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.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie