Unfavorable Traffic Conditions

CD-1

Observation

Current traffic configurations pose many im-pediments to shopping Downtown.

Discussion

Shoppers access the CBD primarily by five Inter-state 10 exits. Upon exiting the Interstate, shoppers must navigate their way through a series of one-way streets, forcing them to make repeated turns before reaching their destination.

The existing traffic circulation patterns harm the Downtown shopping and business economy in a number of ways, including:

• Difficult Access: Exits off of Interstate 10 are poorly marked and difficult to negotiate because of a combination of left-lane and right-lane exits.

• Poor Signage: Significant signage indicating “Downtown Shopping” does not exist along the Interstate. [Visitors’ Amenity Package is being developed to improve signage throughout the downtown.]

• Difficult Way-finding: Appropriate way-finding signage di-recting the shoppers through the maze of one-way streets to the shopping district does not exist.

• Unattractive Routes: Entry and exit points to the highway, as well as streets such as Florida Boulevard, are bleak and predominately concrete. Shoppers are not directed down attractive or well-landscaped streets on their way to and from the shopping district. Greater emphasis should be given to using attractive roads such as North Boulevard as a major entry route into the shopping district. [300 street trees were planted on Convention and Main Streets and on Seventh Street Corridor.]

• One-Way Streets: One-way streets make it difficult for shop-pers to reach their destination. Often shoppers will have to circle several blocks after they have visually located their destination. [See Baton Rouge Downtown Transportation Plan improvements for Fourth, Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Streets.]

• Inadequate On-Street Parking: Upon arriving at their destination, shoppers have limited on-street parking op-portunities, particularly on Third Street where there exist only six on-street parking spaces in the entire four-block shopping district. [See Baton Rouge Downtown Transportation Plan: additional parking was added to Lafayette and Fourth Streets.]

• Speeding on River Road: River Road provides a direct ac-cess to Catfish Town, LSU, the State Government complex, and other office, entertainment and industrial entities. In its current configuration, it acts as a bypass around the study area, as well as a barrier to pedestrians crossing to the levee and the Mississippi River. Vehicular traffic must be calmed on this thoroughfare for a successful core retail district.

[See River Road Re-Design (DPC-1).]

Recommendation

• Entry and Signage: Essential conditions for the success of the Third Street shopping district include an entrance from Interstate 10 onto Convention Street clearly marked “Downtown Shopping District”. The shoppers must then be immediately routed to North Boulevard as they enter the CBD. The street is already well landscaped, but should be maintained, lighted and have unique signage to identify and draw customers to the Third Street corridor. [Visitors’ Amenity Package will address this.]

• Entry Points: Major improvements must be made to im-prove the Interstate at the Convention and Main Street exits. The shopper’s first impression of the Downtown must be one of a clean, updated, friendly environment, which will be reflected in their perceived value and quality of mer-chandise available in the Downtown shopping district. To that end, it is essential that these exits be made green with lush, well maintained landscaping. The areas should also include proper signage and lighting. [300 Street Tree project is the first step in improvements.]

• River Road: GPG recommends on street parallel parking, wide sidewalks, well-marked pedestrian crosswalks and additional traffic signals. [All of these recommendations are being imple-mented.]

Responsibility

Downtown Development District

Project Status

State DOTD has approved the new signage suggested by Plan Baton Rouge’s transportation engineers for Interstates 10 & 110. As phase I of a three-year program, new signage reading “Downtown – next 4 exits” was installed in January 2001. The Downtown Development District received federal funds and funds from the State of Louisiana for a Visitors Amenity Package which will initiate a new signage and graphics program to direct visitors to downtown destinations. Sasaki Associates will develop a way-finding signage program to be completed in mid 2005.River Road improvements include parallel parking on one or both sides of River Road from Government Street to Florida Street. Four pedestrian crosswalks will provide safer pedestrian access to DeSoto Park, the new Visitors Center, Capitol Park, LASM and to the riverfront area in front of the new Convention Center.

Implementation

Explanation of Terms

Product

A Comprehensive Adjustment

Responsibility

DDD

Implementing Agent

DPW

Feasibility Analysis

DPW

Initial Financing

DPW

Project Financing

CPF & SCB

Timing