New riverfront access to be built downtown

The DDD is embarking on a new, $1.2 million riverfront access at Florida Street and River Road that will offer tourists and residents sweeping views of the Mississippi River and access to the levee bike path leading to LSU. Officials expect to break ground on the project—which is the first phase of the Downtown Greenway aimed at improving connectivity between downtown’s cultural and civic attractions—in late September. “It’s going to help tremendously to draw people to the river,” says DDD Executive Director Davis Rhorer. “It opens up a whole new world of access to our town’s greatest asset.” A multi-use path along River Road will connect the new river access point to the Louisiana Art and Science Museum, Repentance Park and North Boulevard Town Square. The project is being funded by a federal grant, which was approved by the Metro Council last month. The project was designed by the DDD and the city-parish Department of Public Works, and JB James Construction is in charge of construction. Check out renderings of the riverfront access and a map of how it fits into the Downtown Greenway. —April Castro