New Orleans' New Bourbon Street Safety Barriers Set To Be Installed-But They're Only Crash-Rated For 10 MPH Impact
(MENAFN- Live Mint) New Orleans' planned new barriers for Bourbon Street, designed to protect pedestrians from vehicle attacks, have come under scrutiny due to their limited crash rating of just 10 mph. Despite engineers modeling scenarios where a vehicle could enter the street at speeds ranging from 12 to 70 mph, the new bollards, set to be completed by February 2025, are only able to withstand impacts at much lower speeds, Reuters reported.
This decision was made to prioritize ease of operation and maintenance, given past issues with the old barrier system, which frequently became inoperable. However, the new barriers will not be able to stop a vehicle traveling at moderate-to-high speeds, raising concerns about their effectiveness in preventing future attacks, especially in light of the recent deadly attack on New Year's Day that killed 14 people .
In the aftermath of a vehicle attack on New Year's Day , questions have arisen about New Orleans' efforts to protect Bourbon Street from such incidents. A deadly attack carried out by a driver using a truck similar to a Ford F-150 occurred at 3:15 a.m. on January 1, 2025, killing 14 people and injuring many others. The city had been working on improving its street security system, but the new barriers, known as bollards, are now being criticized for not being strong enough to stop a vehicle traveling at moderate to high speeds.
City's efforts to improve security
Months before the attack, the city modeled scenarios for how an attacker might use a truck to drive onto Bourbon Street from different intersections. The city found that a pickup truck could enter the crowded street at speeds of 12 to 70 miles per hour. However, according to a report from Reuters, the bollards that are currently being installed on Bourbon Street are only designed to withstand impacts at speeds of up to 10 mph. These new barriers were set to be completed by February 9, 2025, ahead of the Super Bowl in New Orleans.
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