After years of litigation and negotiation, it appears that the battle over traffic on Newcomb Boulevard has been put to rest.

The final chapter came Thursday with the withdrawal of an ordinance that would have designated the street one-way.

Kelly Butler, director of special projects for Councilwoman Susan Guidry, said she withdrew the ordinance due to “an overwhelming desire expressed by residents, including those who live near Newcomb Blvd. and on Newcomb Blvd., who want the street to remain two-way.”

In 2006, with the approval of a departing city official, the residents of Newcomb Boulevard put up a fence at the intersection of Freret Street. It turned the street into a dead-end.

Other residents sued to reopen the street, starting a years-long court battle. An appeals court sided with the plaintiffs in February 2013, but the city delayed the fence removal so that residents could negotiate to buy the street.

In December, the court told the city to stop delaying and remove the fence.

In April, the City Planning Commission rejected residents’ request to buy the street. Then the one-way ordinance appeared on the City Council agenda, requested by the mayor’s office.

Karen Gadbois

Karen Gadbois co-founded The Lens. She now covers New Orleans government issues and writes about land use. With television reporter Lee Zurik she exposed widespread misuse of city recovery funds and led...