Cheaper parking for some workers could be coming to New Orleans
By Christian Olivier,
2024-09-06
NEW ORLEANS ( WGNO ) — The Office of Nighttime Economy is pushing for the creation of an affordable parking program in New Orleans that would be designed to support workers in the service, hospitality and cultural sectors.
According to officials with the City of New Orleans, ONE released a request for information for the creation of the program in response to the “significant transportation challenge for workers in restaurants, hotels and entertainment venues across the French Quarter and downtown New Orleans.”
“Parking and transportation as a whole are monumental barriers that our nighttime service industry workforce faces every day. From accepting a parking ticket so you can be on time for your shift or walking from surrounding neighborhoods at night, we understand the ongoing issues a person may face when simply trying to get to and from work,” said ONE Director Mike Ince.
The program is reportedly meant to increase the number of highly affordable parking spaces in the downtown area and log available spaces online in order to improve the quality of life and cost of living for the workers.
The initiative is modeled after a similar program in downtown Austin, Texas. New Orleans parking operators in the Central Business District, French Quarter, Tremé and Marigny areas are asked to consider offering discounted rates and dedicated parking spaces for hospitality workers. ONE also encourages them to provide an estimate of their available spaces.
The initiative states that workers will need to verify their employment at a designated business in order to qualify for the discounts.
Next steps in implementing the program include discussion with parking operators, the development of an interactive parking map and inventory of parking resources for hospitality workers.
More information can be found online or by contacting ONE Community Projects Manager Robert Henig Bell at robert.bell@nola.gov .
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