CITY ISSUES TRAFFIC REMINDERS IN ADVANCE OF
2018 ESSENCE FESTIVAL AND 4th OF JULY
NEW ORLEANS — The City of New Orleans has issued traffic reminders in advance of the 2018 ESSENCE Festival to be held this weekend: Friday, July 6, through Sunday, July 8, 2018; as well as for the Fourth of July. ESSENCE Festival events will be held in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The festival is expected to draw more than 400,000 attendees to the downtown area throughout the weekend. The public is encouraged to be patient and prepared for heavy vehicular and pedestrian traffic by making transportation arrangements accordingly.
The New Orleans Police Department will provide traffic assistance in the Central Business District and French Quarter from Friday, July 6, through Sunday, July 8, 2018, from 4 p.m.- 4 a.m. NOPD officers will also provide traffic assistance for the ESSENCE Festival events at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome each night beginning at 4 p.m. Street closures may occur depending on the volume of vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
Parking enforcement personnel will be monitoring for illegal parking, including blocking hydrants, driveways and sidewalks, or parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk, intersection or stop sign. Motorists are also reminded to park in the direction of travel on one-way streets, and with the right wheel to the curb on two-way streets.
In addition, RTA services, including streetcar and bus service, may be interrupted during this event. Details on any route changes are available at www.norta.com.
Venue Security Check Points
In order to provide the safest possible environment for every participant attending ESSENCE Fest, there will be heightened security at both venues: the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. All large carrying bags and backpacks will be inspected.
Enhanced French Quarter Street Closures
NOPD will implement an exterior (soft) and an interior (hard) closure in the French Quarter for the 2018 ESSENCE Festival and Fourth of July.
On Friday, July 6, through Sunday, July 8, from 8 p.m.- 4 a.m. and Wednesday, July 4, from 6 p.m. - 2 a.m., NOPD will implement an (exterior) soft closure in the French Quarter. The soft (exterior) closure is as follows:
- Only taxis, TNCs, limos, hotel guests and vehicles needing to access their businesses and residences will be allowed to enter the French Quarter from Canal Street, Decatur Street, Esplanade Avenue and Rampart Street.
- Large trucks, buses and vans may be directed to detour out of the area and only access the French Quarter on exterior streets. Exterior streets are all streets leading into the French Quarter on Canal Street, Decatur Street, North Rampart Street and Dumaine Street.
On Friday, July 6, through Sunday, July 8, from 7 p.m.-4 a.m. and Wednesday, July 4, from 6 p.m.-2 a.m., NOPD will implement an interior (hard) closure in the French Quarter. The hard (interior) closure is as follows:
- The 100-800 blocks of Bourbon Street will be pedestrian only. Vehicles will not be able to cross Bourbon Street, and will be detoured at all points along Dauphine Street and Royal Streets. Bollards are positioned so that cars may enter to the last driveway or parking garage in the block before Bourbon Street.
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