The official this road needs to be widened thread!

[all2neat]

Hey ya'll. I thought I'd start a threat on what road ya'll would like to see widened in the Baton Rouge area..

Apart from I10, and 12 I think Jones Creek Road, Antioch, Jefferson after it spits from Tiger Bend (headed east) are all good candidates.

[nquint1]

I'll go ahead and get it out of the way... Lee Drive. But part of me thinks widening Lee will only make College worse. I'm curious to know what other's thoughts are on this.

[richyb83]

Where do I begin?? Widenings and extentions. Some of this is supposed to happen on the Green Light Plan.

*Nicholson needs to be widened at least to Brightside; and really all the way thru EBR, St.Gabriel to Tanger Mall/ I-10

*Siegen needs to be widened between Perkins & Highland; actually Siegen(not Bluebonnet) should have been extended to Nicholson with a "continuous-flow" intersection with ramp/overpass at Burbank(no traffic light needed); Bluebonnet with it's slow 30 mph residential should have hooked into a faster Siegen instead.(I want to draw that up here soon).

* O'Neal Lane should have long been 4-laned between I-12 and Florida Blvd(Hwy.190); major eastern-most detour route for wrecks and bottlenecks on Amite River bridges.

*Airline Hwy. should have extended widening past Florida Blvd. to Greenwell Springs

*More right turn lanes at Perkins/Acadian Thwy; Coursey/Sherwood Forest; Jefferson Hwy/I-12; and too many more to count.

nquint1...*Buckett has a great plan he posted a while back... extending Kenilworth to Nicholson(on south end) & I-10 (north-end). The residential section wouldn't be happy; but they did it to Bluebonnet why not Kenilworth too?? Also they could make a deal w/ the huge LSU Rural Life Plantation...enabling them to go thru that property with a tree-lined median at 40 mph max. with no businesses along that stretch...making Kenilworth true-"parkway"..with only 2 new connections for Summa & Picardy. That would take alot of STRESS off of College Drive & Essen Lane

[cajun]

While we are adding to the wish list, then I would like to see the Northern Loop completed WHILE the bridge at Brusly is constructed so everything goes on time.

I'd also like this to start yesterday...but it addition to the green light plan and the loop, this is what I would like to see:.

Might as well add this:

Extend Millerville Road to Stumberg @ Coursey. There are a lot of narrow 2 lane roads in this area that are on the green light plan...but they should take priority.

Replace/rebuild Nicholson Drive btw LSU and downtown- 4 lane boulevard with nice sidewalks, upgraded lighting, and landscaping.

Widen river road between brightside and downtown- to include shoulders and a sidewalk.

Re-align Corporate Blvd to go through to Acadian- say good bye to a few houses and that Wendy's.

Widen Airline Highway to 6 lanes between Coursey blvd and Highland Road and from Florida Blvd to Greenwell Springs.

Bite the bullet and buy out the necessary properties to widen Lee Drive to a 4 lane boulevard from College to Highland...it was a mistake to make this so narrow, but it needs to be corrected and the people need to be compensated.

Widen Highland Road btw LSU ave and Lee Drive to a 3 lane curb and cutter road with a bike trail and sidewalks.

Extend lakeshore drive along side the proposed park from Stanford to Kenilworth.

Extend Kenilworth to Nicholson

Northern Interstate Loop to take "through traffic" out of Baton Rouge when possible.

South Western Interstate Loop to include new bridge at Brusly...eventually a south eastern loop.

Widen I-10 btw the split and downtown to 8 lanes.

Widen I-10 btw LA 415 and the bridge to 6 lanes.

Widen I-10 btw the split and Highland Road to 6 lanes with feeder roads (like Bluebonnet- Siegen) btw Essen Lane and Bluebonnet. They can avoid a seperate overpass and create "loop arounds" like Houston has at every exit.

Extend I-110 "limited access" freeway along HWY 61 to the EBR parish line where the proposed Zachary Taylor Parkway south of St. Francisville.

