Baton Rouge Transportation

[cajun]

Couple of projects that I think would provide MAJOR relief and divert the flow of sprawl a little farther away from the major interstate arteries....and establish some redundancy in the regional street grid to provide alternative routes in case of emergencies, such as a HAZMAT emergency on one of the freeways. 

These two are focused on the east side of the metro.  Working on one for north Baton Rouge, which has a more mature road network and different needs.   I'll eventually get around to the south and west areas as well.   Feel free to add some comments and let me know what you think. 

Map Key:

Red - New 4 lane divided road with 36' wide landscaped median and separate shared bike/pedestrian lanes

Yellow - Existing roadway expanded to 4 lane artery with continuous center turn lane, outside bike lanes, and 5' wide sidewalks.

Orange - Existing roadway expanded to 2 lane collector with continuous center turn lane, outside bike lanes, and 5' wide sidewalks.

South H. Ferry Link

Hooper Link

Central Livingston

Central area:

Edited August 6, 2016 by cajun

[richyb83]

Nice work there Cajun!!   Actually meant to comment more but didn't want to hijack the Hooper Rd extension thread....PLEASE send this to the necessary "officials" to consider....for some reason they have no plan for South Harrell's Ferry Bridge...saw it mentioned somewhere abt a year or so ago...i know area residents in Livingston would be against the extra traffic wanting to keep that area preserved...however a couple new subdivisions are being built in the vicinity off 4-H Club Rd

>Like your illustration shows....extend South Harrell's Ferry Rd. with new bridge over Amite River....connecting to Juban Rd. @ Hwy 16(Pete's Hwy)....This would start a Western Livingston "Semi-Loop" ... extending Juban Road north across Florida (Hwy 190) to Lockhart Rd (near North Park)...that would take you across the Magnolia Bridge back to Central LA.....Makes a a lot of sense!

Edited August 6, 2016 by richyb83

[Antrell Williams]

Awesome work Cajun, all of it is brilliant. All of this would be relatively cheap from the looks of it as well. Win-win situation.

I always thought N Harrels Ferry should cross the Amite River and that Juban Rd needed to be extended. 

[cajun]

I'm not sure how cheap it would be.   I'll probably outline $500 million worth of work across the metro not including the two new bridges out to Livingston. Taken in clusters, they could be affordable and relatively easy to sell to taxpayers though.   

Going to have to add three new items to the map key for north Baton Rouge.  I'm trying to go with an 8 lane section, a six lane section, and a freeway section with feeder roads (that's mostly for the section between Plank and the old bridge).   No way to do this without getting Airline moving.  Doing that without completely destroying the retail desirability along the route is pretty hard.   Baton Rouge planning really sucked when most of that highway was developed.

Edited August 8, 2016 by cajun

[Antrell Williams]

I would imagine the environmental studies would slow down construction time as always. I see them being easy sales to taxpayers though.

Houston and it's feeder roads drive development; much of it is centered along freeways, if built right (albeit prohibitively expensive), it would probably work.

[cajun]

16 hours ago, Antrell Williams said:

I would imagine the environmental studies would slow down construction time as always. I see them being easy sales to taxpayers though.

Houston and it's feeder roads drive development; much of it is centered along freeways, if built right (albeit prohibitively expensive), it would probably work.

My goal was to highlight a 5-10 year plan...although a lot of the projects are needed YESTERDAY.

I think it would be beneficial to bring more traffic into north Baton Rouge not just for operational redundancy (since there is already a bridge up there...paid for and everything), but for economic development as well.  Problem is that I'm not sure the existing development along Florida or Airline is in the correct format now anyways.  Any change in those routes would have to involve an overlay district, evaluation for pedestrian and/or bus use, etc.   

Freeway or not, it's just astounding to me that Airline is not at least 6 lanes throughout the entire East Baton Rouge and Ascension Parish (8 lanes in some places).   That's one of the most glaring screw ups in the entire region.   I'll be posting some north side suggestions soon.  I'll keep it saved on my machine in case anyone has suggestions.   It's largely a more mature road network, so there's fewer connections to make but more capacity and aesthetic a improvements.

