Most of New Orlean’s Bourbon Street should be closed to cars following truck attack, reports recommends

Most of New Orleans’ Bourbon Street should be closed off to vehicles, creating a permanent pedestrian plaza, a report recommends, three months after a truck plowed into a New Year’s Day crowd, killing 14 people. The report released by the New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation said an “elevated threat environment demands a new security approach for the French Quarter for everyday business operations.” The tragedy took place in the city’s bustling French Quarter, which had no strong barriers to protect the area from speeding vehicles like that 6,000-pound truck, CNN previously reported.

It came years after a private security consulting firm warned in a 2019 report that the risk of terrorism in the French Quarter – specifically mass shootings and vehicular attacks – remained “highly possible while moderately probable.” That report strongly recommended safety structures known as bollards –– vertical posts that can be anchored in place or move up and down –– be fixed and improved “immediately.” In addition to the missing sturdy bollards, which were under repair, the city’s portable steel barriers were in the down position during New Year’s celebrations, CNN previously reported.



This story is developing and will be updated..