re: Baton Rouge no longer pursuing downtown-LSU tram

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But still BR proper is stagnant.

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While in-fill development is occurring, sprawl is still King in Baton Rouge and throughout the south and sunbelt.

And while East Baton Rouge Parish has ample room to grow, Baton Rouge proper has very few undeveloped tracts that are suitable for development. Look at how difficult it is to find a new location for the zoo anywhere near the city center.

One of the reasons I support St. George's School District is that it will help keep more of the suburban development within East Baton Rouge for the next 20-30 years....which in the long term is a good thing for the city and the region (particularly the street grid) as opposed to having all of it "flow" farther and farther down I-10 and I-12.

Neighborhood redevelopment is a very delicate balancing act. They've done excellent work in Downtown Baton Rouge over the past 15 years. IMO, they need to slowly focus eastward towards mid city along Government, Florida, North Blvd, and North Street. The Government Street road diet is controversial from a capacity standpoint, but it will be HUGE for mid city.

From there, they can eventually branch off into north Baton Rouge along Plank or Choctaw and south along Nicholson and Highland towards LSU.

If a street car isn't in the cards, perhaps serious improvements can be made along Nicholson. An overlay district with new sidewalks, landscaped median, covered bus stops, cross walks, and street lights would be a huge start. THIS is an example of an overlay district in a declining area of Columbus, OH. They'e completed most of the project's scope of work and you can actually see the end result on google street view. It's much cheaper than a street car and would go a long way towards improving that area.

I gave you a plus. Good realistic commentary.

I do disagree about what the Govt. St. diet is going to accomplish, but your opinion is as good as mine and we shall soon see the outcome.

BTW, Nicholson already has street lights. The problem? Half of them are out and need to be replaced.

This is one example of how our City-Parish is failing to provide the basics. No, it's not a big thing, but the same people in charge of these little things would be in charge of the Tram. Remember that.

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BTW, Nicholson already has street lights. The problem? Half of them are out and need to be replaced.

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That's actually on Entergy to replace... but someone has to let them know or it'll never get done.

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That's actually on Entergy to replace... but someone has to let them know or it'll never get done.

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Most overlay plans these days include decorative LED street lights (along with many other improvements, such as sidewalks and cross walks). That would go a long way on Nicholson and many other parts of town.

Much cheaper than a street car too.

A tram, even a small line like the LSU to downtown would be a step in the right direction for BR.

No one wants to ride your shitty cats buses.

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As someone who uses both frequently, I can tell you that a subway is flat out better than a bus.

More reliable schedule, less frequent stops, smoother ride, no worries about catching lights or traffic.

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I should say “why do southern flat out refuse to ride the boss, while bitching about higher taxes, but will ride on train system that will cost 100x more for basically the same experience?”

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Why do people keep insisting on turning Baton Rouge into a big city.

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Well we already have the shitty schools, high crime, and terrible traffic... all the bad of a big city with not much of the good.

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That's actually on Entergy to replace...

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Don't we pay taxes for that, and Entergy is compensated that way??

Travel down Nicholson, count the lights, and count the lights that don't work. There are plenty of lights and at least half that don't work.

Along with that, streets are always in need of striping, signage is damaged and is never replaced, and little things on our streets and thoroughfares get neglected and they become eye sores.

Before we even think about a zoo, a Tram, a street diet, or any of that; the mayor needs to get the City-parish in order first. The lack of government doing what they are supposed to do has a role in "encouraging" much of the blight we see.

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I should say “why do southern flat out refuse to ride the boss, while bitching about higher taxes, but will ride on train system that will cost 100x more for basically the same experience?”

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Well that's an ENTIRELY different question.

But one that can be answered with one word: stigma.

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And it’s not just to support drunk college kids, but it’s building for much more growth in that area, which should by all rational thinking due to it’s proximity to downtown, be bustling with life, and yet it’s dead as a damn door nail.

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The area from Skip Bertman to the Pastime has a ton of new construction at both ends and there's no Tram. On the south end you have the massive Gateway project which is a go because its on the LSU campus and is being integrated into the LSU system.

On the north end you have the River Campus which also has LSU and the state involved, but its less to do with LSU and more to do with BRAF. It too got started without the Tram and is Mississippi River oriented.

What's in between besides a some rough looking business places and some abandoned homes? Well you have Magnolia Mound which is a tourist attraction on its own, and you have a massive stretch of property that the bank took over when the developer went broke. That's the big problem there.

Then off Nicholson proper you have a lot of crime infested areas less than a block away on each side. To get that area "turned" is just as hard as getting NBR "turned". It can be done, but it's a long process. Would a Tram do it? I doubt it.