RTA emphasizes streetcar safety with new initiative

30th April 2012   ·   0 Comments

By Shawn Chollette
Contributing Writer

If you make those quick left hand turns in front of streetcars when driving, or ride your bike between streetcars and stationary vehicles you may be creating unnecessary risk.

While streetcars may not speed through the city, the Regional Transit Authority in New Orleans wants to remind you that the 44,000-pound masses of metal deserve your respect.

The number of incidents involving streetcars trolling through New Orleans’ thoroughfares have fallen 50 percent in each of the past three years, and the agency looks to continue that declining trend with its safety campaign, “Tracks Can Kill: Live Outside the Lines,” according to Angele James, marketing and communications manager for the RTA.

“This is more about changing people’s behavior … because safety is the number one priority,” said James, adding that because streetcars are part of peoples’ daily routines safety concerns are an afterthought.

Prior to launching the new campaign, James said the agency held a focus group with streetcar operators to identify potential safety hazards and preventative measures.

The feedback showed that pedestrians, drivers, joggers, and cyclists are unaware of potential hazards.

Clarence Glover, a streetcar operator for 22 years and training instructor for the RTA for the last six, said the biggest issue with regard to streetcar safety is people simply not paying attention.

“It takes 111 feet for a streetcar to come to a complete stop. It’s just like a train, and deserves the same respect,” Glover said.

He said unnecessary safety hazards are created when drivers try to beat the slow-moving vehicles.
“If the streetcar has the right of way, slow down and let it go. You’ll still get where you’re going on time.”

He added that bicyclists should apply that same logic when attempting to ride between a moving streetcar and stationary vehicles.

“There’s the chance that someone riding a bike could wobble just enough and end up bumping into streetcars, or parked vehicles.”

Although the safety campaign employs signs and public service announcements, the agency has taken other proactive measures to prevent accidents.

In addition to installing brigh­ter head lights and flashing lights to the bottom of streetcars, the agency has started using a new type of signs at busy intersections.

“If you’re familiar with St. Charles Avenue and Calliope, you’ll notice a new signal at the intersection,” said Gerard Guter the RTA’s, director of operations for the RTA since 2007.

“We moved towards using a railroad signal, and have witnessed accidents occurring at that intersection drop to zero.”

Guter said the agency plans to install similar rail-specific signals at other major intersections including those near Canal and City Park, Carrollton and City Park, Canal and Carrollton, and Canal and Riverfront stops.

This article was originally published in the April 30, 2012 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper