Nightmare traffic at train crossings isn’t a new problem for Old Metairie residents, but a recent flare-up of morning blockages near Airline Drive has Jefferson Parish officials gearing to beat the drum on railroad companies once again.
After weeks of idle trains sitting at North Labarre Road near Loumor Avenue from 5 a.m. until as late as 9 a.m., At-large Jefferson Parish Council member Scott Walker said that the railroad companies agreed to move their stops in Old Metairie to a window from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. that started Tuesday, with the goal of shortening the duration of those stops over the coming weeks.
The train stops, coupled with months of closures due to roadwork on Ridgewood Drive nearby and in other parts of Metairie, have exacerbated traffic problems in the area and created safety issues for emergency vehicles, according to Walker…