Mayor Edwards and DOTD Secretary Ledet Break Ground on Florida Boulevard Corridor Enhancement Project

Mayor-President Sid Edwards and DOTD Secretary Glenn Ledet broke ground today on a major project focused on improving safety for all users of Florida Boulevard, one of Baton Rouge’s busiest and most dangerous corridors.

The MOVEBR Florida Boulevard Corridor Enhancement Project, Segment 2 will improve the corridor from N. 22nd Street to Airline Highway, with pavement rehabilitation, construction of sidewalks and multi-use paths on both sides, and signal, drainage and lighting improvements.

“Our primary goal is safety,” said Mayor-President Edwards. “We’re improving this corridor to make commute times more dependable and safer for our citizens. Signal upgrades, new pavement, and paths to keep bicycles and pedestrians off the road will all contribute to this goal. We’re working together and it’s going to make a tremendous difference. I appreciate Secretary Ledet’s support and cooperation.”

"Safety is our top priority, and this project represents a collaborative effort between state and local partners to improve one of the region's busiest corridors,” said Secretary Ledet. “These improvements will create lasting safety and mobility improvements that will benefit this community for years to come."

Florida Boulevard is a state highway that handles heavy traffic, especially during rush hour and has been one of Baton Rouge’s most accident-prone areas of the city. Voters approved the improvements to the busy corridor in the MOVEBR program and the City-Parish has worked with DOTD to address safety and improvements.

This project improves three segments of Florida Boulevard between N. 22nd Street and Airline Highway:

• The 4-lane segment from North 22nd to Tuscaloosa Street
• The 5-lane segment from Tuscaloosa St. to Foster Drive
• The 6-lane segment from Foster Drive to Airline Highway

Improvements to sidewalks in the 4 and 5 lane sections will provide a continuous pedestrian facility, and a 10-foot-wide facility is proposed on each side of Florida Boulevard for the 6-lane segment for use by pedestrians and bicyclists alike.

This project aligns well with the East Baton Rouge Master Plan for Pedestrians and Bicycles, including existing and planned bike routes at Baton Rouge Community College and Melrose Place subdivision.

One signalized mid-block crossing for pedestrians and bicyclists is also proposed in the 6-lane section near BRCC.

In addition, the project includes pavement rehabilitation for structural integrity and functional performance, drainage improvements from Acadian Thruway to Foster Drive, and lighting improvements are being considered throughout the corridor.

This project is funded through our MOVEBR program, a federal INFRA grant awarded to East Baton Rouge Parish in 2022 and DOTD program funds.

Construction estimate:

• Preliminary Budget: $62.1M
• MOVEBR Funding: $20.9M
• Other sources: $41.2M

Hard Rock Construction is the contractor for this project, and the design consultants were Forte and Tablada.

Learn more about the project here.