City officials broke ground Thursday on the space that will soon accommodate an extension to the existing bike path atop the levee along River Road.
Peter Newkirk, Department of Public Works director, addressed the crowd at the groundbreaking and said the 9,500-foot extension is expected to take 185 days to complete.
Newkirk said the bike path is continuing toward New Orleans, and a path is being built from New Orleans toward Baton Rouge. The two paths will meet eventually.
He said the extension, which is being built near the intersection of River Road and Skip Bertman Drive, is part of East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Kip Holden’s plan to make East Baton Rouge Parish more bike-friendly.
Holden said with the help of Sen. Mary Landrieu, the city received $980,000 in federal appropriations to build the extension.
Bruce Wickert, Baton Rouge Bicycle Club president, said the safe environment of the bike path encourages people to ride bicycles and walk more.
“It’s just another way for Baton Rouge to be healthier,” Wickert said.
Wickert also said it was easier and cheaper to construct the bike path because the area atop the levee was already clear from traffic.
“Baton Rouge has come a long way over the years,” Wickert said. “This is just another link in the chain.”
Holden said the 1.8-mile extension has been in planning for more than two years. The original bike path was started more than six years ago and was done in increments.
The bike path is important because it runs along River Road, which he called one of the most dangerous roads in the city, Holden said.
Holden said he hopes more bike paths will encourage residents to use their bikes instead of their cars, which is better for their health as well as the environment.
“Roughly 30 percent of Louisiana is obese,” Holden said. “This is a step to reduce that dangerous number.”
Holden said the existing bike path became popular quickly, he expects the same result once the extension is complete.
“This is already a popular space, and we hope to see a lot more people here as this progresses,” Holden said.
Joe Morales, civil engineering junior, said convenient bike paths, like the one on the levee, encourage him to ride his bike recreationally more often.
He also said he worries about his friends who often ride bikes along River Road, and the bike paths help alleviate his concerns.
 
 
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