The loop will take 10 years to build, so they need to start on it now...as will the I-10 widening. I see about 12 billion dollars worth of work that needs to happen between the loop and the freeway work alone.

And my public transit wish-list:

Put tracks in the center lane of Nicholson Drive for a street car btw Brightside and downtown, Perkins Road/Government between downtown and College Drive, and Stanford/South Lakeshore through LSU from Nicholson to Perkins......that's a nice start. Baton Rouge isn't a public transit kind of town...but I think those areas might start something that the rest of the city might be interested in joining.

-commuter lane btw College Drive and Range Avenue along I-12....only because I think it's relatively easy to add one there. It's not public transit, but it would encourage carpooling. Houston has one btw Katy and I-610 loop. Depending how they widen I-10 out towards Prarieville and in town btw college and downtown, one can be added there too (to flow in town in the morning and out of town in the evening).

I can make up a whole other list for Lafayette..just a few expensive suggestions:

-Finally complete I-49 (6 lane freeway with feeder roads)...through the city.

-Widen Verot School road to 5 lanes.

-Connect Camillia Blvd to Verot School Road (underway) and to the suburbs in the south.

-Widen I-10 to 6 lanes between "new" Louisiana Street exit and Ambassador.

-start expropriating land for a future loop south of the city to connect I-49 near Broussard to I-10 west of the city. It might not be needed now, but it will be in 20 years.

[byrde]

Widen Mickens Road to 4 lanes. Traffic is not a problem now, but more residential is being built and it will be a problem if this is not addressed.

Hooper Road, Sullivan Road and Lovett Road in Central. (the theme is, EVERYTHING in Central needs to be widened)

[buckett5425]

I am not sure if y'all have noticed, but I have, and find it interesting, that you can always tell what part of town someone lives on, when they suggest what roads should be widened. Someone will always suggest a group of roads that are always near Florida and Oneal, or a group of roads in south Baton Rouge. I just thought it was kind of funny, haha . Cause in the end, its inescapable, every road in town needs to be widened!

[cajun]

Widen Mickens Road to 4 lanes. Traffic is not a problem now, but more residential is being built and it will be a problem if this is not addressed.

Hooper Road, Sullivan Road and Lovett Road in Central. (the theme is, EVERYTHING in Central needs to be widened)

I was thinking that too. I am not familiar with every road out there, but last time I was in the area, I noticed that there were several open ditch 2 lane roads that need to turn into either a 3 lane curb/gutter with sidewalks or a 5 lane road.

I'm not sure the location of the loop, but I'd like to see the main north/south road with an exit on that loop to be at least 5 lanes wide.

In fact, Central needs to come up with a good development district for that area.

-Do they want to be like Baton Rouge or Houston and allow relatively uncontrolled development, overhead signs, clear cutting, and bill boards to attract retail business?

-Do they want to be like parts of Atlanta, Cincinatti, or the Woodlands, TX with more controlled growth but possibly allow more retail development to "escape" to other areas?

Judging by their tax structure, they are going to go with the traditional uncontrolled growth. Central can be the "trendy" suburb (Woodlands, Alpharetta) or the regular suburb (LaPlace, Denham Springs, Pearland, Channelview).

I think Baton Rouge can use an area with more controlled development since no one else seems to be going that direction....maybe then they can actually make a plan to widen streets and not run into any surprises (like a Super Target or strip mall opening in an unexpected location).

[cajun]

I am not sure if y'all have noticed, but I have, and find it interesting, that you can always tell what part of town someone lives on, when they suggest what roads should be widened. Someone will always suggest a group of roads that are always near Florida and Oneal, or a group of roads in south Baton Rouge. I just thought it was kind of funny, haha . Cause in the end, its inescapable, every road in town needs to be widened!

I think I can guess pretty close where most folks on this forum are from.

You have to be from the LSU area.

