The Baton Rouge tram, as the city is describing its proposed transit project, now has a preferred route and is ready to proceed to the final stages of environmental review.
"City-parish authorities on Monday revealed their preferred route for the proposed Baton Rouge tram: a direct line between Tiger Stadium and the State Capitol," reports Steve Hardy. The decision on a preferred route also sets the preferred location for ten proposed station locations.
"With a route selected, crews can finish the environmental assessments, design the construction plans in greater detail and assemble a financial plan," reports Hardy, sharing information from the consulting team on the project.
Hardy also offers perspective on how the Baton Rouge project compares to other streetcar propjects around the country:
"The total cost of construction could be in the area of $150 million to $200 million, he said, pointing to other recent streetcar projects. The Tucson, Arizona, Sunlink, built in 2014, cost $197 million. Detroit’s M-1 Rail is expected to cost about $167 million by the time construction concludes later this year. However, both of those projects are slightly longer than the Baton Rouge route, which will require 5.7 miles of track."
The article includes more details about the planning process so far and next steps in realizing the Baton Rouge tram.
FULL STORY: Baton Rouge city officials’ preferred tram route would travel between Tiger Stadium, North Street
Atlanta Streetcar Expansion Still Moving Forward
MARTA has drastically reduced its plans to construct new rail transit, but one project still has political support from the top at City Hall.
Warren Buffett, Streetcar Skeptic
Warren Buffett, bus service supporter?
Memphis Testing Vintage Siemens U2 Trolley Cars—With Service Expected to Open Later This Year
Originally designed for use in Frankfurt, Germany, the Siemens–Duewag U2 was used in Canada and San Diego before now coming to Memphis.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.
Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.
Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.
In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont