The much anticipated widening of Interstate 10 through Baton Rouge and how it will affect motorists, residents and businesses is the subject of three upcoming public hearings.
On Aug. 28, 29 and 30, consultants working with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development will hold community meetings to let the public know where things stand in the planning process, and gather input on how the widening project could impact their neighborhoods and workplaces.
“I’ve been telling people bring me your thoughts, your ideas, what makes you happy, what concerns you,” says Perry Franklin of Franklin Associates, which is working with DOTD on the projects. “Let the engineers and designers know so they can factor that into their plans.”
They’ll cover how the planned widening project will affect the merchants and restaurants around the Perkins Road overpass area and also how the project could potentially create additional space for much-needed parking for the busy corridor.
As currently envisioned, the widening of I-10 will likely result in the removal of the Perkins Road interchange just west of South Acadian Thruway. Once those on- and off-ramps are removed, the state-owned property they occupied could be developed into a pedestrian-friendly parking lot that would benefit businesses in the area.
At least, that’s one of the ideas on the table, according to Zippy’s owner Neal Hendrick, who says it’s a potentially exciting solution to the chronic parking shortage that is only expected to get worse once the I-10 expansion project begins.
“One of the things we’ve talked about at earlier meetings is doing a large, well-lit parking lot that would service that entire area,” Hendrick says. “That would really change the whole dynamic in that area.”
Hendrick says the parking lot idea first surfaced in planning meetings in 2016. At that time, the I-10 widening was still somewhat theoretical. Since then, however, Gov. John Bel Edwards has unveiled a plan to finance some $600 million worth of major interstate improvements—including a $350 million I-10 widening through Baton Rouge—using federal Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle Bonds.
Perry says the state has not yet committed to any specifics for the project yet, relative to exchanges or what might happen to the land on which they sit.
“Anything is possible at this point,” he says. “Whether it’s feasible, I don’t know.”
DOTD engineers will take the feedback they receive from the upcoming meetings and factor them into designs that are scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. Perry says those final designs will be presented to the public before the project moves to the final stages of funding, design and construction.
The meetings will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on the following dates and places: Aug. 28, McKinley Middle Magnet School; Aug. 29, Addis Community Center; and Aug. 30, Baton Rouge Marriott.
“I’ve been telling people bring me your thoughts, your ideas, what makes you happy, what concerns you,” says Perry Franklin of Franklin Associates, which is working with DOTD on the projects. “Let the engineers and designers know so they can factor that into their plans.”
They’ll cover how the planned widening project will affect the merchants and restaurants around the Perkins Road overpass area and also how the project could potentially create additional space for much-needed parking for the busy corridor.
As currently envisioned, the widening of I-10 will likely result in the removal of the Perkins Road interchange just west of South Acadian Thruway. Once those on- and off-ramps are removed, the state-owned property they occupied could be developed into a pedestrian-friendly parking lot that would benefit businesses in the area.
At least, that’s one of the ideas on the table, according to Zippy’s owner Neal Hendrick, who says it’s a potentially exciting solution to the chronic parking shortage that is only expected to get worse once the I-10 expansion project begins.
“One of the things we’ve talked about at earlier meetings is doing a large, well-lit parking lot that would service that entire area,” Hendrick says. “That would really change the whole dynamic in that area.”
Hendrick says the parking lot idea first surfaced in planning meetings in 2016. At that time, the I-10 widening was still somewhat theoretical. Since then, however, Gov. John Bel Edwards has unveiled a plan to finance some $600 million worth of major interstate improvements—including a $350 million I-10 widening through Baton Rouge—using federal Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle Bonds.
Perry says the state has not yet committed to any specifics for the project yet, relative to exchanges or what might happen to the land on which they sit.
“Anything is possible at this point,” he says. “Whether it’s feasible, I don’t know.”
DOTD engineers will take the feedback they receive from the upcoming meetings and factor them into designs that are scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. Perry says those final designs will be presented to the public before the project moves to the final stages of funding, design and construction.
The meetings will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on the following dates and places: Aug. 28, McKinley Middle Magnet School; Aug. 29, Addis Community Center; and Aug. 30, Baton Rouge Marriott.