 

Interesting to note:  Central's master plan could be interpreted as more aggressive than what I've outlined.     http://centralgov.com/assets/CityClerk/TransportationPlan/City_of_Central_Transportation _Plan_Volume1.pdf

Of all places, Central's control over development and master plan (assuming they stick to it) may actually help make it one of the visually nicer suburbs of Baton Rouge eventually.  I know they are building, renovating, and improving their school infrastructure...but from what I can see, they seem to have an idea of what needs to happen.  They are surprisingly organized for such a young city.   The school and infrastructure investment means a lot to potential home buyers when they have a choice over which area to move to.   It could mean Central (which is an East Baton Rouge community) is better positioned to deal with transportation infrastructure needs...or at least less likely to approve  mindlessly large retail project that cannot possibly be supported by the road network.

Edited August 9, 2016 by cajun

[dan326]

^ I didn't know that about Central but that's good to hear. I was worried that it would end up a jumble of developments like some other areas.

[cajun]

Map Key:

Red - New 4 lane divided road with 36' wide landscaped median and separate shared bike/pedestrian lanes.  Up to 50 mph limit.

Yellow - Existing roadway expanded to 4 lane artery with continuous center turn lane (or 24' landscaped median), outside bike lanes (if continuous), and 5' wide sidewalks.  Up to 50 mph limit.

Orange - Existing roadway expanded to 2 lane collector with continuous center turn lane, outside bike lanes, and 5' wide sidewalks. Less than 40 mph limit.

Green - Existing roadway expanded to 4 and/or 6 lane freeway with divider, dual two lane feeder roads (think Texas) and overpasses over all intersections and rail road crossings.  Limited access/Freeway with no private access except onto feeder roads.  Up to 60mph.  No bikes allowed.

Purple -  Existing roadway expanded to 6 lane major artery with 16'-36' wide heavily landscaped median/green space (including native trees), dual left and single right hand turn lanes, timed lights, u-turn lanes, covered/lit bus stops with pickup lanes, restricted private access (shared entries, minimal curb cuts), decorative lighting, decorative pole-mounted traffic signals, back lit signage, and at least 5' wide sidwalks.  Overpasses over rail road crossings.   Up to 50mph...no bikes allowed.

-------------------

Notes:

It's important not to screw up Airline...including the details like lighting and signage.  It should be a route that Baton Rouge can be proud of, and a route that can handle the heavy commuter use that it will see.  That's far from the case now.  What is left of the undeveloped space on that route should be geared towards distribution and industrial services.  The travel lanes should be moved to the far edge of the public right of way...maximizing the green space in the median increasing the required radius of U-turns so that the largest tractor trailers can handle it.   Time to remove anything but monument signs and building-mounted signs from the zoning language here.  

Airline should be an appropriate detour for I-10 or I-12 in the event of an accident on the I-10 bridge.  The lights should all be timed and include both a battery backup and an emergency setting that doubles (or triples) the green time for Airline in case there's an active detour on the route.

Plank seems to be the correct format, but it is in desperate need of an overlay district.  It should be the new main street of north Baton Rouge.  Not Airline.   The local and regional retail in north Baton Rouge should be focused more on Plank, Greenwell, Choctaw, and Prescott. 

I also categorized LA-1 as a 4 lane freeway with feeder roads just like Florida east of Airline.   It already includes service roads through the populated areas anyways, and it would be an ideal west side freeway route to the industrial areas in the northern part of WBR to I-10.   Also this is the western side of any "detour" around the I-10 bridge.

North Baton Rouge map:

Far North Side:

Here, I focused on traffic movement being funneled away from I-12 and I-10 to the area around the Baton Rouge metro airport.   This should help encourage economic development in the rural northern end of the parish. 

