Road Rants!

[BRPJ]

I think something can be done. I really don't think we need an extravagant mixmaster... the main problem is the traffic coming in... if we can at least get 2 (maybe three) lanes moving with a constant flow into the city, that would almost eliminate traffic coming into the city.

[twstdndmntd]

I think something can be done. I really don't think we need an extravagant mixmaster... the main problem is the traffic coming in... if we can at least get 2 (maybe three) lanes moving with a constant flow into the city, that would almost eliminate traffic coming into the city.

I totally agree if we can get those 2 constant lanes moving it would make a world of difference. I still say those east bound lanes coming off the bridge need to be continued. Meaning one of them should not end right at that curve that is a huge part of the back up in the afternoons for the 5 o'clock commute. If you didn't have to merge into 1 then that traffic coming from the bridge wouldn't back up, in essence it would continue to flow.

[fla_tiger]

I know we have some bad surface streets but am surprised by the findings that we have worse roads than all but 4 similar sized cities.

Does anyone have a link to this report?

What are the other cities we are being compared to?

[twstdndmntd]

Ya know the partner and I were talking about this the other day. I think overall BR really doesn't have that bad of roads. I mean we have certain sections that need to be resurfaced, but all in all as a whole they really aren't in that bad of shape. Not when you compare them to say, nola....... I'd like to know what cities we were compared to also.

[cajun]

you know thats the thing that gets me. Texas plans their highways so that even if initially they didn't build them as massive or extravagant as they should be at first, they always have the option to widen and add numerous lanes when the money comes along or the demand is for it. Every time we need to do something, we have to buy somebody's house and tear it down.

Northeast Houston-

That is the first thing that I thought about when you said that.

The feeder roads are in place (one way in each direction), but there is a quarter mile wide section where the future 8 lane beltway will be built.

The area is growing rapidly....houses and condos everywhere.

That beats expropriating houses and tearing them down later. In fact, developers are already going Houston-style and putting all the retail and commercial space on the feeder roads anticipating the new beltway.

[Gauge]

So HB-46 of the recently concluded special session says that we got 100 million to widen I-12 from O'neal Lane to WALKER. The advocate keeps reporting that we got the money to widen I-12 from O'neal lane to RANGE AVENUE (which is in Denham Springs). So which is correct? Why the discrepancy?

I sure hope we are widening it all the way to Walker. That should help traffic in that area for years to come. If instead we stop at Range Avenue, we will simply have another bottle neck at Denham Springs and we will already need to widen I-12 further before we even finish with the current project.

[cajun]

Any idea if feeder roads (and turnarounds for them like in Houston) are going to be built with this new widened stretch of I-12 and I-10?

[Zackman]

Back in 2002 / 2003 there was a complete plan to continue widening of I-10 from college to the bridge. It included addressing the issues of the Washington St exit and how I-10 east bound merged back with I-10 after the bridge. The mayor-president stopped the project due in large part to the concerns of residents in the Southdowns area.

They need to fix the on and off ramps at College so that the two traffic lights aren't needed to allow traffic to cross College at the ramps. These lights are a major bottleneck.

Also, I think the Loop is a really bad idea. It will only encourage additional sprawl and in 10 years we'll be right back where we are today..

[cajun]

Back in 2002 / 2003 there was a complete plan to continue widening of I-10 from college to the bridge. It included addressing the issues of the Washington St exit and how I-10 east bound merged back with I-10 after the bridge. The mayor-president stopped the project due in large part to the concerns of residents in the Southdowns area.

They need to fix the on and off ramps at College so that the two traffic lights aren't needed to allow traffic to cross College at the ramps. These lights are a major bottleneck.

Also, I think the Loop is a really bad idea. It will only encourage additional sprawl and in 10 years we'll be right back where we are today..

Sprawl is going to happen as long as schools are better and land is more affordable outside of the city.

There is no stopping it. A loop can help make the quality of life better for those in the city and out, and will help evenly distribute sprawl.

[twstdndmntd]

I agree with Zachary to some aspect of the loop promoting sprawl. At the same time I think it could help curve the sprawl. If the loop is put in the right area and the right route then it would actually bound the sprawl to whats inside and just on the outside of it. Thats why I have always been an advocate of the loop being as close to the city as possible. I still say that if planned right we could get the whole eastern and southeastern part of the loop completely in EBR parish, which is where I think it should be.

