re: New Express bus route planned between LSU and north Baton Rouge

What could go wrong?

quote:

---

BR leaders doing BR shite..

Not surprising. They HAVE to cater to NBR

---

Basically this. It's a multi-million dollar waste of money just to say they are catering to the ghetto. No doubt someone (likely several someones) will be getting a nice pay day for this waste.

They'll push this as part of the NBR "redevelopment" plan as if (a) the majority LSU students would ever want to go to the hood (hell, there's one already on campus!) and/or (b) that LSU students don't already have vehicles and have no need to take the bus.

The ONLY way NBR is ever "redeveloped" is if it is gentrified, which would bring a whole new round of bitching and complaining from the residents of NBR and this administration.

BR has reached it's pinnacle. Once Broome was elected the quick trip downhill was set in motion. That's what happens when you make policy decisions SOLELY based on skin color rather than good business sense

quote:

---

In a normal city, the cost of adding a bus route is about $40-50 million cheaper

---

In a normal city, the government doesn't create a bus route for which there is literally ZERO demand.

This isn't NYC, DC, LA, and Baton Rouge isn't THAT big. Most people here, even low income people, have a vehicle. It's not difficult to get from NBR to LSU if one needs to.

quote:

---

his word does not exist in Baton Rouge. People don’t gentrify. They just leave and build some shitty cookie cutter in LP or Ascension.

---

Can you really blame them? Why stay in BR to be one of the first to rebuild a shitty part of town and then have to send your kid to private school when you can just live in a nicer neighborhood in Ascension or LP and save the cost of private school. Particularly in light of the fact that staying in BR would mean you are subject to a city government who thinks it's a good use of public funds to develop a multi-million dollar bus route that NO ONE actually needs

You just made up all of this:

quote:

---

In a normal city, the government doesn't create a bus route for which there is literally ZERO demand. This isn't NYC, DC, LA, and Baton Rouge isn't THAT big.

Most people here, even low income people, have a vehicle. It's not difficult to get from NBR to LSU if one needs to.

---

I've seen economic data on NBR, there is huge demand, both actual and latent, for efficient, frequent transit access from NBR to two of the regions largest job centers, downtown and LSU. This project, while expensive, actually makes some sense.

Also NBR is well above the national average of households without access to a vehicle. If this helps people get to work more efficiently and faster, why would it not be a good project.

alright, that's a fair set of points. although, i don't think the ratio of NBR people without a access to a vehicle
/ NBR people who have or would get a job in Downtown or LSU is anywhere near 1:1 like you are alluding.

but here's my question still: why is $50 million needed, when they could simply re-route a few buses or buy new buses for the new route?

quote:

---

but here's my question still: why is $50 million needed, when they could simply re-route a few buses or buy new buses for the new route?

---

This is a really good and fair question to ask!

I don't know much about the project but if its BRT, which I assume it is based on the cost, generally you have nicer, bigger buses, signal prioritization, special loading platforms, and in some places, dedicated lanes. Its essentially meant to have similar benefits to a fix route rail, but with a cheaper price tag.

I hope they've done the analysis that indicates the benefits/cost out weight other transit options such as just running more buses. Also these projects are generally tied to federal grant with a 20% or 25% local match.

Why would a student ever need to go to North BR/Plank Rd? That'll happen maybe four times in 10 years, and it'll be accidental

i'm going to shoot Discovery Channel an email about a pilot surrounding this new bus route:

Urban Survivor.

It's a beautiful Fall Saturday in Baton Rouge, LA. Jacob Tandy and his frat bro's are throwing their weekly rager that night after a full day of tailgating and celebrating their 3rd win of the season with a slim LSU victory over lowly South Alabama. One might say, Jacob has too good a time that night and his frat bro's decide to play a sinister trick on unsuspecting blacked out Jacob.....

They buy Jacob a one way ticket to North Baton Rouge on the new LSU to NBR bus line.


With no cell phone or wallet, thus license, daddy's credit card, or identification. Jacob finds himself in a life threatening situation. Will Jacob survive the perilous dangers present in North Baton Rouge? A viscous hangover, Gang Bangers, Street Whores, Drug Addicts, and racist African Americans seeking jussis for Alton Sterling's death all stand in the way of Jacob making his way back to the safety of South Baton Rouge and the comfort of his fraternity house.