The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development is hosting a public meeting this evening from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. to discuss changes to La. 30 (Nicholson Drive) that the state hopes will alleviate some traffic on I-10 and downtown.
The improvements would resurface the road from North Boulevard to West Chimes Street, move the I-10 exit to Nicholson Drive and add sidewalks. A timeline for the project and the estimated project cost are not yet known.
“I think the DOTD has been looking at a lot of different ways to streamline the interstate and Nicholson,” says Downtown Development District Executive Director Davis Rhorer. “Obviously coming from the west side can sometimes get stacked up onto the bridge, so what they’re looking at is extending it and making that tight curve a more seamless entryway.”
Rhorer says the changes would improve access to LSU as well.
The exit ramp terminal from the interstate to Nicholson Drive would be relocated from its current spot at Terrace Street to Oklahoma Street, making the interchange a little longer and its flow into traffic more streamlined.
City-parish Director of Transportation and Drainage Fred Raiford says that after the project is completed, the road’s jurisdiction will be transferred over to the city of Baton Rouge.
“It’s a great project,” Raiford says. “It’s something that needs to be done because it will provide great connectivity. It’s a major roadway, and it needs to be upgraded to enhance quality of life and promote economic development in that corridor.”
The public meeting, where DOTD says it plans to release more information and listen to public comments, will be held at the Leo S. Butler Center, 950 E. Washington Ave.
