The French Quarter Must Be Reclaimed for Pedestrians and Cyclist. Here's How.

An Op-Ed I wrote for The Times-Picayune was published yesterday, outlining a permanent traffic proposal I developed, called Plan Vieux Carré. You can read the full proposal here.

The dominance of automobiles in the French Quarter must be reexamined. The neighborhood’s infrastructure should prioritize pedestrians and cyclists while restricting motor vehicle access to its historic streets.

Cars are often treated as neutral objects, yet they are deadly weapons. When they injure or kill bicyclist, accountability is rare. The only meaningful way to curb the rampant lawlessness on New Orleans' streets is through bold infrastructure changes—transforming our public spaces to ensure they are truly accessible and safe for all road users.

Read the full Op-Ed here.

My last name is French, and its pronunciation doesn’t quite align with the Anglo tongue when spoken in English. Unfortunately, the printed version of my Op-Ed included a misspelling, likely making it even more difficult to pronounce.

For the record, it’s pronounced Ga-bou-rel.

Vive la Vélorution,

Eric Gabourel