In a city where one game of football can clog highways, halt traffic and fill every parking space within 10 miles of campus, alternative methods of transportation are often welcomed in Baton Rouge with the fervor of a touchdown.
Capital Area Transit System will be offering a shuttle between downtown Baton Rouge and Tiger Stadium again this season.
The Touchdown Express is $1.75 each way, but locals and visitors who bring a receipt from any downtown restaurant or bar to the pick-up point will be treated to a free round-trip pass to the game.
Vanisia Winston, community development manager for CATS, said the service can be offered free because of federal funding allocated for this type of service.
“Transit is a tool that pushes economic development,” Winston said. “We have a new generation of transit personnel who are pushing toward a positive direction. We can help LSU as much as LSU can help forth.”
Downtown Development District is working with CATS to spread the word about this new promotion.
Davis Rhorer, executive director of Downtown Development District, said the system was a smart way to transport people and a great service for the downtown area.
“For visitors to the city supporting LSU or the other team, this affords them the opportunity to get to and from the game and they don’t have to deal with difficult maneuvering,” Rhorer said. “This serves a lot of different purposes and has a positive impact all the way days.”
Jonathan Nunez, store manager of The Little Village restaurant, said he didn’t know a receipt from his restaurant could provide free rides.
“I have been working in restaurants and bars downtown for years, and I think it would be great,” Nunez said. “Downtown is dead during home games. If this were practiced, publicized and advertised that you should park downtown, I think it would do wonderful this.”
 
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Contact Morgan Searles at [email protected]