News

December 30, 2021 | From City of New Orleans

City of New Orleans Provides Updates for New Year's Eve Fireworks, 2022 Allstate Sugar Bowl

NEW ORLEANS — The City of New Orleans today announced the preparations underway for hosting all events related to the 2022 Allstate Sugar Bowl and New Year’s Eve.

 

Public Safety

 

The New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness will activate the City Emergency Operations Center, in partnership with public safety partners, to monitor the events and provide public safety support services.

 

The New Orleans Police Department will assign personnel to the Marigny, French Quarter and Central Business District for traffic control, walking beats and area patrols, while continuing to carry out normal operations throughout the city. As always, residents and visitors are reminded to remain vigilant while in large crowds and to report any suspicious activity to a public safety official. New Orleans EMS will provide medical coverage throughout the weekend. In addition to ambulances, paramedics will respond to emergencies using bikes and special response vehicles to easily maneuver through crowds.

 

Allstate Sugar Bowl New Year’s Eve Parade

 

The Allstate Sugar Bowl New Year’s Eve Parade will roll Friday, Dec. 31 at 2:30 p.m. The parade is scheduled to start at the intersection of Elysian Fields Avenue and Decatur Street and will travel along Decatur Street and N. Peters Street before disbanding at the intersection of N. Peters Street and Canal Street. Parade formation will begin along Elysian Fields between Burgundy Street and Decatur Street ahead of the planned start. Heavy vehicular and pedestrian traffic is expected along Elysian Fields Avenue and Decatur Street.

 

Traffic will be restricted along the route. Residents are encouraged to be patient and prepare for heavy vehicular and pedestrian traffic. RTA bus and streetcar service may be interrupted during this event. Details on any route changes are available at norta.com, or by calling the Rideline at (504) 248-3900. Attendees are encouraged to use alternatives to driving, including RTA public transportation, taxis, rideshares (Uber, Lyft) or bicycling, including Blue Bikes.

 

Allstate Sugar Bowl

 

On Saturday, Jan. 1 at 7:45 p.m., the Allstate Sugar Bowl will host a football game between Baylor University and The University of Mississippi at the Caesars Superdome (1500 Sugar Bowl Drive). The garages for this game will open at 2:30 p.m., and heavy vehicular and pedestrian traffic is expected along Poydras Street between Loyola Avenue and S. Claiborne Avenue and in the surrounding area.

 

Street Closures, Traffic and Parking

 

The French Quarter Exterior and Interior Closure will be enhanced, effective Thursday, Dec. 30 through Saturday, Jan. 1, each day from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m.   

 

During this time, the enhanced hard closure of Bourbon Street will be in place:

  • Dauphine Street at all intersections from Iberville Street to St. Ann Street
  • Royal Street at all intersections from Iberville Street to St. Ann Street
  • Bourbon Street and Canal Street
  • Bourbon Street and Dumaine Street
  • All intersections will be manned.
  • Vehicles will not be able to cross Bourbon Street.
  • All streets starting with Dumaine Street toward Esplanade Avenue will be open to cross Bourbon Street.

All vehicle traffic entering from Rampart Street, Canal Street, Dumaine Street and Decatur Street will be screened by officers at various points to ensure only the following vehicles are allowed into the French Quarter:

  • Residents
  • Hotel guests
  • Anyone going to a restaurant or other event
  • Taxi cabs, limousines and small buses will be allowed to enter.

Other Street Closures

  • Officers will close off vehicular traffic to all streets leading to Bourbon Street from Iberville Street to St. Ann Street.
  • Decatur Street will be closed to vehicle traffic from Canal Street to Dumaine Street during peak hours of the New Year’s Eve fireworks event.

Parking and Enforcement

 

Drivers are reminded to always follow posted signs and to obey parking regulations:

  • Don't block hydrants, driveways, transit stops, sidewalks, crosswalks or bike lanes.
  • Don't park within 20 feet of a crosswalk, intersection or stop sign.
  • Park in the direction of travel on one-way streets and with the right wheel to the curb on two-way streets.
  • Call (504) 658-8200 for parking enforcement.

There are several no parking zones for these events, starting Thursday, Dec. 30 through Saturday, Jan. 1 from 12 p.m. to 6 a.m.:

  • 700 and 800 blocks between Dauphine and Royal streets
  • Both sides of the following streets:
    • Iberville
    • Bienville
    • Conti
    • Louis
    • Toulouse
    • Peter
    • Orleans
    • Ann
  • Canal Street (both sides from Claiborne Avenue to Convention Center Boulevard)

Additional no parking zones this weekend include:

  • On Friday, Dec. 31 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., parking is prohibited on N. Peters Street from Elysian Fields Avenue to Dumaine Street.
  • On Friday, Dec. 31 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., parking is prohibited on the river-bound side of Elysian Fields Avenue from Burgundy Street to N. Peters Street.
  • From Friday, Dec. 31 at 8 a.m. through Saturday, Jan. 1 at 4 a.m., parking is prohibited on Decatur Street from Dumaine Street to Conti Street.
  • From Friday, Dec. 31 at 8 a.m. through Saturday, Jan. 1 at 4 a.m., parking is prohibited on both sides of N. Peters Street from Conti Street to Canal Street.

The Department of Public Works’ parking enforcement personnel will be monitoring for illegal parking. Parking Enforcement (Ticket Writing and Towing) will continue with normal patrols and enforcement hours.

 

Ticket Writing’s field staff will patrol from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.

  • Enforcement hours for towing remains 24/7.
  • Online payments for towed vehicles – 24/7 at nola.gov.
  • Uniformed enforcement of parking regulations will be reinstated to ensure curb turnover in high-traffic areas where enforcement is required to regulate Freight/Loading Zones, Cab Stands/Bus Zones, Passenger Zones and metered spaces.
  • These enforcement measures are also being requested by businesses and residents.
  • Booting will continue as normal:
    • Operating hours:
      • 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. – Booting enforcement and assisted releases
      • 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. – Lot attendant on duty to accept self-released boots
      • 24/7 – Self-release, online payments and telephone customer service

For any questions regarding these changes or any parking enforcement questions in general, please contact the City of New Orleans Department of Public Works Parking Division at (504) 658-8200.

 

City of New Orleans COVID-19 Restrictions

 

The City of New Orleans has COVID-19 guidelines in place requiring proof of vaccine or a negative COVID-19 test to enter certain indoor businesses, as well as large outdoor gatherings, including entertainment venues and sports. For the unvaccinated, both PCR and antigen test results taken no more than 72 hours prior to entering an establishment are accepted.

 

To dine and drink indoors at a restaurant or bar or attend a game in the Superdome, residents and visitors must show:

  • Proof of at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, or
  • Evidence of a negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test taken no more than 72 hours prior to entering the establishment

Although there is currently no mask mandate in place, the New Orleans Health Department strongly urges everyone to follow the CDC guidelines around the use of masks in large, crowded gatherings. Details on current COVID-19 restrictions can be found at ready.nola.gov/restrictions. To receive COVID update text alerts, text COVIDNOLA to 77295.

 

More information about the Allstate Sugar Bowl can be found at allstatesugarbowl.org.

 

Follow @NOLAReady on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook or visit ready.nola.gov/events for updates on special event impacts. To receive special events text alerts, text NOLAEVENTS to 77295.

 

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