I didn't include an entirely new, expanded terminal with 15 total gates .....but that's what I'd like to see at Baton Rouge metro airport eventually. The area around BTR airport should be visually appealing, as it's commonly the first thing people see when visiting.   The additional traffic on Harding and Howell east of I-110 should support a very robust retail market along that segment.   

There's a lot of work that could be done with much more detail along Scenic near Southern U as well that's not included here.   That alone could support a thread.

Edited August 10, 2016 by cajun

[dan326]

Neat ideas! I definitely think Central needs some good access as I see it being the new Ascension parish.

 

I also like the idea of landscaped medians.

[cajun]

I decided to nerd out again today. 

Map Key:

Red - New 4 lane divided road with 36' wide landscaped median and separate shared bike/pedestrian lanes.  Up to 50 mph limit.

Yellow - Existing roadway expanded to 4 lane artery with continuous center turn lane (or 24' landscaped median), outside bike lanes (if continuous), and 5' wide sidewalks.  Up to 50 mph limit.

Orange - Existing roadway expanded to 2 lane collector with continuous center turn lane, outside bike lanes, and 5' wide sidewalks. Less than 40 mph limit.

Green - Existing roadway expanded to 4 and/or 6 lane freeway with divider, dual two lane feeder roads (think Texas) and overpasses over all intersections and rail road crossings.  Limited access/Freeway with no private access except onto feeder roads.  Up to 60mph.  No bikes allowed.

Purple -  Existing roadway expanded to 6 lane major artery with 16'-36' wide heavily landscaped median/green space (including native trees), dual left and single right hand turn lanes, timed lights, u-turn lanes, covered/lit bus stops with pickup lanes, restricted private access (shared entries, minimal curb cuts), decorative lighting, decorative pole-mounted traffic signals, back lit signage, and at least 5' wide sidwalks.  Overpasses over rail road crossings.   Up to 50mph...no bikes allowed.

 

This is of course independent from the desperate need to widen I-10 between the foot of the bridge to around a half mile west of LA415.   Port Allen and much of LA1 already has service roads...which to me don't make much sense when there's a stop light or intersection every hundred yards.    I think the current development format would adapt to a freeway with feeder roads very easily.

Not pictured....but I wanted to relocate the railroad tracks along LA 1 to the west side of Addis and Brusly near the Intracoastal canal. 

The LA415 connector (red) will need a high bridge over the canal and an overpass over N Line Road.

West Side

Edited August 21, 2016 by cajun

[richyb83]

Good stuff Cajun

Would love to see Hwy 415 in WBR extended with new bridge over Intracoastal Waterway & Mississippi River merging into an upgraded Hwy30 Nicholson near L'Auberge caino/hotel ; along side the Industrail corridor near Geismer to Tanger Mall/I-10....Making it a Southern By-pass...

...said this here on UP more times than i can count...wish it could get done....the Interstate System is TOO DELICATE...A wreck on Hwy 1 can effect traffic to the 10-12 Spit...this should not be...OR an 18-wheeler is on it's side near the 10/12 spilt & the system(&city) comes to a halt with gridlock!!!

 

Guess this Belongs in "Transportation thread"?  Instead of making New "Official I-10 thread"?? 

I-10 to be widened from Highland Road to La. 73 in Ascension

In an effort to relieve traffic congestion in the Capital Region, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced today that the state has officially begun work on a project to widen Interstate 10 from Highland Road in Baton Rouge to La. 73 in Ascension Parish.

The project calls for widening I-10 from the existing four-lane structure to a six-lane freeway along the roughly seven-mile stretch.

http://gov.louisiana.gov/news/edwards-announces-major-transportation-development-project

[Antrell Williams]

Cajun, you should get that to the right big wigs at DOT. 

Good to see work will begin, although it needs to be extended to Hwy 22.

[dan326]

I ditto that Cajun.

[cajun]

I've been kind of busy lately.  I'll get to the south side (Florida Blvd through Gonzales) soon.  Maybe some of you more familiar with the issues in Ascension can provide some suggestions?