[fla_tiger]

Florida Blvd @ N. Foster Dr intersection.....Just whom does this major crossing belong to?

Sorry guys, but I saw someone have a tire blowout here and.......

I have called for months to both BR and DOT regarding the horrific condition of the pavement there only to be informed "it is not ours", the city at least tries but DOT only replies ..."no funds".

Sure potholes are "patched?" only contributing to the washboard ride as one drives through the intersection, while a complete milling and repaving is required.

Come on there must be 40,000 ADT between the two streets, one of the city's busiest corners, contributing to thousands of $$$ in gas taxes collected, yet the funds are used to resurface country roads that do not need them instead of major urban arterials.

Get off your lazy a^^^^^es and do your jobs!

[cajun]

Florida Blvd @ N. Foster Dr intersection.....Just whom does this major crossing belong to?

Sorry guys, but I saw someone have a tire blowout here and.......

I have called for months to both BR and DOT regarding the horrific condition of the pavement there only to be informed "it is not ours", the city at least tries but DOT only replies ..."no funds".

Sure potholes are "patched?" only contributing to the washboard ride as one drives through the intersection, while a complete milling and repaving is required.

Come on there must be 40,000 ADT between the two streets, one of the city's busiest corners, contributing to thousands of $ in gas taxes collected, yet the funds are used to resurface country roads that do not need them instead of major urban arterials.

Get off your lazy a^^^^^es and do your jobs!

Yeah...it's getting bad along Florida.

I know the state is trying to stretch it's dollars, but it's frustrating. Nicholson and Florida are both pothole ridden, Airline/Sherwood/Coursey intersection hasn't seen a street sweeper since it was built 4 years ago, and the city is paying to widen some state roads.....quite frustrating when the state has been dumping all that money into New Orleans projects over the last 20 years.

That Audubon Bridge project is about 20 years late, thus, about 500% overbudget.

You guys do realize that we voted for a green light plan that taxes Baton Rouge citizens to widen Nicholson and fix that horrible intersection at Brightside....Nicholson is a state highway.

I know we probably had to do it, but in my opinion, the state really has a very long and frustrating history of not allocating enough money to transportation or higher education. Maybe toll roads are the future?

I think the current state administration are trying to streamline things and cut spending where they can....but I think it's time for us to stomach the possibility of a higher gas tax to pay for our much needed roadways. Too bad gas taxes are political suicide. The reality is that the budget crisis is going to get worse next year, and worse still the year after.

State road projects that I'd like to see funded:

-resurface and rehabilitate Florida Blvd between Airline and Foster.

-widen Florida Blvd to 4 lanes in each direction btw Airline and Denham Springs- eliminate service roads and move main lanes of travel to the very edge of existing right of way...creating a wide green space in the median for a bike trail

-Widen Airline 3 lanes in each direction with at least a 40' wide median between Florida Blvd and Plank Road and between Bluebonnet at Highland- with sidewalks and subsurface drainage

-Rehabilitate Nicholson Drive between downtown and LSU- install drainage, sidewalks, and street lanterns.

[fla_tiger]

Yeah...it's getting bad along Florida.

I know the state is trying to stretch it's dollars, but it's frustrating. Nicholson and Florida are both pothole ridden, Airline/Sherwood/Coursey intersection hasn't seen a street sweeper since it was built 4 years ago, and the city is paying to widen some state roads.....quite frustrating when the state has been dumping all that money into New Orleans projects over the last 20 years.

That Audubon Bridge project is about 20 years late, thus, about 500% overbudget.

You guys do realize that we voted for a green light plan that taxes Baton Rouge citizens to widen Nicholson and fix that horrible intersection at Brightside....Nicholson is a state highway.

I know we probably had to do it, but in my opinion, the state really has a very long and frustrating history of not allocating enough money to transportation or higher education. Maybe toll roads are the future?

I think the current state administration are trying to streamline things and cut spending where they can....but I think it's time for us to stomach the possibility of a higher gas tax to pay for our much needed roadways. Too bad gas taxes are political suicide. The reality is that the budget crisis is going to get worse next year, and worse still the year after.

State road projects that I'd like to see funded:

-resurface and rehabilitate Florida Blvd between Airline and Foster.

