ESSENCE Festival traffic reminders
Drivers urged to plan extra travel time
NEW ORLEANS, La. (WVUE) - Festival goers are urged to plan extra time for their commute during ESSENCE Festival.
The New Orleans Police Department and Louisiana State Police will implement a traffic plan for the event July 5 - 7, 2019.
Events will be held in the Convention Center from 9:00 am - 6:00 pm with heavy vehicle and pedestrian traffic expected. Commuting through the area may also be hectic due to current construction on Convention Center Boulevard.
The following plan will be put in place each day to help facilitate traffic flow and ensure the safety of everyone attending the events and/or visiting the area.
Convention Center Blvd.
• Convention Center Blvd from Calliope St. to Julia St. will be one way in a downtown direction.
• Convention Center Blvd from Calliope St. to Henderson St. will remain in both directions. ◦ Special attention will be given to Henderson St. due to vehicles accessing parking lots and Convention Center Blvd.
• Convention Center Blvd from Julia St. to Poydras St. will remain open in both directions. ◦ There is a possibility of intermittent closures on Convention Center Blvd at Poydras St. This will determined by the NOPD and LSP supervisors based on the traffic situation.
• The traffic supervisors will have the autonomy to open Convention Center Blvd. in both directions throughout the day depending on the traffic situation.
S. Peters St.
• All side streets between Calliope St. and Julia St. will be closed to traffic accessing Convention Center Blvd. These streets will be controlled with barricades and officers.
◦ Any vehicles accessing residences, businesses, hotels, parking lots, etc. in those blocks will be allowed to enter.
• All rideshare vehicles will be asked to drop off and pick up on S. Peters St. in order to keep additional traffic off of Convention Center Blvd.
Tchoupitoulas St.
• Officers will control intersections along Tchoupitoulas St. from Julia St. to Calliope St. to facilitate traffic accessing US 90.
Drivers are also encouraged to use public transportation to access downtown.
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