Metro Council approves policy to make Baton Rouge more walkable, bikeable
November 28, 2014
The Advocate
A group pressing for more sidewalks and bike paths to make it easier for people to move around the city of Baton Rouge has won the Metro Council’s support.
The council on Tuesday adopted a Complete Streets policy recommended by the group. The policy is intended to improve the city’s quality of life by adding and widening sidewalks where possible, putting in more bike paths and more.
A large group of residents have called on city leaders in recent years to make Baton Rouge more walkable and bikeable. BREC also has responded to those calls by adding plans for more trails throughout the city, especially interconnecting ones, into its 10-year plan, “Imagine Your Parks 2,” that was approved last week.
“All too often, Baton Rouge builds very nice things that are not connected to other nice things,” said Bryan Piazza, one of the people supporting Complete Streets.
But talking about transportation is a lot easier than the daunting task of changing it, said John Price, the mayor-president’s assistant chief administrative officer. Price said he wishes more pedestrian-friendly ideas were part of the city’s original planning because not every road’s design now allows for wider right-of-ways or bike paths.