While officials still haven’t determined how to pay for the proposed passenger rail service between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, they have a general idea of what the rail stations might look like in the Capital Region.
On Tuesday, preliminary concepts for multimodal rail stations expected to be located in Mid City and the Baton Rouge Health District will be on display for public viewing at a meeting hosted by the East Baton Rouge Redevelopment Authority.
The RDA and its planning consultant, HNTB, have been working on a rail station master plan since November. Bryan Jones, HNTB Gulf Coast district deputy office leader, says his team sketched the stops as multi-modal transportation hubs, reflecting prevailing stakeholder input from past meetings.
“They want to ensure that these rail stations have the potential to be more than just a rail stop, and more of a comprehensive catalyst for development,” Jones says.
Stations would be surrounded by mixed-use developments with easy access to the Capital Area Transit System and rideshare opportunities, he says.
After the meeting—will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at Shiloh Baptist Church—HNTB will finish its draft implementation plans in July 2018, says RDA Vice President Tara Titone, noting follow-up meetings with its steering committee will take place concurrently.
The final study for both stations, which includes the final master plan and implementation plan, is scheduled for completion in September, Titone says.
When Baton Rougeans will be able to hop on a passenger rail to New Orleans is not clear, mostly because the end date hinges on securing more project funding. Titone says it’ll be a few years at best.
“I don’t think anybody could give you an honest answer about it,” says James Taylor, an urban planner with Franklin Associates. “The money’s just not there.”
Project leaders need $260 million to get the ball rolling, most of which Department of Transportation and Development secretary Shawn Wilson has predicted will be federally funded, but the rest of which is unaccounted.
