re: Where do you think a new Mississippi River Bridge should cross ?

I have looked at potential locations fro the past couple of years, and I think 3 would be the best. I would go ahead in the project and build new highway leaving I-10 in the Gross Tete area crossing the river (new Bridge) then reconnecting to I-10 in the Prarieville area. This way all New Orleans traffic, mainly 18 wheelers, wouldnt have to pass through Baton Rouge. Also, all the good ole baws commuting to either Dow or the Giesmar plants would have much easier access.

My company was looking at getting the environmental study, which is basicaly setting the alignment, and DOTD indicated that this will just be a connection between LA1 and Highway 30.

So looking like just more potential traffic for us on the Westside for now

Someplace where drivers spend as little time as possible in Baton Rouge is where it should be set up. No one wants to drive through Baton Rouge NO ONE!

They live so far away because that is the nearest place to where they work which is affordable, safe, and has decent public schools. You think they want to commute an hour+ each way?

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There is ZERO reason to EVER get on an interstate for your commute to and from work

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One of the dumbest things I've read here all week

It's basically a Southern Loop. Its the most logical option, but since we live in Louisiana there is no chance it happens

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They live so far away because that is the nearest place to where they work which is affordable, safe, and has decent public schools. You think they want to commute an hour+ each way?

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and this right here is the reason the interstate system is backed up in B

ETA: so you’re saying there is zero viable housing within an hour of your job? Well you are the exception if so, but 99% of the time it isn’t the case. And that is why BR traffic is what it is.

Baton Rouge.

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I think California is rotting your brain

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no, I’ve always subscribed to the notion of using an interstate of interstate traffic. No one should be driving 40 miles on an interstate one way to get to work every day to the same location. That’s pretty dumb.

That, and BR has precious little redundancy and capacity in its surface street grids. Traffic is funneled onto the interstate because it really and truly is one of a very small handful of roads that cross the bodies of water bordering the city on 3 sides. There are only 5 ways across Bayou Manchac (one is the interstate), 2 ways across the Mississippi River (one is the interstate), and 3 ways across the Amite River (one is the interstate). Within the city, there are few roads running more than partially across it, and most of them connect at big choke points. The southern half of the city is absurdly laid out, leading to the interstate being the best way to get around and through town. Change is needed to fix this, but that is sadly the current status quo.

Imagine you work in Plaquemine at Dow.
Your options to live within 10 minutes is Plaquemine and Addis. Plaquemine public schools are awful and Addis and Brusly aren’t much better. About 20 minutes up the road (due to traffic) is port Allen, which has even worse schools. White Castle, 20 minutes south, is the same problem. All of these areas are cheap and have fairly safe neighborhoods, but you pay out the nose for private schools.
Another 10 minutes gets you into Baton Rouge which is much more expensive for real estate that’s safe with terrible public schools.

Another 10 minutes puts you in range of zachary and Donaldsonville. Zachary has good public schools and medium home prices. D-ville is basically a demilitarized zone.

Another 10 minutes (at 50 minutes now) puts you in Prarieville and Central. P-ville is safe, has great public schools, but is expensive. Central is a little cheaper (not much), but similar.

Now, at 60 minutes, you can get to Denham Springs, Walker, Gonzales, and Saint Amant. These areas are safe, affordable, and have great schools.

That’s just the reality. Unless you make enough money to afford private schools for your kids, living near work isn’t affordable for middle class families near Baton Rouge. The middle class jobs just aren’t located near safe, affordable housing with good schools. The closest is Zachary to downtown, which is roughly 25 minutes.