Streetcar Grant Application

Nicholson
Corridor

High-Capacity
Transit System Plan
FY 2014 TIGER GRANT APPLICATION

BATON ROUGE, LA APRIL, 28 2014

PROJECT TITLE
Nicholson Corridor High
Capacity Transit System Plan

…………………………
L O C AT I O N
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
U.S. Congressional Districts 2 and 6

…………………………
TYPE OF
A P P L I C AT I O N
Project planning

…………………………
APPLICANT
O R G A N I Z AT I O N
City of Baton Rouge/
Parish of East Baton Rouge

…………………………
TYPE OF ELIGIBLE
APPLICANT
Local Government

…………………………
AMOUNT OF
TIGER FUNDING
REQUESTED
$1.76 Million

PROJECT
SUMMARY
High-Capacity Transit System
Plan and Project Development
Planning, alternatives analysis and
project development for a 3.1 mile
high-capacity transit system through
Baton Rouge’s urban core.

…………………………
WHERE
Nicholson Corridor
3-mile long, half-mile wide corridor
encompassing Downtown, the State
Capitol, the Arts and Entertainment
District, the Mississippi Riverfront, Old
South Baton Rouge Neighborhood,
and Louisiana State University.

…………………………
PROJECT COST
$2.76 million
TIGER Planning
Local match
Leveraged funds

(not included in project cost)

$0.9 million

…………………………
C O N TA C T
Amanda LaGrange
Federal and States Grant Coordinator
phone: (225) 389-3100
email: [email protected]

FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

$1.76 million
(63%)
$1 million
(47%)

WHY IS THIS PROJECT
THE BEST CHOICE FOR A
TIGER PLANNING GRANT?
State of Good Repair
Re-establishes public transit in the Corridor
Well-funded and supported by key organizations
Implements existing plans to achieve multiple
community goals
Economic Competitiveness
Creates ladders of opportunity
Increases low-income residents’ access to jobs
Increases economic productivity of the land
Capitalizes on current development patterns
Incentivizes private development
Livability
Improves accessibility within economically
disadvantaged neighborhoods
Enables car-free, active lifestyles
Provides reliable access to nighttime entertainment
Increases intermodal connectivity
Decreases expenditures on private vehicles
Sustainability
Prevents urban sprawl
Relieves dependence on gasoline
Reduces VMT & GHG emissions
Innovation
Facilitates new public-private partnerships
Utilizes new intelligent transportation information
systems and clean energy technology

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

II

Table of Contents
PROJECT DESCRIPTION........................................... 1
Project Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Current Road and Transit Conditions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Expected Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Project Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

P R O J E C T PA R T I E S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
GRANT FUNDS AND SOURCES/
USES OF PROJECT FUNDS ....................................... 8
Use of Funds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Operation and Maitenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

SELECTION CRITERIA.............................................. 9
Primary Selection Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Secondary Selection Criteria. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7
Results of Benefit-Cost Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 8

PROJECT READINESS ............................................. 19
F E D E R A L W A G E R AT E C E R T I F I C AT I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2
BIBLIOGRAPHY...................................................... 23

FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

III

FIGURES
Figure 1: Regional Context for the Nicholson Corridor High-Capacity
Transit System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Figure 2: Major Attractions Along Nicholson Corridor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Figure 3: Proposed HCTS in Relation to Major CATS Bus Lines (in blue)
and the Proposed Regional Rail (in orange) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Figure 4: Median Annual Household Incomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1
Figure 5: Population by Age in the Corridor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1
Figure 6: Housing Tenure in the Corridor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1
Figure 7: Employment within ¼ Mile of the Proposed HCTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1
Figure 8: Potential and Planned Development and Redevelopment . . . . . . . . . . . 12

TA B L E S
Table 1: Project Development Fund Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Table 2: Project Development Fund Uses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Table 3: Potential Engineering and Construction Fund Sources
(preliminary estimates) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

