A Better Streetcar for All
The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) is creating a plan to upgrade and improve streetcars for all riders today and into the future. We want your input to make sure we get it right!
Take our Streetcar Survey!
We can’t do this without you. Take our short survey to tell us about your streetcar experience and what changes you would like to see.
Why This Matters
Accessibility
Advancing accessibility for riders of all abilities
Safety
Enhancing safety for riders, streetcar operators, motorists, and pedestrians
Efficiency
Shorten ride times for residents and tourists by increasing streetcar speeds.
Honoring the Legacy
Continue to honor the historic character and cultural significance of New Orleans’ streetcar system.
Accessibility is a central focus of the Streetcar System Modernization Master Plan. In the consent decree resulting from O.E. v. New Orleans Regional Transit Authority, RTA is required to develop a comprehensive plan outlining the steps necessary to achieve full wheelchair accessibility on the St. Charles Streetcar Line by November 2026. The Streetcar System Modernization Master Plan will help guide that work while identifying broader opportunities to create a safer, faster, more reliable and inclusive streetcar system for all riders.
Envisioning Our Streetcar Future, Together
Our streetcars have a long, proud history of improvements and community-driven change.
- Animal activists advocating for the shift away from mule-drawn cars.
- The Streetcar Protest of 1867 that first desegregated our streetcar system (the first to do so in the American history).
- The “Po’Boy” strikes in 1929, our streetcar system’s biggest victories have come from community-led dreaming.
- More recent upgrades like air conditioning, heating, and real-time stop information for streetcars.
RTA does not have all the answers about what the future of the streetcar should look like. We’re excited to partner with the community to explore new ideas, understand the trade-offs of different upgrades, and shape a streetcar system that works for everyone.
What’s Next?
1. We began by analyzing today’s streetcar operations, including performance, safety, and accessibility.
2. Next, we are establishing a vision and goals for the Master Plan. Please take our survey to make sure your voice is heard!
3. Using community input, we’ll develop a set of potential modernization ideas and share them with you for feedback. (Public meetings anticipated mid-August.)
4. We’ll work toward a community-driven preferred scenario that reflects what riders want and need.
The Streetcar Modernization Master Plan will inform future streetcar investments and improvements. Recommendations will look at a 5- to 15-year horizon to start work on our community-led modernization scenario.
It will work hand-in-hand with two other modernization projects currently underway:
- the All-Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP) for the St. Charles Streetcar line.
- the Harmony Circle Track Replacement project.
Project Advisory Committee
RTA has engaged a Project Advisory Committee (PAC) to inform, guide, and advise NORTA’s streetcar system modernization master planning process. RTA has invited the following community representatives to the PAC in order to reflect a wide range of perspectives:
- elected and appointed public officials.
- small business.
- tourism and economic development groups.
- neighborhood association members.
- transportation professionals.
- historic preservation organizations.
- institutional leaders.
- community nonprofits.
- public transit riders.
- disability advocates.
These varied voices will influence a streetcar modernization process undertaken with intentional community engagement, robust information collection, clear public education, and transparent, regular communications.
| First PAC Meeting: May 6, 2026 – View the Presentation |
| View our project info PDF here. |
|
Why is the RTA developing a Streetcar Modernization Master Plan? The RTA has always focused on improving and upgrading our streetcar system to help people get around more easily. Recent improvements have included video screens with real-time stop information and warning lights on the exterior to alert drivers. In 2025, the RTA resolved a lawsuit (brought by the parent of a child using a wheelchair) with a legal agreement, known as a consent decree, to make the streetcar system accessible according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Streetcar Modernization Master Plan will help us to meet these requirements and explore other upgrades and improvements to make our entire streetcar system more accessible, safe, and efficient for everyone. |
|
Don’t the streetcars meet ADA standards already? We have added features to some of our streetcars, such as wheelchair lifts, to make them more accessible for riders with disabilities. We have also made improvements to some of the stops on the St. Charles Streetcar to make them ADA accessible. (Our websites Route and Schedules tab within the Trip Planner identifies which stops and streetcars provide wheelchair accessibility.) However, there is room for further improvement as we aim to make streetcars easier for everyone to ride. The consent decree established a commitment to make all streetcars ADA accessible. The Streetcar Modernization Master Plan will help guide RTA exactly how to reach that goal. |
|
Does this mean the Perley Thomas streetcars are going away? ˜The RTA recognizes the Perley Thomas streetcars are a New Orleans icon. This does not necessarily mean the Perley Thomas cars will be discontinued. It means we have to evaluate a broad range of possible changes to make the streetcar network more accessible for everyone. We do not yet have all the answers for what the streetcar upgrades and improvements could look like. As we develop the Streetcar Modernization Master Plan, we aim to honor the legacy of these historic streetcars, and we look forward to collaborating with RTA staff and the community to develop best the path forward. |
|
What new features will the upgraded streetcar system include? We do not yet know the exact changes that will be made to the streetcars or along the routes. But the changes that the RTA makes will need to meet the consent decree requirements, which include making all stops on the St. Charles line wheelchair accessible and making the St. Charles line ADA-compliant. The changes will also seek to make the entire system more efficient, improve average speeds, and reduce collisions with vehicles. |
|
Will this modernization effort change routes? The modernization effort will examine the feasibility of consolidating certain streetcar stops. This could result in fewer but higher quality stops that would be fully accessible. Consolidating stops would also improve the efficiency and average speeds of the streetcars, helping riders get to their destinations faster. |
|
Will the community have opportunities to give feedback before changes are finalized? The Streetcar Modernization Master Plan process will include various opportunities for the public and staff input throughout the project. This includes the survey, focus groups, and public meetings (anticipated for mid-August). |
|
How long will the modernization effort take? The consent decree sets a deadline for completion of the plan by early Fall, 2026. The Streetcar Modernization Master Plan, once complete, will also include a recommended timeline for implementation. The process of implementing the keystone recommendations will likely happen in phased and take several years.< |
| Have a question or comment? Email us at StreetcarModernization@RTAForward.org |
© Regional Transit Authority