Kansas City Southern Rail Crossings Closures by DOTD

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and Federal Rail Administration (FRA) are proposing a project that includes the maintenance and rehabilitation of ten (10) and closure of five (5) railroad crossings along the Kansas City Southern (KCS) railroad in the City of Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish.

The crossings that are proposed to be closed will be complete closures. The sidewalks at these crossings would be removed; however, pedestrian crossings would be created at several of the other crossings, usually where sidewalks come up to the railroad right-of-way and end. Detours will be required for the maintenance and rehabilitation during the in-roadway crossing work. The detours will be coordinated with the City of Baton Rouge at the time of construction. Detours will not be required for the signal work at crossings that will remain open.

The maintenance and rehabilitation work will be completed within existing KCS, City of Baton Rouge, or LADOTD right-of-ways. Additional right-of-ways may be required for street connectivity on the east end of Orange Street to connect Orange Street with Matilda Street. Connecting roads within KCS right of way are proposed to link Smith Street, Orange Street, and Apple Street, paralleling the west side of the railroad tracks.

The crossings to be closed are:

·         Gayosa Street

Changes coming to Kansas City Southern crossings.

·         Julia Street

·         Smith Street

·         Orange Street

·         Apple Street

The crossing to be rehabilitated are:

·         North Street

·         Main Street

·         Laurel Street

·         Florida Boulevard

·         Convention Street

·         Wisteria Street

·         South Boulevard

·         Myrtle Walk Street

·         Terrance Street

·         Louise Street

This is the fourth LaDOTD project in Old South Baton Rouge adversely affecting travel and accessibility. The other three are:

·         Closure of Terrace at Highland to accommodate updated I-10 E exit ramp

·         New I-110 S exit onto Terrace Street, and

·         The I-10 widening project

When combined with these railroad crossing closures the Old South Baton Rouge neighborhood will be further subdivided, chopped up into disconnected bits. People living in the area will find it increasingly difficult to travel into, out of, and around the neighborhood. This will have a lasting negative impact that follows an unfortunate historical trend in this neighborhood.

While this plan is much improved from the previous version, we feel it will cause harm to residents along Orange, Apple, and Smith Street. Housing values will likely be lowered. Youth are extremely unlikely to walk several blocks out of the way to access City Park.

The current plan provides safety improvements for vehicles, but not for pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users. The railroad came after this neighborhood was built, but these residents continue to shoulder harm, depreciation, and division of their community. Bike Baton Rouge is concerned not only about the residents of these streets, but about what these choices say about our community as a whole. Whose voice matters?

We encourage you to submit a public comment to DOTD, to voice concern about the safety of youth and harm to this community.

We would like to see DOTD come up with funding for basic safety measures to keep these crossings open.

To submit comments to DOTD, email dotdcs@la.gov with "RE: H.012449" in the subject line.

Volunteer for the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project!

The number 2 google image search result for 'bike count'.

This September, Bike Baton Rouge will be participating in the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project for the first time - and we need your help!

The project is an effort to count pedestrians and bicyclists nationally, and to provide data for bicycle and pedestrian advocates (like Bike Baton Rouge), as well as governmental organizations and planners with the hopes that these counts will help to put more (and better) bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure into the ground - and making bicycling and walking safer and more enjoyable.

In our case, this data will also be used to support local projects. We'll be providing the counts to our friends at various government and non-government organizations - and we'll be utilizing the counts ourselves in an exciting report about bicycling in Baton Rouge that we'll be releasing later this year.

The counts will occur at two times - on Tuesday, September 12th (5pm - 7pm) and Saturday, September 16th (12pm - 2pm), in around ten locations in Baton Rouge. We'll work with you - our volunteers - to assign you a location as convenient to you as possible (we'll try our best, we swear!)

So - how do the counts work, and how can you help?

1) Register to volunteer for the counts HERE!

2) There will be an optional (but recommended) training session at our next General Meeting on Thursday, September 7th. If you won't make it or are just curious, you can download all of the count instructions and documentations here. We'll finalize a time and location for this meeting a little closer to the date of the meeting.

3) You'll receive a count package, including counting and recording materials (clipboards, pens, etc) and some free Bike BR swag in return for your help!

4) On the count days, you'll make your way out to the count locations, complete your counts, and then send them to us (phone, email, snail mail, carrier pigeon, anything is fine!). You can sign up for just one of the two count days, or for both of them!

5) Bike Baton Rouge will collate your data, submit it to the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project, and publish it on our website for the whole world to see.

Interested? Click HERE and we'll get back to you with more information.

Thanks for supporting Bike Baton Rouge!


 

Meet the Board - Tina Ufford

Tina is a long time bicycle advocate and former Board Member of Bike Baton Rouge. She practices and teaches many things, including Yoga, Massage and Pottery.

Who are you and where are you from?  

Tina Ufford Colorado Springs, CO

Why do you love bicycling?  

Outside, gas free, exercise time! It shifts me into thinking about where I am..rather than where I'm going

Why did you join the Bike Baton Rouge board?   

I want to be heard, I want to help create change. I want to funnel frustration into action and help others do the same.

What do you see YOUR role as with Bike Baton Rouge?

Connecting the dots in the networking world, finding new partnerships. Keeping things going when we get stalled or burned out.

What do you do and what are you good at?

I am a healer and a creator, an explorer and an educator. I'm good at giving permission, and making people comfortable.
 
What would you consider the greatest challenge to bicycling in Baton Rouge?  

Guh! I only get to pick one...? Continuity! From planning to intersections to sidewalks, it's my biggest frustration here. 

What are you and Bike Baton Rouge doing to tackle that challenge?

Creating rides and events that document the experiences of all riders in town. Inclusion. All people, all areas of town. And then pushing for change.

What will bicycling in Baton Rouge look like in 1/5/20 years time? 

Well I'm pretty satisfied with the Dawson's creek path for this year! One little spot by Coyote Blues to smooth out, and we have a real people mover.
5 Years- I hope to see more education for riders and drivers, and for Government St, Eugene St, and Acadian to be slower, smoother, and safer.
20 years when I'm 60, I hope it just looks something like other capital cities as far as biking infrastructure goes. 

What is does your 'ideal' day of bike riding in Baton Rouge look like?

Morning ride to the Farmer's market downtown, lunch on the levee, a pit stop at home, sunset at the Perkins park, Trader Joe's on the way home. Getting groceries on bike is always ideal. 

Anything else you'd like to mention?

I believe our transportation troubles are the biggest reason for amazing people leaving this town. I have been here for over 10 years now, and plan to stay. When I travel to other cities, I realize how far we have to go, and also how easy we have it!! Good weather most of the time, mostly flat terrain, and the parade culture all lend themselves to this being one of my favorite places to ride! I feel that safe easy travel-biking, walking, public transport-makes a strong connected city,where people want to grow roots and bloom! I know that Bike BR is part of that foundation that keeps me here.