Landrieu, city celebrate new streetcar line that’s immediately swallowed by giant pothole

Standing with his mouth almost as wide as the newly formed crater before him, Mayor Mitch Landrieu today saw the city’s new $41.5 million North Rampart Street / St. Claude Avenue Streetcar line extension disappear into the abyss of yet another gigantic pothole as he concluded the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Hundreds of local residents, business owners, and other guests on hand for the celebration watched in utter belief as the earth swallowed yet more hopes and dreams for a better New Orleans.

“That’s about right,” said apathetic French Quarter resident Chic Orion after watching the construction of the streetcar line for more than 20 months and then witnessing the disaster unfold. “We need to be real with ourselves and drop the ‘New’ from New Orleans because ain’t nothing ever new here.”

New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) officials say the 1.6 mile streetcar line extension, which was kind of back on track for the first time since 1949, is derailed until further notice.

This is the second time this year a giant pothole has wreaked havoc in the city and the 984,992nd time for a pothole of any size.