President Biden visits New Orleans: What to know about road closures
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President Biden returns to the White House on Monday after a weekend trip to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
President Biden and first lady Jill Biden will be in New Orleans on Tuesday for a cancer "moonshot" event at Tulane University.
Why it matters: Expect road closures and delays around town during the presidential visit.
The big picture: Air Force One is scheduled to arrived at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport around 1:30pm Central, according to the White House.
- The presidential motorcade is then expected to travel on Interstate 10 to Tulane for the afternoon event before returning to the airport around 5pm.
Zoom in: New Orleans police and Louisiana State Police were mum Monday about road closure plans.
- But it's safe to assume there will be delays on Interstate 10 and on Uptown roads while the president is traveling.
- Police have done rolling closures on I-10 during previous presidential and vice presidential visits. Onramps and surface roads under the interstate also have been closed during previous visits.
On Tulane's campus, security was beefed up already early Tuesday with barricades and restricted access to areas around the business school, where the president will be talking.
- School officials said to expect delays on Broadway Street, Calhoun Street, Freret Street, St. Charles Avenue, South Claiborne Avenue and Willow Street.
- It's also move-in week, so there's additional traffic and closures.
Catch up quick: The president on Tuesday will announce about $150 million in federal awards to develop technologies that will help surgeons with tumor-removal surgeries, the White House said.
- The funding will support researchers at Tulane and seven other teams around the country.
- Tulane is getting $22.9 million to invent new imaging systems and techniques that will allow surgeons to see in real time if they removed all cancer cells during surgery.
Context: Biden ran for office primarily on a health care agenda and says his top accomplishments as president were lowering prescription drug costs for seniors and expanding coverage to a record number of Americans.
- In 2022, he revived the cancer moonshot effort he spearheaded as vice president.
- The current objective, according to the White House, is to cut the cancer death rate in half by 2047 and improve the experience of people who are touched by cancer.
The bottom line: Take an alternative route or plan for extra time if you are going to be on I-10 Tuesday afternoon.
- And, school pickup may be more challenging than usual for Uptown students. Plan accordingly.
Go deeper:
- Biden to visit New Orleans as part of goal to "end cancer"
- Learn more about Tulane's cancer technology
Editor's note: This story was updated Tuesday with additional details.