New Orleans is becoming an increasingly bike-friendly city with bike lanes and paths throughout the whole city. Recently, the New Orleans Police Department has been issuing bike traffic tickets to those who violate traffic laws on their bikes, and bike safety continues to be a hot topic on everyone’s mind.
Where are the New Orleans Bike Lanes & Bike Paths?
Sometimes visitors come to New Orleans and are amazed with how small it really is. Dozens of businesses provide bike rentals so tourists have the opportunity to see different parts of the city without having to drive or worry about a DWI. For this reason, the city has recognized that the safety of bike lanes is important to our residents and have installed and are installing additional designated bike lanes. Some of the more popular routes are:
Esplanade Avenue – this bike lane, running on both sides of the road from the Mississippi River all the way to City Park is one of the newer bike lanes and has become a very popular route for tourists and residents of New Orleans.
Orleans Avenue – you can ride from City Park Ave on the Jefferson Parish line, make a right onto Orleans Ave and head to the French Quarter.
St. Charles Avenue – don’t be fooled as most of St. Charles does not have a designated bike lane, but from Nashville Avenue to South Carrollton, there are designated bike lanes on either side making bike commuting for Tulane and Loyola University students easy and safe.
Marconi Blvd – living in Mid-City, you can enjoy not only the paths of City Park, but Marconi Blvd along the edge of City Park can provide a more direct route to the Lake.
Wisner Blvd – if you’re looking for a more scenic bike path, starting at the edge of City Park near the 610 overpass, you can ride up a bike path along the Bayou towards the Lake. You can go all the way to the Lake to enjoy the beauty, or you can turn onto…
Robert E. Lee Blvd. – this wide road makes it much safer to ride in the Lakeview / Gentilly area around UNO.
Elysian Fields Ave. – if you make a right onto Fillmore Ave from the Wisner Blvd bike path you can take it to Elysian Fields Ave and in both direction you can ride your bike safely. Just, be careful as if you head towards the River, once you reach Gentilly Blvd, there are no more bike paths and traffic picks up so watch yourself.
Camp Street – though most of Camp Street uptown does not provide bike access as it is a two-way street on a narrow road, once you hit the Lower Garden District towards Downtown, there is now a designated bike lane all the way to Canal Street.
Loyola Ave – once you hit downtown, Loyola Ave. is a nice wide, open road with designated bike lanes.
Algiers Point Levee – in the last two years, the Algiers Point levee path was paved and widened so you can now take it on your bike all the way from the Jefferson Parish line all the way past the military access. I believe they’re supposed to pave all the way to the Chalmette Ferry but I have not received word whether his has been completed yet.
The Lafitte Greenway – recently opened and provides a lit paved bike lane from the French Quarter to Bayou St. John. EDIT: On the morning I posted this blog, I heard a great Podcast by Ian McNulty about Treme-Lafitte Greenway and things to do along the Greenway. Here’s a link to that article: Where Yeat: Biking Bites along Greenway
General Biking Safety Tips
In addition to making sure you follow the bike laws in Orleans Parish, there are some general safety tips that you should be following in order to prevent disaster on the road.
- Ride on the right side of the road and not on the sidewalk. Unless you are under 15 years of age, sidewalks are not for bikers – leave them to pedestrians.
- To make a left hand turn at intersections, the safe way to proceed is to ride along the right, cross the street, then make your left turn when safe to cross.
- Cyclists should yield to pedestrians and vehicles when approaching oncoming traffic.
- Ride in the direction of traffic. Not only is this the law, but this is for your safety. Drivers do not expect to see bikers coming from the “wrong” way so they don’t always look.
- Use bike lights and reflectors if any possibility of riding in the dark. This is for your safety. It is recommended that you wear white reflectors/lights in the front and red in the back.
- Helmets are required for children 12 and under, but are recommended and smart for everyone else.
- Use hand signals when turning or stopping.
- Be aware!! Sometimes you can be in a car’s blind spot and they have no idea that you are there. If they plan to turn, be cautious, as they may not see you and they may cut you off because of it.
If You’re Driving in Orleans Parish, Remember These Laws
Drivers should pay attention to bikers as we all must share the road. Because we only have to take one driver’s test when we receive our driver’s license, sometimes we forget how to incorporate bikers into our driving. Here are some important points to remember:
- If you’re going to pass a biker, pass safely. Leave plenty of room and be aware of your surroundings.
- Be respectful. There’s no reason to harass bikers. They just want to get where they are going. We are a tourist city. Sometimes tourists aren’t familiar with our roads, so have patience.
- Keep bike lanes clear!!! You can get a traffic ticket for blocking or driving in a bike lane. Do not do it! At turns, you will notice a dotted line. This is when you are allowed to cross over to make your turn. The only other time you can cross a bike lane is to park or leave a driveway/parking spot.
- Be aware. If you are parking on the street, make sure to look behind you before you open your door into the street. Besides cars, you may not see the biker that is coming along too.
- Be knowledgeable. We have bikers in this city and not every street has a designated bike lane. Share the road.
Bike Wrecks and Car Accidents
If you are a biker and you’ve recently been hit by a driver in a car, you should first call a hospital if you are injured. Then, you should consider calling an experienced personal injury lawyer as the wreck may have been a result of negligence on the driver. Crescent City Law has worked with numerous clients who have been in bike and automobile wrecks and has experience working through all the moving parts of a personal injury suit including insurance. You will not pay lawyer fees until we have recovered damages for you. If you were involved in a wreck where you are the biker, it is wise to call a lawyer in case you may be the cause of the accident. You will want to hire a criminal defense lawyer in this case. You can contact Crescent City Law at (504) 264-9492 or by e-mail, and we will respond to you as soon as possible. We are available nights, weekends, off-site and offer a free initial consultation.
