GONZALES — National planning firm Fregonese Associates of Portland, Ore., leads land use planning workshops next week in connection with a proposed 85-mile, $4.5 billion traffic loop for the greater Baton Rouge area, loop project officials said.
During the public workshops Monday and Tuesday in Denham Springs, Gonzales and Addis, groups of six to 10 people will work together to show what type of development they would like to see along the proposed toll expressway’s eventual route, project officials said in a statement.
“Will the loop create more access for our merchants or new opportunities for shopping or offices near the new highway? Can we have both? The upcoming workshops give you the chance to weigh in on this discussion,” John Fregonese, principal planner at Fregonese Associates, said in the statement.
Fregonese Associates, an urban and regional planning firm, was involved with the Louisiana Speaks Project and designed comprehensive plans for Pointe Coupee and West Feliciana parishes, project officials said.
The firm is also working on the so-called “FutureBR” effort, which updates the Horizon Plan for East Baton Rouge Parish, with several other firms.
Among those firms is ABMB Engineers Inc., also a key firm working on the loop.
The loop workshops will create a reference for local officials for future planning around the proposed five-parish beltway. The five are East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, Iberville, Ascension and Livingston parishes.
Ascension Parish is also involved in its own land use planning process, now underway. The land use meetings Monday and Tuesday may include what types of interchanges should be built and what types of businesses or services should be accessible from the loop, project officials said.
The workshops are focused on the north bypass, south bypass or the west side of the Mississippi River, project officials said.
By Advocate Florida parishes bureau
Source: The Advocate