Thoughts on rebuilding New Orleans

Hello, I am a New Orleans native. Chris Steins asked me to post something I have written. I hope you find this useful or at least stimulating for discussion and debate.

Abstract
Before rushing to rebuild New Orleans, New Orleanians [and all Louisianians] should reflect on the causes of this public policy disaster. These are some thoughts on approaches to rebuilding New Orleans. Only a portion of the city, along the natural levee of the Mississippi River, should be rebuilt. The vast majority of the city, the sprawl that surrounds the central city, should not be rebuilt. Instead Baton Rouge, Hammond, and Lafayette should absorb the population and human activity that once occurred in the sprawl surrounding New Orleans. Baton Rouge, Hammond, and Lafayette should densify while minimizing the expansion of their physical footprints. Transit oriented, New Urbanist and Smart Growth strategies would be deployed. Approximately half a million people would be re-located and connected to New Orleans by a new, dignified, passenger rail system. The remaining half-million would stay in what is today Greater New Orleans, which would rebuild its largely intact portions into a port city with university, fishing, shipbuilding, and tourist components.

link to full article: http://lestertrad.free.fr/NOLA/jason.htm