St. Claude Avenue should be a vibrant, welcoming place for everyone — not a street where lives are lost simply trying to get around. For too long, this critical corridor through the Bywater, Marigny, and beyond has been dangerous and uninviting for the many residents, workers, and visitors who walk, bike, or take transit every day. It's time for change.

The recent “Light Up St. Claude” campaign launched by the Bywater-Marigny Business Organization (ByMBO), in partnership with local groups like Bike Easy, has shown how much our community wants a safer, more accessible St. Claude Avenue. Business owners, artists, and neighbors came together not only to light up the street, but to shine a spotlight on the urgent need for infrastructure that protects everyone who uses it — not just drivers.

With at least three lives lost to traffic violence on this stretch of road in recent years, and nearly one in four nearby households lacking access to a car, this is a matter of equity, public safety, and economic sustainability. Local businesses cannot thrive on a street people are afraid to cross. Children should be able to ride a bike safely. No one should lose their life just trying to get home.

We call on the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) and New Orleans city leaders to fully fund and implement a community-driven redesign of St. Claude Avenue that includes:

• A protected bikeway along the entire corridor
• Safe pedestrian crossings with full ADA accessibility
• Green infrastructure and streetscape improvements to reduce flooding and heat
• Full alignment with the City's Complete Streets Policy

The tools, community will, and federal infrastructure funding are already available. What we need now is action.

We urge LADOTD and City officials to prioritize this corridor for both short-term fixes and long-term transformation — and to listen to the voices of residents and business owners leading the way. Sign now to help make St. Claude safer, greener, and truly accessible for all.