-widen Florida Blvd to 4 lanes in each direction btw Airline and Denham Springs- eliminate service roads and move main lanes of travel to the very edge of existing right of way...creating a wide green space in the median for a bike trail

-Widen Airline 3 lanes in each direction with at least a 40' wide median between Florida Blvd and Plank Road and between Bluebonnet at Highland- with sidewalks and subsurface drainage

-Rehabilitate Nicholson Drive between downtown and LSU- install drainage, sidewalks, and street lanterns.

Good points cajun.....

speaking of Florida Blvd, your idea of widening and eliminating the frontage roads reminds me of a "plan" or idea for mass transit being considered along Florida between CBD and Denham Springs....I could envision something like the electirc trains in Minneapolis or Houston, now that would speak volumes for "the next great city".

[cajun]

Good points cajun.....

speaking of Florida Blvd, your idea of widening and eliminating the frontage roads reminds me of a "plan" or idea for mass transit being considered along Florida between CBD and Denham Springs....I could envision something like the electirc trains in Minneapolis or Houston, now that would speak volumes for "the next great city".

Yeah.

Funding is always the problem.

I'm betting with a wide enough right-of-way, you can fit parking in the median and create an actual transit center somewhere out on the eastern side of town. I can't see Florida Blvd needing more than 8 lanes out there. There's also the problem with limited space between Foster and downtown (but I'm betting they can route it through the center of north blvd at that point)

A downtown to denham route would work well along Florida, especially if they can connect it to a Downtown-LSU route (and maybe beyond to the Bluebonnet area). Houston spent a fortune on their transit system and it's run into a lot of political walls, but it's coming through.

Of course, the key is minimizing stops to keep the speed of the train up. Politics, instead of logic, will dictate stops.

[fla_tiger]

Maybe DOT does read UP...........who am I kidding?

Anyway....Kudos and better late than never, for DOT resurfacing the Florida Blvd intersection @ N Foster. Nice Job!

While I am at it, maybe I will test my luck and add a few of more for them to consider:

Joor @ Greenwell Springs Rds (LaDOT),

N Lobdell @ Choctaw/Greenwell Springs Rd (CITY),

South Blvd betw River Rd and Nicholson (CITY),

River Rd betw Florida and Choctaw (LaDOT)

and Government betw Acadian and I-110 (LaDOT)

Any more?

[cajun]

Maybe DOT does read UP...........who am I kidding?

Anyway....Kudos and better late than never, for DOT resurfacing the Florida Blvd intersection @ N Foster. Nice Job!

While I am at it, maybe I will test my luck and add a few of more for them to consider:

Joor @ Greenwell Springs Rds (LaDOT),

N Lobdell @ Choctaw/Greenwell Springs Rd (CITY),

South Blvd betw River Rd and Nicholson (CITY),

River Rd betw Florida and Choctaw (LaDOT)

and Government betw Acadian and I-110 (LaDOT)

Any more?

Sherwood btw I12 and Old Hammond.

Stanford Ave between LSU Ave and Perkins (though I think that's in the works after they finish the intersection).

[richyb83]

B.R. makes 'highways from hell' list

In what will likely come as no surprise to anyone in Baton Rouge, a stretch of the city's notoriously congested roadways is included on The Daily Beast's annual list of "America's highways from hell." At No. 24 on the list, a 5.8-mile span of Interstate 12 eastbound between Essen and O'Neal lanes experiences its heaviest traffic between 5 and 6 p.m. on Thursdays, according to the list. The extra wait time during rush hour, according to the list, is 6 minutes; and 18 minutes on Thursdays between 5 and 6 p.m.—which probably sounds a little low to those who regularly traverse that stretch of the interstate.

*rest of article

http://www.businessreport.com/section/daily-reportPM

[cajun]

No way it is 6 minutes.

Maybe an extra 6 minutes to go from O'Neal to Range.....and an extra 35 sitting in traffic somewhere between Airline and O'Neal.

I remember having to take that route once a month to the north shore. I would leave the office on Essen on Friday afternoons around 4:45 PM an wouldn't get to Range until 5:30.

No alternative routes other than Florida....and even that was under construction for a while too.

Tie ups there are to the point where it effects commerce. 10 and 12 are major east-west routes. They should have never been setup with lane shifts like that during construction.

[richyb83]

Was thinking the same thing...no way...Friday's are especially a pain in the butt!