[Antrell Williams]

Right here. 

Airline would be "Green" through to somewhere before Gonzales. An interstate ramp should be constructed where Bluff Rd passes over I-10, Bluff Rd and Old Perkins should be one continuous road instead of prioritizing Old Perkins Rd. I would like to see Hwy 44 be connected to Livingston Parish somehow, but I don't think traffic would warrant such an expensive endeavor. 

I think public transit could help alot on the south side of town.

[cajun]

12 hours ago, Antrell Williams said:

Right here. 

Airline would be "Green" through to somewhere before Gonzales. An interstate ramp should be constructed where Bluff Rd passes over I-10, Bluff Rd and Old Perkins should be one continuous road instead of prioritizing Old Perkins Rd. I would like to see Hwy 44 be connected to Livingston Parish somehow, but I don't think traffic would warrant such an expensive endeavor. 

I think public transit could help alot on the south side of town.

So you are thinking Airline as a freeway with feeders south of I-12?

I was kind of on the fence between a freeway or something like what I wanted north of Florida (6 or 8 lane major surface street) with freeways in some locations.   I think there's more than enough public right of way for either solution.   

Highway 30 will need to be beefed up, but that's no secret.

I don't want people having to depend on I-10 and I think the only way to do that is to get Airline moving one way or another.  I was also thinking that the New Orleans and Baton Rouge area will be growing a lot towards each other on I-10 so AP might actually need just as much investment on the south side as they do on the northern side of the parish.  

What secondary roads do you envision would need at least 4 lanes vs 3 lanes?

This is what I was going with:

4 lanes:
LA 44
LA 42
621

3 lanes:
Almost everything else
 

 

 

I so wish Ascension Parish would adopt some kind of restrictions on signage, design language, and some landscaping requirements.

Edited September 21, 2016 by cajun

[all2neat]

I agree on the ascetic features. I live in collin county and most of the county has design restrictions. The short signs and other things are very nice. The various retail restrictions such as the stone faced walls instead of whatever cheap junk is nice. The grass medians have irrigation systems and are watered on a regular basis and mowed on a regular basis. It all makes for a very nice to look at area. Granted, we do pay a lot of money into the system though to keep it nice. My property tax rate is 2.79% annually. 

 

For Ascension, it's too late but extending LA42 to I10 should have been critical. I think taking LA44 over to Tiger Bend would provide relief and a much needed alternative route into EBR. I've been in favor for a while making airline a toll way with feeder roads. I only support tolls because the road wouldn't get built without it. This is assuming you still have the free option as the surface street. 

[Antrell Williams]

11 hours ago, cajun said:

So you are thinking Airline as a freeway with feeders south of I-12?

I was kind of on the fence between a freeway or something like what I wanted north of Florida (6 or 8 lane major surface street) with freeways in some locations.   I think there's more than enough public right of way for either solution.   

Highway 30 will need to be beefed up, but that's no secret.

I don't want people having to depend on I-10 and I think the only way to do that is to get Airline moving one way or another.  I was also thinking that the New Orleans and Baton Rouge area will be growing a lot towards each other on I-10 so AP might actually need just as much investment on the south side as they do on the northern side of the parish.  

What secondary roads do you envision would need at least 4 lanes vs 3 lanes?

This is what I was going with:

4 lanes:
LA 44
LA 42
621

3 lanes:
Almost everything else
 

 

 

I so wish Ascension Parish would adopt some kind of restrictions on signage, design language, and some landscaping requirements.

Absolutely, Airline needs to move and I don't see it happening with 10 lanes with stop lights at major intersections. I would really like to see the whole stretch from the 190 bridge to I-10 in St. Amant. I realize it seems like overkill but by the time Airline is widened or rebuilt, traffic will warrant it, and 10 years later people will be clamoring for another project. 

