Work resumed earlier this week on the River Road multiuse path downtown to extend the levee-top trail from Florida Street to Hollywood Casino, a distance of about three-quarters of a mile.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began the project last year but had to temporarily halt the work because of permitting issues. Those issues have been resolved, says Downtown Development District Executive Director Davis Rhorer.
The project will also include the installation of two crosswalks and adding a third lane to River Road between Florida and Hollywood Casino. River Road is already three lanes between Government and Florida streets.
Nearly $2.5 million in state Department of Transportation and Development funds are paying for the project as part of the state’s road transfer program, under which municipalities receive money in return for taking over maintenance of certain state roadways.
When the latest portion of the project is completed later this year, the multiuse path will extend from Hollywood Casino all the way to Farr Park, south of the LSU campus.
Later this year, the city-parish is expected to begin construction on the next section of the path, an eight-mile stretch between Farr Park and L’Auberge Casino. That work is expected to be completed in early 2019.
When the entire path is completed, it will run exactly 13.2 miles, the distance of a half-marathon course, which Rhorer says is a big selling point.
“If you were to run the distance to and back you could train for a marathon separate of any road traffic, connecting street or vehicle,” he says. “In addition, you get the views of the downtown skyline, riverfront attractions, LSU, rural settings of the levee and the Mississippi River. This is a very nice and unique amenity to have for a community and a strong selling point for residential development in our downtown and the inner city/river corridor.”
