this post was submitted on 05 Jan 2025
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57
Exclusive: New Orleans’ planned new Bourbon Street barriers only crash-rated to 10 mph (www.reuters.com)
submitted 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) by HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works to c/news@lemmy.world
7 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Months before the deadly New Orleans vehicle attack on New Year’s Day, the city modeled scenarios for how an attacker could enter Bourbon Street at various intersections in a crew-cab Ford F-150 similar to the one used to kill 14 people and injure dozens more.

Engineers found such a pickup could enter the crowded tourist strip at speeds ranging from 12 to 70 mph - and yet city officials are now installing new street barriers that can only withstand 10-mph impacts, according to an April city-contracted engineering analysis and city bid documents reviewed by Reuters.

Those new barriers, known as “bollards,” had not yet been installed on Bourbon Street on New Year's but are planned to be completed by the Feb. 9 NFL Super Bowl in New Orleans. The documents reviewed by Reuters, which have not been previously reported, make clear that the system won't be able to prevent vehicle attacks at moderate-to-high speeds.

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[–] halcyoncmdr@lemmy.world 19 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Well, they were only planning for a built-in, easy way to block off the road temporarily. They didn't have a reason, at the time, to need to plan against a terrorist ramming the crowd with a vehicle. Just something better than temporary mobile barricades needing to be moved in and out basically every night.

On the other hand, this entire scenario shows how ridiculously and needlessly large and dangerous modern trucks are, like the F150 used here. So naturally, that aspect will be completely ignored by the media and politicians.

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Except (from the article) ...

Months before the deadly New Orleans vehicle attack on New Year’s Day, the city modeled scenarios for how an attacker could enter Bourbon Street at various intersections in a crew-cab Ford F-150 similar to the one used to kill 14 people and injure dozens more.

Engineers found such a pickup could enter the crowded tourist strip at speeds ranging from 12 to 70 mph - and yet city officials are now installing new street barriers that can only withstand 10-mph impacts, according to an April city-contracted engineering analysis and city bid documents reviewed by Reuters.

[–] halcyoncmdr@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

And? That doesn't really contradict what I said. There's a TON of shit that gets modeled and never ends up in the final design chosen when designing any infrastructure improvement.

At the time those decisions were made (months ago), I'm sure there were many factors used in weighing what option to go with. Things like:

  1. The odds of this scenario actually happening at various speeds and with various vehicles.
  2. The initial purchase and installation cost difference between the various options available.
  3. Ongoing maintenance costs associated with the various options.
  4. The convenience to officers/officials using the installed option every day to close and re-open traffic.
  5. The option of just closing the street permanently to traffic, and the knock-on effect that would have with all other surrounding traffic in the region.

I'd bet thousands that many of the people complaining now about the fact a simple and now clearly inadequate option is being installed, are the same ones that would complain (or did complain at the time, I don't live in the region, so I don't pay attention to their council meetings) about more expensive options that were likely being considered as well. What got approved is clearly one of the cheapest options available, just above having to put out and bring down mobile barricades every day. When the cheapest option is picked, it's usually because something better than the status quo is necessary but NIMBY-type dipshits were the ones in the council meetings complaining about cost over everything else and effectively controlled the conversation.

Perhaps the news should research and go back through those council meetings and see why this option specifically was chosen/approved. I'm willing to bet we'll see that exact scenario play out.

[–] ChonkyOwlbear@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago

It seems to me that it doesn't matter what impact the bollard can withstand. It matters what a vehicle can withstand. Any collision with a stationary anchored device is going to have a chance of disabling a vehicle.

[–] MutilationWave@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

I've read several things about this today and it seems like a matter of funding. Putting in those retractable ones that can stop a truck is crazy expensive and then you have to pay people to raise and lower them, and to service them. New Orleans is my favorite city in the US and it's sad that they have to make due with so little amid disaster after disaster.

I saw someone comment that they should just make parts of the Quarter like Bourbon pedestrian only 24 hours a day and put in permanent barriers. Then business deliveries could be handled by cargo bikes. It's not like it snows or gets very cold there.

Oh and if anyone wants to make their next trip to New Orleans and spend some money they badly need there- skip Bourbon Street. Maybe walk through once for the experience, but the streets nearby are way cooler. Shout-out to Frenchman Street, The Spotted Cat and Checkpoint Charlie.

I haven't spent much time in Garden or downtown, but Garden is more chill and has great bars. You can go to Dragos downtown and have the best oysters of your life, charbroiled style with the best bread. One order will feed two people. And it looks super fancy but you don't have to dress up to go there.

I've been four times and I only did Bourbon once on the first trip. Never went back.

Oh and hang out with the homeless punks a bit. They might look scary and say horrible shit to scare people for laughs, but most of them are super cool and into solidarity. Give them some cash or some food for hanging out with you. They make good music and have the best jokes. Last time I was there one of them just walked up to me and put a huge mushroom chocolate in my hand, said have a great night, and walked away.

Wow I wish I was there right now after typing all that out. After how wild I got last time I don't know if my wife will ever go with me again. But you don't have to go nuts. Best food in the world.

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I bet that most mobile bollards won't withstand serious ramming power. Like a truck and some speed.

[–] tal 1 points 1 day ago

Big picture here, I'm not sure how much point there is to putting heavier bollards in.

I don't believe that we're going to seal off every area that a car can reach or someone can plant explosives at and that has a bunch of people in it in the US.

It's also not clear to me that there is a rash of people intent on a repeat job, trying to physically attack vice in New Orleans. Sounds like the perpetrator had a lot of problems and kinda was lashing out at the world solo.

If we do get more incidents, then we've got more data points, okay, maybe do something then.

There are a lot of ways to kill a bunch of people at once if you're set on it and willing to be creative. You can maybe hit some of the most-egregious ones, but you won't get all of them.