East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Kip Holden’s efforts to improve the area’s infrastructure have earned him national attention and a spot on a board that includes California Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, according to a news release issued Wednesday.
 
Holden joined Building America’s Future, a coalition of national local, city and state leaders aimed at improving infrastructure throughout the country.
 
“Through comprehensive transportation programs like the Green Light Plan, Baton Rouge is dedicated to improving the safety and quality of life of its citizens,” Holden said in the release.
 
“I look forward to working with this diverse coalition to secure            additional federal investment on the critical infrastructure needed to keep our community safe and local economy strong.”
 
The Green Light Plan is the mayor’s initiative aimed at significantly improving the quality of roads throughout the parish. The ongoing construction on Brightside Lane is a part of that plan, as is the recent renovation to the Acadian Thruway-Perkins Road intersection.
 
Holden joins the group three weeks after President Barack Obama unveiled a proposed $50 billion infusion into the nation’s infrastructure.
 
Holden is the fourth Louisiana official to join the panel, following New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover and St. Tammany Parish Commissioner Kevin Davis.
 
Holden also announced Wednesday a parish-wide survey called “FutureBR,” an effort to gather citizen input for future improvements to the parish.
 
The 15-question survey, which will be released Oct. 5, asks Baton Rougeans what they would like the city to look like in 20 years.
 
“It only takes a few minutes to fill out the survey, and it’s a big investment in our future,” Holden said.
 
The survey will be available online at futurebr.com. Hard copies will be available at any parish library.
 
Input from the survey will be used to update the city-parish’s master plan for land use and development.
 
Officials will roll out the survey at a 5:30 p.m. ceremony at the Louisiana State Museum the night of its release. John Fregonese, the master-plan architect, will give a presentation showing citizens the planning process for future improvements.
 
 
 
 
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Contact Matthew Albright at [email protected]