R E L E VA N T
PLANNING
DOCUMENTS
For easy review, the project team has
provided a number of web links to relevant
plannning documents.
Baton Rouge-New Orleans Intercity Rail
Feasibility Study
www.braf.org/assets/docs/reports/
Intercity%20Passenger%20Train%20
Study%202014.pdf
Baton Rouge/East Baton Rouge
Sustainable Government Operations Plan
http://brgov.com/dept/planning/pdf/
SUSTAINABILITY%20PLAN%20FINAL.
pdf
Baton Rouge Parking Study
www.downtownbatonrouge.org/
FinalReport122304_lowres.pdf
Business Improvement Grant (BIG)
www.downtownbatonrouge.org/
devEconomic.asp
Capitol Park Interpretive Plan
www.downtownbatonrouge.org/Capitol%20
Park%20Interpretive%20Plan_lowres.pdf
CATS transit reforms implementation plan
www.brcats.com/Images/
Interior/3-2013%20implementation%20
plan%20.pdf
Complete Streets Policy
www.brgoodwood.com/Zoning_
Information/Goodwood_FINAL_
PropOwners_2013_0416.pdf
Downtown Development District
Implementation Projects
http://ow.ly/waDrH

Numerous plans have been completed for this area since 1998. They all support the kinds of
improvements that the Nicholson Corridor HCTS would bring.

FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

Louisiana Speaks Regional Sustainability
Plan http://downloads.cpex.org/
stateplanning/LASpeaks_Downloads/
RegionalPlan/01_SectionOne_
LouisianaSpeaksRegionalPlan.pdf and
http://www.louisianaspeaks-parishplans.org
Downtown Development District
Strategic Plan
www.downtownbatonrouge.org/downloads/
pdf/DDD_Strategic_Plan_Final_Draft.pdf
Downtown Greenway
www.epa.gov/livablecommunities/pdf/
greencapitals/batonrouge-high.pdf
Downtown Residential Façade Grant
Program
www.downtownbatonrouge.org/devRes_
facade.asp
Downtown Visitors’ Amenities Plan
www.downtownbatonrouge.org/02-053_
DowntownVisitor’sAmenityPlan_lowres.pdf
FUTUREBR Comprehensive Plan
http://brgov.com/dept/planning/pdf/
FBRPlanE.pdf
FUTUREBR Strategic
Implementation Plan
http://brgov.com/dept/planning/pdf/
FBRStrategicE.pdf
LSU Nicholson Gateway Plan
http://sites01.lsu.edu/wp/nicholson/
Old South Baton Rouge Strategic Plan
http://cpex.org/downloads/old-southbaton-rouge-revitalization
Plan Baton Rouge Phase II
www.downtownbatonrouge.org/downloads/
pdf/PBRII_091105_low_res.Final.pdf
Riverfront Master Plan
www.downtownbatonrouge.org/downloads/
pdf/BRR_ExecReport_092906_sm.pdf

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

IV

Appendices
Appendix A – Letters of Support
Appendix B – Wage Rate Certification
Appendix C – Schedule
Appendix D – Budget and Scope of Work
Appendix E – Grant Coordinator Job Description

FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

V

Project Description
PROJECT AREA
Few other places within Baton Rouge
have been at the center of so many
planning efforts. From Plan Baton Rouge
and Baton Rouge Riverfront Master Plan to
the Downtown Greenway renderings,
Nicholson Corridor is depicted over
and over again as a place transformed
by new development, pedestrianfriendly amenities and new, multi-modal
and plan for high-capacity transit in the
corridor will synthesize past planning
efforts and provide a clear and meaningful
path forward.

Figure 1: Regional Context for the Nicholson Corridor
High-Capacity Transit System

Figure 2: Major Attractions Along
Nicholson Corridor

Mid City North

Town
Square Hub
FLORIDA BLVD

The proposed Nicholson Corridor
High-Capacity Transit System (HCTS)
route connects several of Baton Rouge’s
major attractions. It passes through the
central business district, surmounts the
Interstate 10 barrier, is adjacent to vibrant
but disadvantaged neighborhoods to the
east, and hugs the banks of the Mississippi
to the west.

