow or seriously damage faster-moving vehicles, sources indicate they will not effectively prevent high-speed attacks. Additionally, officials prioritized ease of operation over crashworthiness, opting for a bollard system that can be easily inserted and removed along the street tracks.
**Blind Spots in Security Planning**
The investigation has highlighted critical flaws in the city’s security planning. A review of the city’s safety model revealed that it only considered scenarios in which vehicles entered the street from the roadway, excluding any attacks originating from the sidewalk. The study also ignored the fact that in most Bourbon neighborhoods, sidewalks are overly narrow, comprised of parking lots, fire hydrants, balconies, and lampposts, making it difficult for vehicles to access.
**Attacker’s Tactics**
The person responsible for the attack, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, was able to successfully navigate his vehicle through narrow spaces by utilizing the sidewalk. He gained access to the street by squeezing his 7-foot-wide truck between a pharmacy wall and a police car parked on the 8-foot-wide sidewalk. This flaw highlights the danger of underestimating an attacker’s tactics and scenario.
**Designing Effective Protection**
Protecting streets against vehicular attacks requires a multifaceted approach. City officials acknowledge that handicapped-accessible sidewalks create challenges in implementing measures that can prevent vehicular attacks. The city must juggle accessibility requirements with safety concerns, an exercise that can result in compromising safety for convenience.
**No Immediate Fix**
Lacking in Due Diligence**
Since the new bollards are installed with a 10 mph crash rating, it is incredible to understand that they would not effectively operate against vehicles traveling significantly higher than those speeds.
**New Orleans planners missed potential defenses**
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**FAQ**
### Frequently Asked Questions
* **Q: What is the current state of safety measures in New Orleans?**
* The city has installed new bollards on Bourbon Street with a 10 mph crash rating, but these barriers are not sufficient to prevent high-speed attacks.
* **Q: What is the history of bollard installation on Bourbon Street?**
* The city installed the first bollard system in response to pressure from federal officials following a series of vehicle attacks worldwide.
* **Q: What are some of the flaws in the city’s bollard system?**
* The bollard system selected prioritized ease of operation over crashworthiness, and it is not rated to protect against high-speed attacks.
* **Q: What are some of the design issues that hinder safety on Bourbon Street?**
* Narrow sidewalks, parking lots, fire hydrants, balconies, and lampposts make it difficult for vehicles to access sidewalks.
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**Conclusion**
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The city’s safety measures against vehicular attacks are woefully inadequate. Despite the installation of new bollards with a 10 mph crash rating, they do not protect against high-speed attacks. Moreover, ease of operation was prioritized over crashworthiness.
As the investigation unfolds, it is clear that the city has struggled to strike a balance between accessibility and safety on Bourbon Street. The underestimation of an attacker’s tactics and failure to account for the difficulties in accessing the sidewalk have left the city vulnerable to vehicular attacks.
In order to improve safety on Bourbon Street and other public spaces, city officials must undertake a comprehensive review of their safety planning and prioritize crashworthiness in bollard system selection.Bourbon Street’s Bollard System Proves Problematic
Bourbon Street, known for its vibrant nightlife and energetic atmosphere, has been plagued by issues with its bollard system. The barriers, intended to keep the streets safe and controlled, have been rendered unusable due to maintenance and cleaning problems. The system, which is designed to lock and unlock barriers, has been clogged with trash and debris, making it difficult to operate.
The bollards, manufactured by Heard, were not installed to block off Bourbon Street before the attack, according to a statement from the company. The system requires “basic maintenance and cleaning” to operate effectively. However, the streets of Bourbon are notorious for being dirty and littered with trash, making it difficult to keep the system clean.
As a result, the city prioritized ease of operation and maintenance over crash safety ratings when selecting a new system. The report highlights that the city selected a system with relatively lightweight stainless steel posts that can be driven daily by a city crew for installation and removal.
The report also includes attack scenario modeling, which shows that the F-150 can turn onto Bourbon Street at speeds between 12 mph and 20 mph without hitting the curb or running onto the pavement, even with 10 mph crash ratings for the city-selected systems.
The top concern for city officials and representatives of French Quarter residents and businesses is protecting pedestrians from vehicles driving at low speeds from alleys into the Bourbon District. The report rates different systems based on different criteria, with the system selected by the city receiving a higher rating due to its weight and low cost.
FAQ:
Q: Why are the bollards in Bourbon Street not working properly?
A: The bollards are clogged with trash and debris, making it difficult to operate.
Q: Who is responsible for maintaining the bollards?
A: The city is responsible for maintaining the bollards.
Q: Why did the city prioritize ease of operation and maintenance over crash safety ratings?
A: The city prioritized ease of operation and maintenance because the bollards needed to be moved daily, and crash safety ratings were not a priority.
Q: What was the crash rating of the bollards selected by the city?
A: The bollards selected by the city were rated for 10 mph.
Q: What is the weight of the bollards selected by the city?
A: The bollards selected by the city weigh 44 pounds.
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Conclusion:
The bollard system in Bourbon Street has been plagued by issues due to maintenance and cleaning problems. The city prioritized ease of operation and maintenance over crash safety ratings when selecting a new system, resulting in a system that is relatively lightweight and can be driven daily by a city crew for installation and removal. While the system may not meet the highest safety standards, it is designed to protect pedestrians from vehicles driving at low speeds from alleys into the Bourbon District.