New Orleans — Streetcar in Algiers?

May 2014

The city of New Orleans will take a closer look at the idea of building a streetcar extension to the Algiers neighborhood, according to a KVUE story posted on the BayouBuzz.com site. Algiers is located on the west bank of the Mississippi River, though the River's meandering path means that Algiers is actually east of downtown New Orleans.

The idea of streetcars rolling on the west bank, first mentioned publicly about one month ago, will be studied formally. On May 13, the Regional Planning Commission voted unanimously to study the possibility of adding a streetcar line in Algiers. A preferred route has not been established yet, but a line following Gen. Degaulle has been suggested as a possibility. The next task for the commission will be to find funding for the feasibiity study.

The president of the New Orleans City Council first floated the idea in April. Supporters point to the fact that Algiers once before had streetcars linking to a ferry to downtown, and feel the line would help encourage visitors to come across the river and explore Algiers which largely escaped damage from Katrina and which is seeing new construction in a number of areas.

Algiers residents suggest the line would help them when they go downtown for Mardi Gras or other activities.