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Started By
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Consulting proposals sought for two Baton Rouge area passenger rail stations
Posted on 8/18/17 at 7:46 am
Posted on 8/18/17 at 7:46 am
quote:
Consulting proposals sought for two Baton Rouge passenger rail stations for proposed service to New Orleans
The Advocate
The proposed Baton Rouge to New Orleans passenger rail service took another step forward Thursday as the East Baton Rouge Redevelopment Authority began accepting proposals for planning and designing two rail stations in Baton Rouge.
The request for proposals asks companies to evaluate locations and develop a master plan for a terminus station downtown, near the former Entergy site at 1509 Government St., and in the health district in the Perkins-Essen-Bluebonnet corridor.
Gwen Hamilton, interim president and chief executive officer of the RDA, said local and regional companies have been interested since they heard about the impending requests for proposals several months ago.
“We expect to get some good proposals,” she said.
Proposals will be accepted until Sept. 22, then be whittled to a short list by Oct. 2. Firms will make presentations to the RDA board the week of Oct. 16. A contract will be awarded during the last week of October. The final report will be turned in a little over in December 2018.
quote:
Ever since the RDA started redeveloping the Entergy site at Government and 14th Streets several years ago, there has been speculation that any Baton Rouge to New Orleans railroad would have a station there because it is next to the Kansas City Southern railroad line. The RFP notes that while it has been assumed any station would be west of the rail line, it could be built to the east of the line or on the south side of Government Street. The Electric Depot development is currently being built at the Entergy site; it will include housing, office space, an entertainment venue and a pizza parlor/microbrewery.
The RDA’s experience with the Entergy site led the agency to be put in charge of the rail station RFP, Hamilton said. After all, the property is contiguous to where the terminal station will most likely be built. “This could be a seamless, multi-modal type center,” she said, that would tie into the CATS bus system, the proposed Downtown-to-LSU streetcar, the Downtown Greenway and Baton Rouge Metro Airport.
The health district station would be located around Essen Lane or the proposed Midway Boulevard north-south connector between Essen and Bluebonnet Boulevard. It is also expected to tie into CATS and a proposed intra-district transportation network that would encompass the major medical facilities in the area. Those include Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Baton Rouge General - Bluebonnet and Pennington Biomedical Research Center.
This post was edited on 8/18/17 at 7:47 am
8
Posted on 8/18/17 at 7:47 am to goofball
This seems dumb.
Are there really that many people commuting BR to NOLA?
Are there really that many people commuting BR to NOLA?
Posted on 8/18/17 at 7:49 am to Cosmo
quote:
This seems dumb.
Are there really that many people commuting BR to NOLA?
no, but there is likely a firm close to Mayor Broome who were promised some consulting work
Posted on 8/18/17 at 7:53 am to Cosmo
quote:
Are there really that many people commuting BR to NOLA?
I think there's a fair amount of traffic back and forth. The sticking point to me is that BR's public transit situation is so poor would people really not use their own car if they were going anywhere besides Downtown/LSU? I wonder if Uber has made getting rides a lot quicker/easier.
Posted on 8/18/17 at 7:54 am to Cosmo
yes but a lot need there cars to work
I would use it one or twice a week. Just leave a car at each terminal
I would use it one or twice a week. Just leave a car at each terminal
Posted on 8/18/17 at 7:57 am to goofball
I really should get into the infrastructure consulting business in the BR area. Steady stream of money considering no projects actually get built.
Posted on 8/18/17 at 7:58 am to goofball
This has been talked about many times. It was last discussed seriously just post Katrina but at that time, so much of N.O. was still being rebuilt and it was unsure how much would actually be that it could not be determined to be feasible.
Posted on 8/18/17 at 7:58 am to goofball
After my experiences seeing the public transportation in Dallas, I can't stress enough that if this train takes cash, it'll be taken over by thugs and trash and unusable for regular people
Posted on 8/18/17 at 8:01 am to Upperdecker
quote:
After my experiences seeing the public transportation in Dallas, I can't stress enough that if this train takes cash, it'll be taken over by thugs and trash and unusable for regular people
I commute from NOLA to BR and would definitely use this... right after I got my concealed carry permit.
Posted on 8/18/17 at 8:03 am to goofball
We need a $50 million study to determine if this proposal should be considered.
Posted on 8/18/17 at 8:05 am to TigerinATL
quote:
I wonder if Uber has made getting rides a lot quicker/easier.
Absolutely, having Uber and Lyft would help a lot with the viability of this.
