DOTD celebrates completion of Government St. Road Diet project
Saturday, October 23, 2021 at 11:28:45 AM
Baton Rouge- Today, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Secretary Shawn D. Wilson, Ph.D., was joined by Baton Rouge Mayor Sharon Weston Broome and other local officials to celebrate the completion of construction for the Government St. Road Diet project in East Baton Rouge Parish.
This $11.7 million project consisted of reducing Government St. to one travel lane in each direction, with a two-way-left-turn-lane in the center, along with raised divider islands and sidewalk improvements with ADA accessible ramps and bicycle lanes in each direction. Additionally, a roundabout was constructed to replace the signalized intersection at Government St., Lobdell Ave., and Independence Park Boulevard, which will improve safety and efficiency for motorists.
“This project has turned this corridor into a multimodal corridor,” said Secretary Wilson. “Safety is always our number one priority, which is why this road diet was implemented. With more than 18,000 motorists traveling this corridor daily, this project will reduce crashes by 25%, making this multimodal corridor much safer for our motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. It was our hope that this project would contribute to the economic revitalization of this area, and I believe it has.”
“The Government Street corridor lies in the heart of our community – the safety improvements, ADA enhancements, and bicycle lanes make this roadway a safer place for all,” said Mayor Broome. “Our residents, commuters, and tourists will benefit from this work for years to come.”
The contractor, Barber Bros., began work on this project January 2018 and completed it October 2021.