Keep Mardi Gras A Ball, Yall

POLICING

The NOPD will have officers staffed at 100% capacity. They’ll be backed by 170 officers from the Louisiana State Police as well as officers from other public safety agencies.

The New Orleans Health Department will be manning First Aid Stations at the following locations along parade routes:

• Orleans Avenue and N. Hennessey Street 

• St. Charles Avenue and Napoleon Avenue 

• St. Charles Avenue and Felicity Street 

• Canal Street and Carondelet Street 

ST. CHARLES STREETCAR SERVICE

Streetcar service will be provided along the entire St. Charles Avenue route through Fat Tuesday. Beginning approximately two hours prior to parade start time, St. Charles Avenue Streetcar service will be replaced with buses from Canal Street to Napoleon Avenue.

PORT-A-POTTIES

The City will provide over 650 portable toilets for public use. A map of port-a-potty locations, can be found at www.nola.gov.

PARKING

In addition to permanent “No Parking” signs, the City will install approximately 2,500 temporary signs along parade routes.

Two hours prior to the scheduled start of each Mardi Gras parade, any unauthorized vehicle will be ticketed and towed.

For public safety and to keep the parades rolling, parking is prohibited on either side of the streets listed below two hours before and after parades.

• Tchoupitoulas Street (between Jackson and Nashville avenues)

• Napoleon Avenue (betweenTchoupitoulas Street and S. Claiborne Avenue)

• St. Charles Avenue (between Napoleon Avenue and Canal Street)

To clear the route for the Department of Sanitation, unauthorized vehicles on the parade route two hours after the end of parade will be ticketed and towed.

FRENCH QUARTER PARKING

Beginning the Friday before Mardi Gras, February 5, at 6 p.m. until the Wednesday after Mardi Gras, February 10, at 6 a.m., no on-street parking is allowed and no vehicular traffic except those with issued permits are allowed into the French Quarter between Iberville Street, N. Rampart Street, Dumaine Street and Decatur Street ($50 fine and seizure).

RV PARKING

Parking of recreational vehicles, campers and oversized vehicles is prohibited in residential areas.

PARKING FINES

• Blocking a fire hydrant ($40 fine)

• Parking in a fire lane ($40 fine)

• Parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant on either side ($40 fine)

• Parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk, intersection, or stop sign ($40 fine)

• Parking on a sidewalk ($40 fine)

• Parking on a traveled portion of the roadway ($40 fine)

• Parking within 3 feet of a driveway on either side ($40 fine)

• Parking on the neutral ground and subject to seizure ($75 fine)

• Parking adjacent to the neutral ground ($40 fine)

• Parking in freight/loading zone ($40 fine)

• Parking in a handicapped zone without proper permit displayed ($500 fine)

• Parking at an expired meter ($40 fine)

• Parking in a Residential Permit Parking zone without a permit displayed ($40 fine)

• Parking in the wrong direction (vehicles must park in the direction of travel on one way streets, and with the right wheel to the curb on two way streets) ($40 fine)

• Vehicles that have unpaid parking tickets will be booted and/or towed.

For more information on parking enforcement, call (504) 658-8100.

To pay and release of boot, call (504) 658-8083 or 1-877-314-3767.

For information on Ticket/Tow Appeals Hearings, call (504) 658-8250.

NEUTRAL GROUND RULES

• Structurally sound ladders, tents, grills and other personal effects shall be placed six feet back from the street curb.

• None of these personal effects shall be placed in intersections or between curbs of public streets during a parade.

• Fastening two or more ladders together is prohibited.

• Roping off areas of the neutral ground, public sidewalks, or other public property is prohibited.

• Portable toilets are allowed on private property. A permit is required for those who charge a fee for usage of private portable toilets.

• No structures can be erected (i.e. viewing stands, bleachers) without a permit.

See nola.gov for complete neutral ground rules and permitting information.

JUVENILE CURFEW

The juvenile curfew will be enforced during Mardi Gras. City curfew hours for juveniles are Sunday thru Thursday 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. and Friday thru Saturday 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. In the French Quarter, the hours are Friday thru Saturday 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.

GENERAL REMINDERS

• Please stand behind the barricades when they are placed along streets while the parade is passing.

• Do not run between floats or vehicles while the parade is in progress.

• Do not throw any object at any participant in a carnival parade. Violation of this provision includes a $250 fine per violation.