Corridors

Corridors are linear elements connecting des­tinations effected by the pedestrian traffic between them. The corridors identified in the plan are the Downtown Parks Corridor that provides access to the Mississippi River, the Riverfront Parkway Corridor, and the Seventh Street Corridor to unify the residential areas Downtown.

The Downtown Park Corridor

This trajectory stretches from Catfish Town/Baton Rouge Landing to the State Capitol. It is an open space plan that incorporates the new square at Catfish Town, the refurbished Lafayette Park, a new plaza at the termination of Laurel Street, and the park to be built across from the Pentagon Barracks. These squares, plazas and parks provide accessibility to the river from the Downtown. This trajectory includes the transformation of River Road itself from a highway to a drive, making it easier to cross and more pleasant to walk along.

The Riverfront Parkway Corridor

This is an ambitious and well-conceived master plan that has been par­tially executed. It should be completed as designed with one exception: the redesign of Riverfront Plaza. This change is discussed in the Catfish Town/Baton Rouge Landing District section CTD-4.

The Seventh Street Corridor

This trajectory emerged out of a request by the residents of Spanish Town and Beauregard Town to create a connection between their two neighborhoods, one that would enhance and secure their presence in the Down­town as well as provide useful goods and services for residents. Napoleon and Seventh Street were selected as the only ones that connect the hearts of both communities. The trajectory would start within Beauregard Town with the restoration of Royal Square (on Government Street), and move along Napoleon Street, which in this sector is in excellent condition. Crossing from North Boulevard to Seventh Street, a series of interventions are necessary to mask the existing parking lots. It is necessary to create a square on Convention Street to rectify the slight misalignment of the two streets. Then a retail core should be developed that is essential to both neighborhoods at the corner of Main, anchored by the adjacent East state parking garage. This trajectory would cross Spanish Town and terminate with a new park to be managed by BREC.

The two residential neighborhoods within the Downtown have no other common center. Several options were explored to connect Spanish Town and Beauregard Town. Those along the highway were too unpleasant to walk along. Sixth Street was blocked by the new fire station at Beauregard Town, and is too far to the west from the heart of Spanish Town. The best connection is the combination of Napoleon and Seventh Streets. These are virtually the same street, but not exactly aligned. The disjunction provides the opportunity to create a square at the approximate center of this trajectory.