Downtown

Old South
Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge
Mid City South

Old South
Baton Rouge

LSU

Since the mid-1990s the Nicholson
Corridor has had some of the most
actively growing institutions and uses in
the region. Louisiana State University
(LSU), the southern anchor of the
corridor, has 30,000 students and 6,500
FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

1

[ Project Description ]
faculty and staff. In addition to being a
center of employment for faculty, staff
and service workers, the campus also
hosts the popular Tiger Stadium (with
an attendance capacity of over 100,000)
as well as other major athletic facilities
including the Pete Maravich Assembly
Center, a 13,200-seat multi-purpose arena
that hosts LSU’s Division I basketball,
gymnastics and volleyball teams. Other
LSU athletic facilities in the Corridor
include:
Alex Box Stadium/Skip Bertman
Field - baseball stadium (seats 10,000)
Carl Maddox Field House - indoor
track (seats 3,000)
Bernie Moore Track Stadium outdoor track (seats 5,700)
Downtown Baton Rouge has seen
substantial investment since the
adoption of Plan Baton Rouge in 1998,
and has grown steadily through civic
improvements and development of
entertainment venues. At the north end
administrative buildings.
Recent public investments in the area
include the ongoing construction of a

FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

Downtown Greenway – comprised of
parks, plazas and multi-use pathways – a
façade improvement program, new public
library, and Complete Streets policy
resulting in new sidewalks, crosswalks,
signalized intersections and bike lanes.

and the importance of this culturally
historic neighborhood to the regional
economy. Because the neighborhood’s
access to public transit is severely limited,
the HCTS will provide a critical link
for residents to jobs and the downtown
business center.

Old South Baton Rouge
The Nicholson HCTS will also travel
through Old South Baton Rouge (OSBR),
a culturally historic but under-resourced
neighborhood located between the LSU
campus and the downtown business
to over 11,000 residents with a median
income less than half of the Baton Rouge
Metropolitan Area and United States’
median incomes.
A historic African-American
neighborhood, Old South Baton
Rouge is still culturally rich, but
suburban growth and increased
mobility has led to a steady
population decline over the past
several decades. Blight and poverty
now plague this once vibrant
community.
Recent planning in the area (including
the OSBR Strategic Plan) has highlighted
the community’s dedication to its revival

Vacant commercial buildings in the Old South Baton Rouge
Neighborhood are ripe for adaptive reuse.

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

2

[ Project Description ]
CURRENT ROAD
AND TRANSIT
CONDITIONS
Acadian

Mississip

Nicholson Drive is a four-lane
thoroughfare carrying over 30,000
vehicles a day - many of which are large
trucks travelling at high speeds. Currently,
there is no public transit option to move
people between LSU and the Capitol.

pi River

North St

Downtown Florida Blvd
Government St

R
land
d

Nicholson Dr

High

Central Baton Rouge is constrained by I-II0 and the
Mississippi River.

With more than 3,700 housing units
and two million square feet of new
under construction along this threemile route, solutions are needed to
address issues such as constrained
road space and limited parking
options.
The Nicholson Corridor HCTS is poised
to be a major amenity for the City-Parish
and will play a role in further stimulating
economic development by providing
new, comfortable transportation options
without adding more vehicles to the road.

OUTCOMES

Parking is at a premium in downtown Baton Rouge
and on LSU’s campus.

FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

The Nicholson Corridor is of strategic
importance in Baton Rouge. It is a
gateway from I-10 to the downtown
business district and LSU. Because of
its prominence, the transformation
of this area is critical to the economic
competitiveness of the city. A Corridor

HCTS will connect LSU to the Central
Business District and State Capitol, in
addition to many public attractions and
amenities in-between. This three-mile
corridor contains the most important
places in this region. The HCTS will
provide much-needed transportation
options for residents and employees along
the Corridor and capitalize on current
development patterns to maximize the
amount of private investment leveraged
by every public dollar spent.
High-capacity transit will meet
community goals from numerous
planning and public engagement efforts
over the past two decades to:
Connect Downtown to LSU, Old
South Baton Rouge, and the riverfront
Protect and enhance existing underresourced neighborhoods
Support a thriving, livable and
walkable downtown
Incentivize and sustain a high rate
of private investment
modal transit connections for a wide
range of users, especially low-income
and limited mobility populations

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

3

[ Project Description ]
EXPECTED USERS
The Nicholson Corridor is home to more
than 33,000 jobs, of which 41% and 26%
are in the public sector and education,
respectively. The Corridor is also home
of which rent their homes. Over half the
area’s residents are between the ages of 18
and 39 with a median household income
of $28,000 – less than half the Baton
Rouge Metro median of $65,000.