[richyb83]

I thought I spread the wealth around for the most part Let's play a game called "Bet you can't guess where I live?" Of course I did not mention anything really in the northern section. The Central Thwy. now under construction(finally!) will be a vital 4-laned connection to I-12!

I just focused on the major surface streets. Did not want to mention any Interstates or the post would be much too long

Cajun, even threw some request Lafayette's way!

[Zackman]

We need to fix College between Perkins and I-10 before thinking about widening Lee Drive. Widening Lee without addressing College will only make things worse.

I know it's easier to widen an existing road, but what's really needed is more roads along with better connectivity between existing roads. Two lane roads are the most efficient and usually don't promote as much business development along them, which of course adds to congestion along with additional traffic lights.

[all2neat]

I created a google map of what I think should be widened.. There are many more for me to add but I have to get back to work .

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid= 104027674881500411930.000451ae4b4d9a2c2493a://http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...ae4b4d9a2c2493a

[fla_tiger]

Great idea for a thread!

That section of S Choctaw between Greenwell Sprgs and Airline needs to be widened and a smoother connection at Ardenwood is needed. There are so few intersections crossing Airline that lengthy back-ups occur daily in both the am and pm peak hours. Those without signals...ie Grenwell Sprgs and Florida backup because of poorly timed signals either side of Airline.......defeating their purpose.

Speaking of Choctaw, this is the one right-of-way that crosses the entire width of EBR with adequte width that someome should approach the RR about using it to build an limited-access grade roadway to extend from 110 to the Central Thruway. This would take a lot of traffic off 10/12 that now exits @ Sherwood/Millerville/ONeal and even Denham......

[byrde]

Speaking of Choctaw, this is the one right-of-way that crosses the entire width of EBR with adequte width that someome should approach the RR about using it to build an limited-access grade roadway to extend from 110 to the Central Thruway. This would take a lot of traffic off 10/12 that now exits @ Sherwood/Millerville/ONeal and even Denham......

That is something I've always thought would be a great idea.

[richyb83]

Always good to see you posting on here Fla.Tiger Agreed, the Choctaw Expressway has a nice sound to it. Austin TX did something similar with the Mo-Pac Expwy. along the Missouri-Pacific R.R. it vital north-south connection.

Nice map all2neat! Actually some of your proposals are on the Green Light Plan. They will re-align Picue Lane with Stumberg Lane next to the new Woman's Hospital site. Carey Drive is in the Amite River floodplain.

Cajun, I always thought Millerville and Stumberg should connect too; however I have heard they would have to tear-down Episcopal School(at Woodland Ridge Blvd) which they probably will never do; and they didn't sound to thrilled about tearing through Forest Park either.

Connectivity and more turn lanes really do need to be addressed. BR is painfully slowly moving in this direction.

[dinner roll]

Perkins Road--- nobody seems to be working. The last few times that I've been down Perkins there wasn't a single person out there doing any work. Why? Is there a money problem? Is it a bad/lazy contractor? What gives?

[nquint1]

I'd like to see W Parker extended to Nicholson. It looks as though they have plans to do this, but I don't know what's holding them up.

[richyb83]

Bring this thread back up after more than 3 years...BACK in the NEWS...the I-10 Widening from the Bridge to the Split/Essen drew a lot of controversy; esp in the Perkins Road Overpass area & OSBR...

DOTD chief pushes for I-10 corridor fix

Reopening a volatile topic, the secretary of the state Department of Transportation and Development said Thursday her agency will soon seek public input on ways to improve traffic between the Mississippi River Bridge and the Interstate 10/12 split.

“I hope we can come up with some innovative solution,” said Sherri LeBas, who heads DOTD, the department that oversees roads and bridges in Louisiana.

“I just know somebody is going to come up with a solution,” LeBas added.

Roughly a decade ago LeBas’ agency tried to widen I-10 from the foot of the bridge to Essen Lane.

