New Orleans' new Bourbon Street safety barriers set to be installed—But they're only crash-rated for 10 MPH impact

New Orleans' planned new barriers for Bourbon Street, designed to protect pedestrians from vehicle attacks, have come under scrutiny due to their limited crash rating of just 10 mph. Despite engineers modeling scenarios where a vehicle could enter the street at speeds ranging from 12 to 70 mph, the new bollards, set to be completed by February 2025, are only able to withstand impacts at much lower speeds, Reuters reported.

This decision was made to prioritize ease of operation and maintenance, given past issues with the old barrier system, which frequently became inoperable. However, the new barriers will not be able to stop a vehicle traveling at moderate-to-high speeds, raising concerns about their effectiveness in preventing future attacks, especially in light of the recent deadly attack on New Year's Day that killed 14 people.

In the aftermath of a vehicle attack on New Year’s Day, questions have arisen about New Orleans’ efforts to protect Bourbon Street from such incidents. A deadly attack carried out by a driver using a truck similar to a Ford F-150 occurred at 3:15 a.m. on January 1, 2025, killing 14 people and injuring many others. The city had been working on improving its street security system, but the new barriers, known as bollards, are now being criticized for not being strong enough to stop a vehicle traveling at moderate to high speeds.

City’s efforts to improve security

Months before the attack, the city modeled scenarios for how an attacker might use a truck to drive onto Bourbon Street from different intersections. The city found that a pickup truck could enter the crowded street at speeds of 12 to 70 miles per hour. However, according to a report from Reuters, the bollards that are currently being installed on Bourbon Street are only designed to withstand impacts at speeds of up to 10 mph. These new barriers were set to be completed by February 9, 2025, ahead of the Super Bowl in New Orleans.

"Crash ratings are specified as S10 (10mph impact), S20 (20mph impact), and S30 (30mph impact)," Reuters reported, noting that the chosen bollard system is rated for only 10 mph, meaning it would not have stopped the truck used in the January 1 attack, which was traveling at higher speeds.

Concerns over the new system

While the new bollards are seen as easier to operate, they were not designed with high-speed vehicle attacks in mind. In fact, the city’s priority was to make the new bollards easier to move and operate, given the problems with the previous barrier system, which became inoperable at times due to street grime and trash. A source familiar with the city's security planning told Reuters, "Officials chose a bollard system rated for 10-mph impacts... because of chronic problems in operating the old one."

These new bollards, made of stainless steel, are lightweight and can be installed and removed by a single city worker. However, they are not strong enough to stop an attacker driving at higher speeds. “The primary concern of city officials, along with French Quarter resident and business representatives, was protecting pedestrians from vehicles turning onto Bourbon from side streets at lower speeds,” Reuters explained.

Attack exploited security gaps

The January 1 attack also exposed vulnerabilities in the city's existing security plan. The attacker, identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was able to drive his truck through a gap in security, squeezing onto an 8-foot-wide sidewalk at the corner of Canal and Bourbon streets. According to the city’s security modeling, the new bollards would not have stopped an attack like the one carried out by Jabbar, especially since the security analysis only considered scenarios where vehicles entered Bourbon Street from the roadway, not the sidewalk.

As reported by Reuters, “The city’s engineering study had only considered scenarios where a vehicle entered Bourbon Street on the roadway—not the sidewalk.”

Future improvements and concerns

Following the deadly attack, city officials are under pressure to find solutions that can effectively protect against vehicle attacks. However, it’s clear that the current bollard system, despite being easier to operate, is not sufficient to prevent attacks at higher speeds. The system was chosen with the goal of improving daily operation and protecting pedestrians at lower speeds, but concerns remain about its effectiveness in the event of a high-speed attack.

The city is now facing “tough meetings” about the continuing vulnerabilities of the new bollards, according to Reuters. While officials are aware of the system's shortcomings, they emphasize the difficulty all cities face in balancing security with the need to maintain access to pedestrian and vehicle traffic in busy tourist areas like Bourbon Street.