Transportation Committee Meeting

The New Orleans City Council Transportation Committee met on November 13, 2026. The New Orleans Aviation Board provided updates on air service and airport capital work. Projects included a $65 million checked-baggage inspection expansion, a shuttle connector roadway funded largely through $26.8 million in FAA grants, runway rehabilitation, added parking capacity, checkpoint upgrades, and a $20.5 million South Terminal demolition project. The airport said several projects had airline-partner approval; no contract awards or procurement votes were taken by the committee. The airport also reported new and expanded routes, including Aeromexico service to Mexico City beginning in June 2027.

The committee heard an update on proposed Ordinance 35,613 to regulate autonomous for-hire vehicles, including company and vehicle permits, fees, insurance and cybersecurity requirements, and public-safety procedures. Public commenters raised safety, jobs, competition, and transit-funding concerns; a council member suggested inviting autonomous-vehicle companies to a future meeting. The RTA’s new CEO discussed financial stability and priorities such as cleaner, safer bus stops, service reliability, streetcar maintenance, and better communications, but no spending action was taken. The city also reported pausing enforcement of its brake-tag requirement while awaiting state implementation rules; officials cited roughly $2 million in city revenue associated with the program and potential effects on inspection businesses. The committee approved minutes, with no procurement-related votes or contract awards identified.