NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) has been awarded a $5,492,524 grant from the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP) program to enhance accessibility for passengers with disabilities on the St. Charles streetcar line. 

This funding will enable the RTA to design and implement a program to make stops along the historic St. Charles streetcar line fully wheelchair accessible. ASAP is a competitive grant specifically for agencies with legacy fixed-guideway rail systems. The grant provides financial support for planning, designing, and/or constructing retrofits and upgrades to stations or facilities to meet or exceed the 1990 American with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. 

This FTA funding comes from President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). 

“This funding is a critical part of our goal to make equitable transit that is accessible for all, as reaffirmed in our recently updated Strategic Mobility Plan. We want to thank our federal partners, including the Federal Transit Administration and U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy and U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, for their support in helping us move this vital work forward,” said Lona Edwards Hankins, RTA CEO. 

“The RTA Board of Commissioners remains committed to ensuring equitable transit for all passengers. This federal grant underscores the RTA's enduring commitment to this work as evidenced by the implementation of six wheelchair accessible stops in 2020. Today once again shows the RTA leadership's persistence in identifying resources to make sure the historic St. Charles Streetcar line is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act,” said Mark Raymond, Jr., Chair, RTA Board of Commissioners. 

“We are not only modernizing our nation’s infrastructure, we are doing so in a way that makes it more accessible for older Americans, people with disabilities, and all transit users," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “This initiative, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is retrofitting old rail stations with elevators, ramps, and more, to make sure that our public transportation is more accessible for millions of Americans going about their daily lives.”

“Since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, great strides have been made in improving accessibility, but there is still a lot of work to accomplish,” said FTA Acting Administrator Veronica Vanterpool. “By modernizing rail systems across the country, the ASAP program provides funding to address these overdue improvements. We want to ensure that all customers can use transit systems with ease and reliability, including people with disabilities, those using mobility devices, and other users needing more accessible spaces.”

“The St. Charles Streetcar is an iconic line that connects Uptown to the Central Business District,” said Dr. Cassidy. “This funding from the infrastructure law will revitalize the world’s oldest continuously operating street railway, preserving New Orleans culture for locals and tourists alike.” 

“I’m thrilled to announce this funding which will ensure that all Louisianians and visitors, including those with disabilities, have equitable access to essential transportation services,” said Rep. Carter. “By incorporating accessibility improvements that respect the area's history, the project promises to modernize infrastructure while preserving our unique cultural heritage, benefiting both current and future generations.” 

The RTA has been consistently working to develop a fully accessible system for all modes of service. This grant will result in a program of improvements to increase the number of stops that are fully accessible to 46 of 53 for the thousands of residents and visitors that use this vital service and cultural icon. This project will require adjusting curbs, and so it includes traffic analysis, community engagement and responding to the sensitive historic context. The project will include connecting infrastructure to stops and possible stop consolidation to improve access, speed and reduce total program costs. The designs will be reviewed and vetted by the community and historic preservation agencies. The project is estimated for completion in 2027. 

The RTA will continue to work in partnership with the City of New Orleans on improving transit accessibility through the design and implementation of these important upgrades to one of New Orleans’ most iconic symbols. 

Learn more about the FTA’s announcement here.

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The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority is a political subdivision of the State of Louisiana which is operated by an independent Board of Commissioners that serves Orleans, Jefferson and St. Bernard parishes. The agency operates car and passenger ferries, fixed-route buses, paratransit, streetcar, and limited on-demand service.