As New Orleans schools prepare to close their doors for the summer, the city's Department of Public Works has begun to disable school zone traffic systems. These include cameras and flashing beacons, which will be methodically deactivated to match the last days of school sessions for the academic year. By July 14th, the landscape of school zones in New Orleans will shift, as these devices enter their seasonal slumber, slated to spring back to life when the autumn term commences in August. This information comes from a recent announcement by the City of New Orleans officials.
In a move highlighting a collaborative spirit, the City of New Orleans and the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) have reached a key agreement following deliberations that began last August of 2024. After threading through the intricate tapestry of negotiations, they've crafted a contract delineating a 60/40 net revenue split from the traffic cameras. This Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (CEA) for revenue sharing awaits its final stamp of approval. Once solidified, it promises to distribute resources between the two entities more equitably, addressing long-standing concerns over how previous funds were allocated. The details surfaced when the City of New Orleans heralded the milestone in its recent communication.
In addition to the OPSB agreement, the City continues its engagement with other educational institutions within the parish to form CEAs that mirror the aforementioned terms. The overarching aim is to establish a uniform approach to traffic camera revenue sharing across the board, fortifying the partnership between the City and the schools within its embrace.
Officials are taking this moment to remind drivers to stay alert and proceed with caution, particularly in the vicinity of schools. Even with the traffic systems toned down for summer, the streets will not be barren – summer campers and other pedestrians will continue to traverse these roads. "With the school year coming to a close, the City urges drivers to remain vigilant and cautious when traveling near schools to ensure the safety of summer campers and all pedestrians," the City of New Orleans stated, emphasizing the unchanging imperative of public safety.
