Louisiana
Mall of Louisiana Boulevard Project enters next phase under MOVEBR program
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A major traffic improvement project is moving forward near one of Baton Rouge’s busiest shopping areas.
The MOVEBR program has officially broken ground on the railroad underpass phase of the Mall of Louisiana Boulevard project, a key part of the city’s effort to improve mobility and safety for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.
The $38 million project is the latest phase in a multi-step plan to ease congestion and enhance flood control in the area. Fred Raiford, East Baton Rouge Parish’s director of Transportation and Drainage, said the project is designed to give commuters more options and reduce bottlenecks near the Mall of Louisiana.
“We just feel like it’s a good connector to be able to tie the interstate in Perkins and provide more opportunity for drivers to use the vehicles to go where they want to go in that general vicinity,” Raiford said.
Phase One included the Backcourt Drive Bridge and the Dawson Creek twin bridges. This new phase focuses on building a railroad underpass and pump station, a critical addition to keep traffic flowing and reduce flooding during heavy rain.
Raiford said once this stage is complete, crews will move into roadway construction and signal installation.
“Our next phase will be the actual road construction, and the last thing is to look at putting the traffic signal at Perkins and the Mall of Louisiana Road,” he said.
Previously known as the Picardy-Perkins Connector, the Mall of Louisiana Boulevard project is being developed in coordination with the Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) Railroad to safely separate vehicle and train crossings. Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards said it’s a major step toward modernizing local infrastructure.
“I think this roadway is going to be a fantastic asset for our parish, for today and for the future,” Edwards said.
Once completed in roughly three years, the four-lane roadway will feature a 10-foot-wide shared-use path connecting to BREC’s Trail at Dawson’s Creek, along with a privacy wall to buffer nearby neighborhoods.
Officials said the Mall of Louisiana Boulevard project is another milestone in MOVEBR’s mission to reduce congestion and create safer, more accessible routes throughout East Baton Rouge Parish.
Latest News
NEWTON COUNTY, Texas. (KPLC) – A DeRidder man reported missing was found dead in the Sabine River Sunday morning, according to the Newton County Sheriff’s Office.
Newton County Sheriff Colton Havard said Jordan Jamal Allen was located around 7:50 a.m. on July 12 with help from Texas Parks and Wildlife game wardens, the Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office, and 409 Search and Rescue.
Authorities say the body was recovered not far from where Allen went under Friday night near the U.S. 190 bridge east of Bon Wier at the Texas-Louisiana state line.
The sheriff said that Allen and a woman were said to be wading across the river Friday when the current began pulling the woman.
The sheriff said Allen tried to help her, but went under around 8:45 p.m. and wasn’t seen again. He said the woman made it back to land safely.
We will have more in this story as it develops.
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MONDAY
RED STICK FLY FISHERS PROGRAM: 7 p.m., Bluebonnet Regional Library, 9200 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge. Open to the public. Email Brian Roberts: roberts.brian84@gmail.com. Website: rsff.org
WEDNESDAY
FLIES & FLIGHTS: 7-9 p.m, Rally Cap Brewing, 11212 Pennywood Ave., Baton Rouge. Casual fly tying. Open to public. Email Chris Williams: thefatfingeredflytyer@gmail.com
THURSDAY
ACADIANA FLY RODDERS PROGRAM: 6 p.m., Pack and Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Open to public. Email Darin Lee: at cbrsandcdc@gmail.com. Website: acadianaflyrodders.org
FRIENDS OF NRA/SOUTHWEST LA BANQUET: 6 p.m., Riverside Bar & Grill, 3748 Louisiana 3059, Lake Charles. Call Brack Cole 337-912-1620. Email: jbcoleair@yahoo.com
ONGOING
STATEWIDE TOURNAMENT & ANGLERS RODEO/S.T.A.R.: Through Sept. 7, Coastal Conservation Association’s summer-long fishing event. Tagged redfish, coastal/offshore species categories & youth division. CCA membership required. Website: ccalouisiana.com/star
LOTTERY HUNTS
DOVE/TEAL: July 27 application deadline for dove hunt on Elbow Slough Wildlife Management Area and teal hunt on White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area. Website applications only on Wildlife & Fisheries/Louisiana Outdoors License, Permits and Tags webpage. Fee $8.50. Details: dove hunt, David Hayden at dhayden@wlf.la.gov; teal hunt, Lance Ardoin at lardoin@wlf.la.gov
AROUND THE CORNER
JULY 21 — LAFAYETTE KAYAK FISHING CLUB MEETING: 6 p.m., Pack and Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Call 337-232-5854. Website: lafayettekayakfishing.com
JULY 21-22 — GULF COUNCIL SHRIMP COMMITTEE MEETING: Gulf Council office, 4107 W. Spruce St., Tampa, Florida. In conjunction with Scientific and Statistical committees. Website: gulfcouncil.org
JULY 23 — ACADIANA BUGS & BREWS: 6 p.m., Pack and Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Casual fly tying and local beers provided. Open to the public. Email Darin Lee: cbrsandcdc@gmail.com. Website: packpaddle.com
JULY 23-25 — International Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo, Grand Isle Marina & Otto Candies Pavilion, Grand Isle. Website: tarponrodeo.org
JULY 24-25—BASSMASTER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: Kentucky Lake, Paris, Tennessee. Website: bassmaster.com
JULY 26 — SOUTH LOUISIANA HIGHPOWER CLUB MATCH: 8:30 a.m., Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Range, St. Landry Road, Gonzales. NRA XTC & F-Class match rifle or service rifle, 200-yard/50-rounds match course. Fee $15 members, $20 nonmembers, $5 juniors. $25 annual club (first match free) and Civilian Marksmanship Program membership (allows purchases from CMP). Call Mike Burke, 337-380-8120. Email: SouthLAHighPower@hotmail.com
FISHING/SHRIMPING
SHRIMP: Spring inshore season closed except for Breton/Chandeleur sounds; all outside waters open.
OPEN RECREATIONAL SEASONS: Private recreational red snapper; gray triggerfish; flounder; lane, blackfin, queen and silk snappers and wenchmen among other snapper species; all groupers except closed for goliath and Nassau groupers in state/federal waters.
CLOSED SEASONS: Greater amberjack; bluefin tuna; gag, goliath and Nassau groupers in state/federal waters. Commercial greater amberjack season closed.
LDWF UPDATES
Closed: Roads on Pomme de Terre, Richard Yancey & Bogue Chitto WMAs (flooding)
Drawdowns: Saline Lake (Natchitoches/Winn parishes through Oct. 5); Iatt Lake (Grant Parish through Oct. 5).
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