I don't commute for work, but I'd consider the rail on the weekend if I could catch it right off of Essen and go to NOLA for the day. I'd just use Uber or Lyft there.
Also depends on the price... I'm not paying $25 each way for my wife and I to go to New Orleans.
Posted on 8/18/17 at 8:06 am to Upperdecker
quote:
I can't stress enough that if this train takes cash, it'll be taken over by thugs and trash and unusable for regular people
Well if that happens, hopefully it takes the trash off of the highway.
Posted on 8/18/17 at 8:08 am to TigerinATL
quote:
The sticking point to me is that BR's public transit situation is so poor
Baton Rouge and New Orleans both have weak public transit....but IMO Uber and Lyft definitely changed some things. I think they made these stations much more viable in both cities.
I imagine they would eventually start service in Gonzales and LaPlace too.
Posted on 8/18/17 at 9:23 am to Packer
I wish there was some spur that connected LP or South BR to this. Driving to Government Street to catch a train to Ascension, LaPlace or NOLA is a little pointless IMO.
Posted on 8/18/17 at 9:29 am to GFunk
quote:
I wish there was some spur that connected LP or South BR to this. Driving to Government Street to catch a train to Ascension, LaPlace or NOLA is a little pointless IMO.
In theory it would take the same tracks that parallel Airline through the AP. No reason there couldn't be local trains that stop at Highland Rd. by Blue Bayou, in Prairieville, in Gonzalez, and other spots closer to NOLA in addition to express trains that go BR to NOLA non-stop.
Posted on 8/18/17 at 9:36 am to GFunk
quote:
I wish there was some spur that connected LP or South BR to this. Driving to Government Street to catch a train to Ascension, LaPlace or NOLA is a little pointless IMO.
I think the most likely route of expansion (if this happens at all) is north of Baton Rouge across the Huey Long bridge using the track that parallel's LA1 through New Roads, Morganza, Simmsport, Mansura, Alexandria, Natchitoches, and onto Shreveport.
The collection of passengers from those stops, even if it is a slow train, would help create demand for a higher speed express train between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.
Posted on 8/18/17 at 9:39 am to LSUBoo
quote:
express trains that go BR to NOLA non-stop.
Unless these things are light and fast, they'll need an express train that runs as close to their 79mph Class 4 Passenger limit as possible.
Some proposals are for a separate track though, which means that they might be able to pull off 100+ mph in some sections, even with a diesel.
Posted on 8/18/17 at 9:41 am to goofball
quote:
Some proposals are for a separate track though
Seems really expensive, especially over the swamps and spillway.
Posted on 8/18/17 at 10:01 am to LSUBoo
quote:
Seems really expensive, especially over the swamps and spillway.
Correct. What the articles are not saying is that those existing elevated rail lines over the spillway are going to have to be replaced very soon anyway. Freight traffic is pretty much down to a crawl on it today because of the condition of the bridge. There has also been a plan in the works for a rail flyover at the yard in Metarie.
If the rail companies and taxpayers are going to have to replace some of those elevated sections, they may as well build dual rail lines and bank some of the curves for higher speeds.
I highly doubt the state will pay for much of this beyond some supplemental funding. The local governments will probably build the stations (which in the New Orleans area probably does mean the state will pay), and they think they can get federal grants to replace the aging elevated sections over the spillway as it is.
The rumor is that Trump is going to push infrastructure very hard soon to stimulate the economy and improve things like freight movement, transportation, and flood protection. Infrastructure is historically one the area where both republicans and democrats not only agree, but are both pretty enthusiastic about.
That money is either going to be spent on Louisiana or somewhere else, so it's probably not a bad time to draw up plans for mega projects like this (or new highways, diversion canals, river locks, waterway dredging, etc.) just in case DC starts shoveling money into it. Louisiana, like many other states, may have a chance of knocking out some of items on its infrastructure wish list with federal dollars.
I wouldn't mind seeing a dedicated passenger line between NOLA and Baton Rouge....but I'd also like to see improvements made to Airline Highway, LA30, I-10, and Florida/190. I'd actually prioritize road projects (especially in the congested Baton Rouge area) and highway bridge replacement (Lake Charles, New Orleans, etc.) over rail at the moment.
This post was edited on 8/18/17 at 10:07 am
Posted on 8/18/17 at 10:40 am to Cosmo
quote:I would ride it to LSU for football games, especially if I dont have to drive.
Are there really that many people commuting BR to NOLA?
Also I imagine a lot of BR of would go to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, Jazzfest, Saints, Pelicans, etc.
Of course that all depends on it actually getting done on time and on budget.
On the latter point I have my doubts that it gets done.
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