Dedicated Bike Lanes on Hyacinth Avenue Increase Safety and Access to Neighborhood School

Baton Rouge, La. - August 15, 2022 - City-Parish officials, residents of the Southdowns neighborhood, and bicycle safety advocates today celebrated the completion of 1.8 miles of dedicated bike lanes along Hyacinth Avenue from Stanford Avenue to Glasgow Avenue.

Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome was joined by District 12 Councilwoman Jennifer Racca, State Representative Barbara Freiberg, EBR Schools Superintendent Sito Narcisse, and representatives of Bike Baton Rouge and the Southside Civic Association at Glasgow Middle School to commemorate the recent opening of the paths.

"With more people riding bicycles for transportation as well as health and recreation, dedicated bike lanes on a busy street make travel safer for everyone," said Mayor Broome. "I am especially glad this bike path connects a large neighborhood to a middle school."

The planning, design and construction of the bike paths was a joint effort by the City-Parish and the State Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) with $779,000 in federal funding and $521,000 from the Green Light Program.

Mayor Broome said she is also pleased that work on the project included three Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs), giving local small businesses an opportunity to help design and build a safer, stronger community while keeping tax dollars local.

"With more than 65 additional miles of new bike lanes and over 100 miles of additional sidewalks currently in planning or design as part of our MOVEBR program, we are working to make our streets safer and more accessible for everyone," Mayor Broome said. "I love to ride my bike and hope everyone will join the Southdowns neighbors in celebrating the completion of this project."

Work on the Hyacinth Avenue bike lanes also included installation of drainage culverts and catch basins, removal and replacement of existing driveways, widening of pavement, striping and other improvements.