A Message From the Mayor-President (Q3 2024)

MOVEBR Groundbreaking Kicked Off a Major Milestone in the Revitalization of North Baton Rouge

Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome

We just kicked off a transformative effort I call our “Restoring Plank Road” initiative which will breathe new life into one of our city’s most historic and vital corridors.

With the groundbreaking for the MOVEBR Plank Road Corridor Enhancement/Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, work begins to repave the entire 5.3-mile stretch from I-110 to Airline Highway in North Baton Rouge. This project will also include new sidewalks and curbs, ADA-compliant intersections, enhanced lighting and new signals to ensure safety and accessibility for pedestrians and drivers alike.

Plank Road has long played an essential role in the growth of Baton Rouge. For many years, this area has needed revitalization, and the groundbreaking on this MOVEBR project marks a significant step toward delivering on a promise to restore this corridor and make it safer, more accessible, and a place of opportunity for the entire community.

This project is one of 60 MOVEBR projects completed or currently underway in North Baton Rouge. The BRT Project is designed to modernize public transportation and enhance connectivity from North Baton Rouge to Mid City, Downtown, and LSU. Upcoming phases will include the restoration of Florida Boulevard from N. 4th St. to N. 22nd St., and the construction of elevated bus stops along the public transit route.

The restoration of Plank Road is now underway and constitutes the largest portion of the BRT Project. The overall timeline of the entire BRT Project will be 20 months with a total budget of approximately $46 million. 

Key partners in the BRT Project are CATS, Build Baton Rouge, DOTD, and the Federal Transit Administration.

Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome led the groundbreaking for the Plank Road Corridor/Bus Rapid Transit project joined by (l-r): Theo Richards, CEO of the Capital Area Transit System (CATS); Gretchen Siemers, interim CEO of Build Baton Rouge; Rodney Braxton, Chairman of the Build Baton Rouge Board; Councilman Darryl Hurst, Metro Council District 5; and Fred Raiford, Director of Transportation and Drainage for East Baton Rouge Parish.