New Orleans to scale back French Quarter cleanups

[January 27, 2009]  NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- A multimillion-dollar budget hole is forcing New Orleans to scale back rigorous cleaning in the city's famed French Quarter.

Before Hurricane Katrina, it wasn't unusual for French Quarter streets to be littered and foul-smelling after a night's partying. But the scrubbing begun after Katrina has helped entice visitors to the crucial tourism area.

Mayor Ray Nagin said Monday the city is suspending mechanical street sweeping and a service in which a truck sprays water to clear garbage and other debris. Other services including pressure washing and manual street cleaning will continue.

Even with the service cuts, the area will still get more attention than was provided before the 2005 storm. Before Katrina, sanitation services were essentially limited to garbage collection.

[Associated Press]

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