Cycling the Crescent City: Cycling events in March

Coming off an extremely eventful and successful Carnival/Super Bowl season, New Orleans’ increasingly active local cycling community does not appear to have any plans to slow down. The following are just of few of the major events planned for the next month:

City Park and Esplanade Avenue Repaving Project Begins – Wednesday, March 6

The Department of Public Works continues to follow through on its 2013 road improvement goals announced late last year with the repaving of Esplanade Avenue, scheduled to begin Wednesday. According to a notice being distributed to residents potentially affected by the work, one lane of traffic will remain open on either side of Esplanade during the initial phase of construction beginning March 6. For more information regarding the Paths to Progress infrastructure improvement projects, please, visit www.pavinglaroads.com or call 1-800-574-7193.

• When: Wednesday, March 6, 2013
• What: Construction begins on Esplanade Avenue, yielding lane closures and one lane of travel in either direction.

Connect the Nine Community Festival & Bike Ride – Saturday, March 9

For the past few months, citizen leaders have been working hard to bring attention to the aging St. Claude Avenue Bridge across the Industrial Canal. The structure is highly unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists to cross and in dire need of repair. In support of the effort, a free Bike Ride and Festival is being held to educate the public on how we as a community can provide better resources to, access to, improve road conditions in, and increase safety in the 9^th Ward.

• When: 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 9, 2013
• Where: The Ride starts at 10:30 a.m. at the Green Project, 2831 Marais Street, New Orleans. It ends at the festiva location around 12:30 p.m., Lower 9th Ward Village, 1001 Charbonnet Street, New Orleans.
• Cost: Free

Check back next week for an interview with event organizer Anneka Olson, in which she gives a little more insight into the problems currently faced by the St. Claude Bridge as well as all the specifics about the festival.

Livable Claiborne Community Meetings – Saturday, March 16 & Monday, March 18

While not strictly a cycling event, it is fairly clear at this point that active transportation infrastructure improvements are a large part of 21^st century urban development. So, get out and “build our plan for the future” as Livable Claiborne Communities hosts two Open Houses and Workshops to gather public input on revitalizing the Claiborne/I-10 Corridor from Elysian Fields to Napoleon.

• First Meeting: Saturday, March 16, 2013, Joseph A. Craig Elementary School, 1423 St. Phillip St.
• Open House: 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
• Workshop: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

• Second Meeting: Monday, March 18, 2013, Ashe Cultural Arts Center, 1712 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.d
• Open House: 4 – 7 p.m.
• Workshop: 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Crescent City Moonlight Bike Ride – Friday, March 29

American Traffic Solutions is hosting a bike ride under the full moon to raise money for the Gentilly Civic Improvement Association on the evening of Friday, March 29. The ride will begin at Pontchartrain Landing, head down Lakeshore Drive to Landry’s Seafood, and then return along Lakeshore to Pontchartrain Landing. In addition the ride, Bike Easy will host a Community Bicycle Workshop prior to setting off down Lakeshore. There will be an after party at Pontchartrain Landing featuring music and BBQ. For more information and to register, visit the event’s webpage located here.

• When: 5:30 – 9 p.m., Friday, March 6, 2013
• Where: Pontchartrain Landing, 6001 France Road, New Orleans
• Cost: $20 for adults, $10 for children