2 ways out are simply not enough; esp with wrecks....I had proposed extending dead-end South Harrell's Ferry Rd. across the Amite River (3rd bridge)& 4-H Club Road to where Juban Road meets Hwy 16...but talking to Councilman Mike Walker; he said it's not likely to happen...the Feds don't want it. This could have formed a semi-loop for western Livingston Parish.

[richyb83]

Sure miss FlaTiger's imput(&NCB's) here on UP...Glad he started this thread

 

A huge tree limb falls onto a car on I-10 eastbound between Perkins Rd & Dalrymple ...around 4:00p.m. yesterday afternoon...a few lanes were blocked...HOW FAR did traffic back-up?? All the way to Grosse Tete in Iberville Parish(guessing that's about 20 miles?) INSANE!! That Southern By-pass or Westbank Expressway sure could have helped!

 

http://theadvocate.com/news/6421645-123/i-10-eastbound-heavily-congested-from

 

 

ALSO...Can't locate on web..."Ask The Advocate" a question was asked back on June 24th....About the completed construction of I-10...But there appears to be no work on the westbound I-10 Bridge over I-12 at the Split; where the road remains 2-lanes for about 300 yards...WHY isn't that bridge being widened to 3-lanes??

RESPONSE:

The state has committed more than $315million on widening I-12 & I-10 corridors to increase capacity & safety  through the greater BR area...At this time there is NO PROJECT planned to widen this overpass. However, upon the completion of the Geaux Wider projects, DOTD will monitor traffic throughout the corridor to look for additional opportunities to improve traffic flow.

 

I asked this question here on UP months ago....wondered if this has been a problem for people commuting from Ascension parish to  Downtown to work in the morning?? One person I talked to  says this 2-lane overpass has not been a problem.

[all2neat]

I think enough traffic goes from 10W to 12E to make it work. The thing that I am worried about is how terrible will traffic be when school starts again?

[buckett5425]

Sure miss FlaTiger's imput(&NCB's) here on UP...Glad he started this thread

 

A huge tree limb falls onto a car on I-10 eastbound between Perkins Rd & Dalrymple ...around 4:00p.m. yesterday afternoon...a few lanes were blocked...HOW FAR did traffic back-up?? All the way to Grosse Tete in Iberville Parish(guessing that's about 20 miles?) INSANE!! That Southern By-pass or Westbank Expressway sure could have helped!

 

http://theadvocate.com/news/6421645-123/i-10-eastbound-heavily-congested-from

 

 

ALSO...Can't locate on web..."Ask The Advocate" a question was asked back on June 24th....About the completed construction of I-10...But there appears to be no work on the westbound I-10 Bridge over I-12 at the Split; where the road remains 2-lanes for about 300 yards...WHY isn't that bridge being widened to 3-lanes??

RESPONSE:

The state has committed more than $315million on widening I-12 & I-10 corridors to increase capacity & safety  through the greater BR area...At this time there is NO PROJECT planned to widen this overpass. However, upon the completion of the Geaux Wider projects, DOTD will monitor traffic throughout the corridor to look for additional opportunities to improve traffic flow.

 

I asked this question here on UP months ago....wondered if this has been a problem for people commuting from Ascension parish to  Downtown to work in the morning?? One person I talked to  says this 2-lane overpass has not been a problem.

 

 

I saw that comment. It is because if the overpass had been widened, where would the third lane terminate at the I10 and I12 merger? Two lanes are already terminating at College and then Acadian, there would be no where for this third lane to terminate, so they terminated it as the I12 Exit  Lane from I10 westbound. The DOTD knows that even if they did widen I10 From Acadian to the Bridge, the most they could add in any direction would be one lane, which means the Acadian exit lane would be extended while college and the I12 Exit lane would still have to remain, well, exit lanes. 

 

Thats why they didn't widen the overpass and that is why DOTD has abandoned widening I10 to the bridge, because they will never be able to widen the interstate to 6 lanes all headed westbound. It will always be a bottle neck even with one additional lane.  

[richyb83]

Yeah Buckett...that's what I was thinking too. How would they ever implement the additional lane into the merge...makes sense. Thanks for the reply

[all2neat]

At some point they will have to stack the interstate. Its the only viable option.

[buckett5425]

At some point they will have to stack the interstate. Its the only viable option.

 

They would have to build another bridge at that point and I just see that as unlikely.