I also would still like to see my I-51 proposal built from Houma around the eastern side of EBR/western side of Livingston, and go on up to meet I-110. 

I was almost embarrassed to find out they spent 4 years rebuilding Hwy 73 to 3 lanes. I think Old Perkins Rd needs to be widened and I'm positive the wealthy folks along that road would not want that, so it might help get an exit on Bluff Rd, which would be widened to match Old Perkins Rd. Old Jefferson should get the same treatment.

I agree, Ascension doesn't want to do that though. Raising taxes would be the death sentence for any elected official, and people here don't seem to mind. You don't really realize it until you go to one of the nicer suburbs in other states. 

[cajun]

I think I see what you are saying about Bluff road.  Maybe a eastbound off ramp and a westbound on ramp would help ease congestion on Highland.  

The existing residential development there makes that a challenge.

[cajun]

Map Key:

Red - New 4 lane divided road with 36' wide landscaped median and separate shared bike/pedestrian lanes.  Up to 50 mph limit.

Yellow - Existing roadway expanded to 4 lane artery with continuous center turn lane (or 24' raised landscaped median), outside bike lanes (if continuous), and 5' wide sidewalks.  Up to 50 mph limit.

Orange - Existing roadway expanded to 2 lane collector with continuous center turn lane, outside bike lanes, and 5' wide sidewalks. Less than 40 mph limit.

Green - Existing roadway expanded to 4 and/or 6 lane freeway with divider, dual two lane feeder roads (think Texas) and overpasses over all intersections and rail road crossings.  Limited access/Freeway with no private access except onto feeder roads.  Up to 60mph.  No bikes allowed.

Purple -  Existing roadway expanded to 6 lane major artery with 16'-36' wide heavily landscaped raised median/green space (including native trees), dual left and single right hand turn lanes, timed lights, u-turn lanes, covered/lit bus stops with pickup lanes, restricted private access (shared entries, minimal curb cuts), decorative lighting, decorative pole-mounted traffic signals, back lit signage, and at least 5' wide sidwalks.  Overpasses over rail road crossings.   Up to 50mph...no bikes allowed.

Notes:  

- I'm thinking that Airline between Goodwood and about 1,000 ft south/east of Bluebonnet should actually be 8 lanes wide, not six.  
- This does not include much needed improvements to I-10, which should be at least 6 lanes between Baton Rouge and highway 22/Sorrento

St. George area

 

da parish

 

 

It's beyond me, but Airline just seems to be the big, wide stretch of asphalt ribbon that no one seems to want to widen or improve.   It still has 4 lanes with open ditches and a swale in the median most of this stretch.   That was probably adequate in the 1960s.   It's been functionally obsolete for at least a decade.

 

In case anyone was wondering about the interchanges and one way "feeder road" layout would look like:

This is basically a cross section of the "green" lines on the above maps.  

Orange being the lanes on the feeder roads, blue being the freeway lanes, and red being the cross street lanes.   It works brilliantly in Texas, and actually provides more visibility for businesses along the route.  

Edited September 24, 2016 by cajun

[all2neat]

I stayed at a hotel right around the corner from that intersection. We took the kids to Sea World.

Edited October 8, 2016 by all2neat

[richyb83]

Wanted: Solution for Area Traffic......Capital Region Planning Commission seeking ideas in meeting & on-line

*SURVEY ends March 26th

http://crpcla.org/move2042/

 

[Antrell Williams]

It's a really nice survey. Would be nice to see this style more often.

[cajun]

I gave them  a piece of my mind

Basically "WHY ARE WE IGNORING AIRLINE HIGHWAY, US190, HIGHWAY 30, etc.?"

Edited March 20, 2017 by cajun

[cajun]

 

Three alternatives proposed for the new bridge.   The lowest crossing (yellow) is what Iberville Parish leaders want.   The red crossing is what West Baton Rouge wants.    The orange is the most obvious crossing to anyone with half a brain and happens to be an excellent compromise.

Edited March 25, 2017 by cajun