But the $200 million proposal died amid a firestorm of criticism.

Business owners and others in the Perkins Road overpass area said the work threatened their livelihoods, and one of the most distinctive neighborhoods in Baton Rouge.

Residents in the Washington and Carolina street area, just east of the spot where motorists leave the bridge, also blasted the state’s plan.

“It got stomped,” LeBas said of the earlier proposal. “I don’t want that to happen again.”

State leaders say the issue has to be addressed because the four-mile corridor is the site of nearly daily traffic tie-ups.

“We would be doing ourselves a disservice if we did not at least look at solutions for that corridor,”

*Rest of article...

http://theadvocate.com/home/1284954-125/dotd-chief-pushes-i-10-corridor.html

[Antrell Williams]

Innovative would be HOV/carpool lanes and two lanes added, one in either direction. HOV lanes elevated in the center from the Nicholson exit with flyovers over the I-110 split to Highland Rd. Extend that horrible engineering accident of the Washington St exit. The S Acadian exit shouldn't be a exit only lane and should meet with the S Acadian on ramp and shouldn't merge with the other lanes at the I-110 exit sign. Same with the Dalrymple exit. All of the flyovers at the I-110 interchange need to be widened, along with not having to merge with traffic to keep things flowing. The bridge needs to widened too, along with the WBR portions of I-10 to LA 1.

[itsjustme3]

Lee drive

[all2neat]

How about instead of listening to a few, listen to the entire city, add the dang lanes. No reason 10 isn't 5 lanes between 110 and 12.

[buckett5425]

I think its a poor idea. Adding a lane west bound will only move the bottle neck from Acadian to the 110 split because the bridge is only two lanes and can't be widened and carries most of the flow of traffic (causing back ups), which 110 does not and is already three lanes. Adding a lane west bound will help somewhat. If anything extending the merger from the bridge to Dalrymple and extending all of the onramps to actually have space to merge would be beneficial. Right now the onramps from acadian, dalrymble and washington are pretty much suicide lanes. However I really don't think the cost financially and socially is worth it. Ill try to go into detail later with maybe a diagram of where i think a lil bit of money could be spent that would have a huge impact along that corridor.

[Antrell Williams]

I think its a poor idea. Adding a lane west bound will only move the bottle neck from Acadian to the 110 split because the bridge is only two lanes and can't be widened and carries most of the flow of traffic (causing back ups), which 110 does not and is already three lanes. Adding a lane west bound will help somewhat. If anything extending the merger from the bridge to Dalrymple and extending all of the onramps to actually have space to merge would be beneficial. Right now the onramps from acadian, dalrymble and washington are pretty much suicide lanes. However I really don't think the cost financially and socially is worth it. Ill try to go into detail later with maybe a diagram of where i think a lil bit of money could be spent that would have a huge impact along that corridor.

I honestly didn't take enough times with all that. Just rushed and posted it because I was getting tired of using Google maps. If there weren't so many culdesacs and badly designed streets, alot of the surface roads could be extended to relieve the stress.

I'll be eagerly waiting on that diagram, buckett.

You should submit it to the LADOT.

[cajun]

I-10 between the split and downtown is necessary....and I'm glad it's finally being discussed. It's going to be painful, but required.

Is Airline north of Florida and south of Jefferson getting any funding?

[all2neat]

There are a lot of little projects that the city could do that would go a long ways.

For example. The area of southbound Airline between Jefferson and Siegen. They could make the Jefferson onramp extend as a lane to Siegen versus having to immediately merge. It would give some breathing room and a merge area for the traffic. I don't recall any bridges in this segment and I believe it can be a relatively "cheap" project.

This is the area of Airline I'm talking about.

http://www.google.com/maps?ll=30.403842,-91.056018&spn=0.012936,0.022724&t=m&z=16&vpsrc=6

[Antrell Williams]

Old Jefferson between Highland Rd and Airline Hwy. Half of it is in Ascension but still..