Spanish Town Livability

T-1

Observation

Spanish Town’s location immediately adjacent to Downtown, in conjunction with some higher-speed street configurations, causes it to be victimized by “cut-through” traffic.

Discussion

Spanish Town lies directly between Interstate-110 and the Capitol Complex, and some travel between these points seeks to cut through the Spanish Town neighborhood. The res-idential character of Spanish Town cannot withstand this traffic. The size of the Capitol Complex and its parking needs pose a constant threat to Spanish Town, as evidenced by the parking deck intended to front on Fifth Street. This garage now opens its vehicular access towards the residential neighborhood on Sixth Street, causing further traffic concerns.

Many of the following recommendations are also discussed in the Spanish Town Section of this Plan.

Recommendation A

Install a vehicle deflector at the entrance to Spanish Town Road at Fifth Street. Place a sign at this corner indicating that a left turn leads to Interstate-110 via Capitol Lake Drive. Post a speed limit of 25 mph. [The Baton Rouge Downtown Transportation Plan recommends the installation of a vehicle deflector to slow eastbound traffic entering the residential section of Spanish Town Road. The Historic Span-ish Town Civic Association has not approved this recommendation.]

Recommendation B

Install pedestrian crosswalks paved in textured materials on all approaches to the Fifth Street/Spanish Town Road intersection.

Recommendation C

Reconfigure on-street parking on Spanish Town Road to alternate between the north and south sides of the street every block or so, causing motorists to deflect their travel path and therefore reduce their speed. A bulb-out protecting the parked cars should be installed at the southeast corner of Spanish Town Road and Seventh Street, to further slow traffic. [The Baton Rouge Downtown Transportation Plan agrees with this recommendation, but the Historic Spanish Town Civic Association has not approved this recommendation.]

Recommendation D

Restrict access during the morning peak period (7:00 AM to 10:00 AM) from North Street westbound into Eighth Street northbound and into Seventh Street north-bound, thus eliminating a source of cut through traffic generated by Capitol Complex employees. [The Baton Rouge Downtown Transportation Plan did not recommend restricted access into the Spanish Town neighborhood to reduce traffic.]

Recommendation E

Reduce Ninth Street to two lanes between North Street and Spanish Town Road, by placing curb-side parking in the western-most lane. A bulb-out protecting the parked cars should be installed at North Street. This will reduce the speed of Ninth Street traffic and increase the separation between moving traffic on Ninth Street and pedestrians and homes. [The Baton Rouge Downtown Transportation Plan does recommend parking in the west side of Ninth Street. Information was submitted by DPW to State DOTD in April 2002 for approval to implement this recommendation.]

Recommendation F

Restore two-way traffic on Main Street and North Street, which will reduce speeds on the arterial streets bordering Spanish Town and reduce the incentive to use Span-ish Town Road outbound in the evening peak period. (See also Project T-4) [The Baton Rouge Downtown Transportation Plan does not recommend two-way on Main or North Streets because of anticipated traffic volumes from the new state parking garages.]

Recommendation G

Close the parking deck entrance on Sixth Street (entering as well as exiting) and reopen the access point on Fifth Street as originally designed. This requires correcting storm water and grading problems in the garage. [The parking deck improvements as suggested in the Plan have been implemented by the State of Louisiana.]

Recommendation H

Allow parking on one side of Bungalow Lane, and allow residents to build garages from which cars may back out onto the lane. These changes will give Bungalow Lane the same characteristics and safety as Lucilla Avenue. [The Baton Rouge Downtown Transportation Plan recommends the addition of curbside parking on Bungalow Lane. The Historic Spanish Town Civic As-sociation has not approved this recommendation.]

The full list of Recommendation above should be implemented to resolve the neighborhood traffic problems. A final Recom-mendation (I) addresses a separate issue, the damage caused to Spanish Town street corners by turning trucks.

Recommendation I

Trucks frequently have difficulty in com-pleting turns at the tight corners of some intersections. These intersections should be refitted with the specially designed “Spanish Town Corner” . This corner, constructed of a brick paving designed to withstand truck loadings and dropped to an elevation just above the gutter, will readily accommodate the rear wheels of turning trucks in a damage-free manner, while also meeting ADA requirements. These improvements are summarized in Exhibit B: Spanish Town Traffic Improvements. [The Baton Rouge Downtown Transportation Plan recommends curb repairs throughout Spanish Town.]

Responsibility

Office of the Mayor

Project Status

Recommendations A, B, C

Spanish Town Livability The Baton Rouge Downtown Transportation Plan recommends the installation of a vehicle deflector to slow eastbound traffic entering the residential section of Spanish Town Road. The Historic Spanish Town Civic Association has not approved this recommendation.

Recommendation D

The Baton Rouge Downtown Transportation Plan did not recommend restricted access into the Spanish Town neighborhood to reduce traffic.

Recommendation E

The Baton Rouge Downtown Transportation Plan does recommend parking in the west side of Ninth Street. Information was submitted by DPW to State DOTD in April 2002 for approval to implement this recommendation.

Recommendation F

The Baton Rouge Downtown Transportation Plan does not recommend two-way on Main or North Streets because of traffic volumes from the new state parking garages.

Recommendation G

The parking deck improvements as suggested in the Plan have been implemented by the State of Louisiana.

Recommendation H

The Baton Rouge Downtown Transportation Plan recommends the addition of curbside parking on Bungalow Lane. The Historic Spanish Town Civic Association has not approved this recommendation.

Recommendation I

The Baton Rouge Downtown Transportation Plan recommends curb repairs throughout Spanish Town.

Implementation

Explanation of Terms

Product

Comprehensive Road Improvements

Responsibility

OM & DDD

Implementing Agent

DPW

Feasibility Analysis

DPW

Initial Financing

PBR

Project Financing

CPF & FF

Timing