The New Orleans Regional Planning Commission is pleased to present quarterly news, events, and project updates to a region-wide audience. 

As those of us in coastal Louisiana know, we are now entering the peak of hurricane season.  This year is projected to be an unusually active one.  This, coupled with the speed with which storms are intensifying, is reason for our residents to have a heightened focus on weather developments in the Atlantic Basin.  

Tropical weather and cyclones are developing and intensifying at a much faster rate, going from minimal storms to major hurricanes in a matter of hours, as evidenced by the recent Hurricane Beryl.  This year, Beryl grew from a Tropical Storm on the evening of June 28^th; and undergoing a “rapid intensification cycle” developed into a Category 4 hurricane by June 30^th.  This rapid intensification cycle is becoming increasingly frequent and has serious implications for resilience and evacuations.  Residents are now having to decide when and where to evacuate- if they can - in a much more condensed timeline.  And while the forecasting tools and methodologies have improved, that fact remains that storms are getting stronger, more quickly than in the past.

This presents new challenges for emergency planners and responders. Traditional evacuations and contraflow are started within 72 hours of an anticipated landfall.  This may no longer be adequate for a mass evacuation.  Further, as storms become stronger, our transportation infrastructure becomes more vulnerable to damage.  It also becomes longer to effectuate repair and ultimately costlier to recover. 

Over the past several years, Regional Planning Commission staff has been working on efforts to improve the resilience of our surface transportation network through our planning efforts.  RPC planning efforts now include consideration of resilience features on alternatives and developing “green” solutions where appropriate.  In this vein, RPC will continue working to develop a broader plan for resilience in our region and will be seeking grant funding directly and/or assisting local entities in their applications for funding to address transportation resilience issues.

We are also working to secure funding for lowering CO2 emissions.  RPC has secured EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grant funds from the Environmental Protection Agency for our region, pursuant to the Inflation Reduction Act in 2023. We have accomplished the Preliminary Climate Action Plan (PCAP) and will be beginning the Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP) this fall.  We have already seen success in this regard as the City of New Orleans has applied for and been awarded implementation funding for initiatives based on the PCAP.

In addition to our highway and transit planning programs, we will be continuing our efforts that support the implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Working with our stakeholders and partners, RPC will continue to apply for planning grants, and assist with implementation grants that will ultimately make this region cleaner, safer, more resilient and economically competitive. 

This has been accomplished in no small part by our dedicated staff that has undertaken extensive and targeted outreach to a myriad of stakeholders, local governments, non-profits, advocacy groups, economic development interests, and the public. That outreach has helped inform our understanding of the needs of both individual communities and, by identifying commonalities, plan for programmatic infrastructure investments and policies. 

Consistent with congressional mandates, our aim is to develop specific planning products and outcomes that will lead directly and concisely to implementation.  The overarching goal is to bring the policies promulgated in the plans to fruition as actionable projects based on data-driven analysis; the outcomes for which work to enhance the quality of life, economic vitality, and resilience of our region while being mindful of our responsibilities for social equity and the natural environment.   

As always, we look forward to working with our Board members, in appreciation of their leadership, guidance, and service; our partner agencies at the local, state, and federal levels, and the residents of our region who makes us unique in America.

With Gratitude-

Jeff Roesel

In 2023 the RPC, in partnership with the City of New Orleans and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, conducted an evaluation of the 5.2 mile long north and south I-10 Service roads in New Orleans East and its connections across Interstate 10 using a Complete Streets evaluation approach. The goal was to address multiple pedestrian fatalities and improve the transportation network for people walking or biking. The corridor right-of-way is owned and maintained by the LADOTD, extending out from Interstate 10 and includes the protective barriers and right-of-way separating the high-speed I-10 traffic from local traffic movements on the service roads.

To accomplish a thorough evaluation multiple data were collected and reviewed. These included comparing the posted speed (25 to 35 mph) to the actual speed of traffic which showed that drivers routinely speed on both I-10 Service Rds. and were recorded going up to 23 mph over. It included locating and mapping all transit stops along and leading to the Service Rds. and the number of people boarding and alighting against the presence or lack of sidewalks, to deduce where pedestrians are vulnerable. Land use data helped locate commercial businesses and houses of worship visited by residents along the corridors. 

Special attention was given to recorded crash locations and severity of injury for the years 2017 to 2021, the most recent years data were available. There were 4 pedestrian fatalities during this period and a 5^th pedestrian fatality occurred in September 2023 crossing I-10 on foot after the study closed. There are fewer cyclists, but data shows 7 bike crashes during this period. 

