After more than two years of sharing your thoughts and ideas about how to improve our transit service, it’s official – the New Orleans region will have a new transit system!
Yesterday, the RTA board voted to formally adopt the New Links regional transit network redesign!
Changing a transit network takes some time to prepare – so this won’t happen overnight. But by this time next year, riders should have a much better, more equitable and more effective transit network to rely on!
New Links will be a huge step toward the world class and equitable transit New Orleans riders need and deserve. There will be many changes in where lines begin, end, and travel through. That will be confusing at first, but the results will be impressive:
- A doubling of the percentage of riders of color and lower income households that have access to fast and frequent transit
- A doubling of the number of transit lines that come every 20 minutes or less, seven days a week
- Direct regional connections between major jobs centers like Elmwood and downtown New Orleans and much improved connections between the parishes on the West Bank
- Increased service and frequency for underserved communities like New Orleans East and Algiers.
In the coming months, there will still be chances to participate. Implementation of a network redesign means additional decisions and community meetings to finalize each major proposed change. We’ll keep you posted on how to stay involved.
In the meantime, though, remember two things:
- You and hundreds of other riders and advocates made this happen through your dedication and participation. Thank you!
- This victory reminds us that We CAN win change and policies that mean a better quality of life for the people of the New Orleans region! Let’s do our best to keep up this momentum!