Planning for the Baton Rouge Loop, a roadway planned to circle the Baton Rouge area, continues despite negative feedback from many residents and the loss of three parish presidents’ support.
Rannah Gray, Baton Rouge Loop spokeswoman, said engineers are currently working on the Environmental Impact Report to submit to the Federal Highway Administration.
Once all paperwork is submitted, the FHA will give engineers a “Record of Decision,” which is essentially a permit that allows them to continue planning.
“They’re in the middle of the [Environmental Impact Statement] phase,” Gray said.
Mike Bruce, managing principal of ABMB Engineers Inc., one of the lead firms on the project, said the 25-mile stretch of road from Interstate 12 at Walker to Interstate 110 through northern Livingston and East Baton Rouge parishes that constitutes the North bypass will probably be constructed first.
Bruce said it’s important for engineers to choose the road with the largest amount of traffic so money can be earned quickly through tolls to finance the project.
Bruce said the East Baton Rouge city-parish government provided $2 million to planners to determine if the project was feasible, and the state then offered an additional $4.5 million to continue planning.
The north bypass is estimated to cost between $750 million and $800 million. Once completed, the entire project is estimated to cost $4.5 billion, Bruce said.
If everything goes as planned, physical construction won’t begin for at least another three years, Bruce said.
Bruce said opponents of the project have been vocal about their views, but according to a poll conducted when planning began, about 80 percent of the region’s population is in favor of the new road.
“It’s controversial, just like any large project,” Bruce said.
Gray said the project has been receiving positive feedback, but it hasn’t been as noticeable as the negative.
“Like with any project, people who are opposed make their feelings known,” she said.
Bruce said if progress continues as expected, planners will hold public meetings or hearings in the near future to receive more public input.
Bruce said it’s not surprising some parish leaders have left the project because of the backlash it has caused — particularly among people who will be directly impacted by the construction of the roadway.
“What they said at the time was they had pockets of opposition in their regions,” Gray said. “And that’s why they resigned from the Capital Area Expressway Authority.”
Lester Kenyon, public information officer for the Ascension Parish government, said Parish President Tommy Martinez withdrew his support for the project because the parish government didn’t think it was economically feasible and he was told it would be years before the road would be built.
“We don’t have 40 years to wait,” Martinez said through Kenyon. “We’re addressing traffic problems now in Ascension Parish.”
Kenyon said Martinez wouldn’t consider getting back on board with the project any time in the foreseeable future.
“This is the third loop proposal I’ve seen in my career,” Martinez said. “And at this point, I see it as the final proposal.”
Gray said Iberville Parish President Mitchell Ourso’s resignation from the committee was not caused by opposition in the parish, but because he didn’t feel the project affected Iberville Parish.
“He didn’t feel he needed to be involved,” Gray said.
 
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Contact Rachel Warren at [email protected]