Average daily traffic including pedestrian and bicycle camera counts were taken during a full week to identify where concentrations of pedestrians walk. These were notably near apartment buildings near Crowder Blvd. and Bullard Avenue on both sides of I-10. The highest number of pedestrian movements were recorded on the south side of I-10 at Bullard Avenue, near the Walmart Shopping Center. Residents often must walk in the street to reach a transit stop, grocery store, or laundry mat. 

Two public meetings were held at the New Orleans East Regional Library to discuss findings and receive feedback from residents and elected officials on three potential infrastructure solutions. Over X number of people attended. Residents desired an improved quality of life, greater mode choice, and protection or barriers from cars when walking or biking.

In parallel with the conclusion of the study the City of New Orleans applied for and was awarded $61.5 million U.S. DOT’s Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Program to construct 10’ wide shared-use trails along each corridor, build pedestrian scale lighting, improve at-grade intersection connections, and construct three new non-motorized, ADA compliant bridges across Interstate 10 on the medians at Mayo, Bundy, and Wright Boulevards. 



The Stage 0 evaluation was led by HNTB Corporation with the Hawthorne Agency conducting public outreach. 

The RPC Electric Vehicle Readiness Tool (EVRT) will soon be overhauled to better support the Southeast Louisiana Clean Fuel Partnership (SLCFP) participants with navigating EV infrastructure installation based on federal funding criteria. SLCFP is also looking to build on the previous Regional EV Readiness Guide through a regional E-Mobility Plan. 



The SLCFP has put together an early survey to gather feedback from regional stakeholders about what programming, research, and data needs will help with E-Mobility planning and an update to the RPC EVRT. Currently, the EVRT displays the locations of DC Fast Chargers (non-Tesla), Alternative Fuel Stations, LaDOTD NEVI Interchange Groups Round 1, USDOT’s Justice40 disadvantaged Census tracts, and Employment (2022) by Census block group. Ideas for layers to be added to the RPC EVRT include NEVI corridors & associated 1-mile interstate exit buffer, public parking lots (both government buildings and private retail centers), truck stops & gas stations, evacuation routes, and EV registration summarized by area. Any stakeholders in the region interested in joining the SLCFP’s EV Readiness Roundtable and participating in the E-Mobility planning process should email sclfp@norpc.org.

RPC maps show the Enterprise Zones by Parish Block Groups within Census Tracts – 2020.  These are eligible areas to be used for Advance Notifications received on or after April 24, 2024

“Enterprise zones are geographic regions that are granted special status by a government to encourage development and economic growth. The zones may be granted favorable tax rates, regulatory exemptions, or other incentives to encourage businesses to stay in the area or locate in it.  Enterprise Zones are economically distressed areas within the state that have high unemployment rates, low per capita income and/or a high number of residents receiving public assistance.

The program is open to Louisiana businesses (new or existing) that will Create a minimum of five permanent net new full-time jobs within 24 months of their project start date or increase their current nationwide workforce by 10% within the first 12 months.

Hire 50% of the net new jobs created from one or more of the certification requirements from these targeted groups:

• WHAT ARE THE FOUR CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS?Residency 
• Public assistance
• Lacking basic skills
• Unemployable by traditional standards”

https://www.opportunitylouisiana.gov/incentive/enterprise-zone

The LED website notes Enterprise Zone Statues, rules and employers or persons not eligible for the program.



We are thrilled to welcome Kathryn Zeringue to our team as a Senior Transportation Planner with a distinct focus in active transportation. A native of Thibodaux, LA, Kathryn brings a wealth of experience, education, and passion for improving the livability of our communities to the Regional Planning Commission.

After completing her undergraduate studies, Kathryn set her sights on the University of Texas at Austin where she earned a Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning. She embarked on her professional career with the North Carolina Department of Transportation focusing on their bicycle program, and more recently as a consultant working as an active transportation lead.

A desire to return home to Louisiana brought her to the Regional Planning Commission where she is involved with several projects including revising the Regional Planning Commission’s complete streets guidelines, the St. Tammany Bike / Ped plan, and the Bayou Sauvage active transportation plan. Making GIS maps and analyzing data are some of the things she loves most about her work.

Fun Facts about Kathryn:

Favorite Po Boy: shrimp with roast beef debris from Domilise’s

Favorite Place to Have a Drink: Parleaux Beer Lab in the Bywater 

Favorite Hobby: Photography. Kathryn is currently working on a photography project on neighborhoods along the Mississippi River.