Within ¼ mile of the Corridor,
there are more than 6 proposed
construction projects projected
to bring an estimated 2 million
square feet of commercial
buildings, thousands of new
jobs and 3,200 new, multi-family
housing units to the area.
Nicholson Drive Master Plan for the
Louisiana State University Campus.

This data characterizes the Corridor as
a community of young, lower-income
increased access to jobs, educational
housing that will accommodate a range
of household sizes and types. Given the
makeup of the employment and resident
base, HCTS ridership is expected to be
high.

PROJECT SCOPE
Public Engagement Program:
Tiger Planning Grant = $300,000
The public engagement program will
create a broad and inclusive public
involvement and communications
strategy, focused on study-area residents,

FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

The Onyx Residences, a housing project under construction
on Third Street in Downtown Baton Rouge, is one block from
a proposed transit stop.

The proposed Van Buren Grocery
store in the River District project,
near a proposed transit stop on
Nicholson Drive.

High-capacity transit will synthesize the momentum in
Baton Rouge to create an attractive and well-designed
downtown corridor.

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

4

[ Project Description ]
property owners and low-income
households. Outreach will build on existing
engagement efforts, and continue through
project development and implementation.
Public engagement plan and
communications strategy
Series of public charettes, workshops
and open houses
Focus groups and interviews with key
stakeholders

Alternatives Analysis:
Existing FTA grant through CATS
= $900,000 (leveraged funds - do
not count toward local match)
The alternatives analysis will compare
each mode alternative with a “no build”
scenario using guiding principles and
evaluation criteria established through the
public engagement process
BRT, Modern streetcar
Criteria for comparison may include:
Ridership projections
Capital costs
Operation and maintenance costs
Life cycle cost savings
household travel costs

FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

Reductions in vehicle miles traveled
and greenhouse gas emissions
Environmental mitigation strategies
Impact on historic and cultural
resources
Economic development incentivized
Redevelopment potential
New housing incentivized

Environmental ROD/Preliminary
Engineering: Local Traffic Impact
Fees (local match) = $1,000,000
Tiger Planning Grant = $912,000
TOTAL = $2,216,098
Preliminary engineering
Locating of stations and corollary
improvements
Preliminary station design
Location and preliminary design of
maintenance facilities
Environmental ROD
and engineering documentation in
preparation for the HCTS construction.
Tasks will include:
Scoping meeting, including written
comments from public and affected
federal, state and local agencies and
interested parties on record

Create a detailed description of study
areas and project need
Present “no build” or proposed action
alternatives
Consider Federal Transit
Evaluate probable impacts on
social, economic and environmental
considerations for each alternative
including construction period and
long-term operation. Impacts include:
- Noise levels
- Residential / business displacement
- Change in development patterns and
land use
noise, displacements and parking
changes
- Safety considerations
- Effects on parks and historic sites
- Encroachment on wetlands/
areas, hazardous waste sites
- Changes to wildlife habitat
-

Grant Administration and Supplies:
Tiger Grant = $245,000

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

5

Project Parties
City of Baton Rouge and East
Baton Rouge Parish (City-Parish)

calls for the transformation of this

The City-Parish is the lead applicant
for the TIGER FY 2014 planning grant
application and maintains jurisdiction
of the Nicholson Drive project area
(Nicholson Corridor). The City-Parish
provides an array of public services
including public protection such as

underdeveloped tract of University
property, adjacent to the campus core
near Tiger Stadium. The site will include
a mixed-use housing center and a student
residential district. The mixed-use center
will be designed as a town center, geared
to attract students, sports fans and the
surrounding community.

infrastructure including community
development and public works.

Baton Rouge Area Foundation
(BRAF)

Louisiana State University (LSU)

BRAF is a community foundation with
more than $608 million in assets. BRAF’s
essential functions include connecting
Baton Rouge area philanthropists with

LSU is located on the southern end
of Nicholson Corridor. It is a research
university for the State of Louisiana.
LSU’s total enrollment exceeds 30,000
students, and includes a College of
Agriculture as well as a Mechanical
in East Baton Rouge Parish, LSU is a
growing player in transportation issues
surrounding the University.
LSU has announced its plans to
recreate the Nicholson Drive Corridor
that travels through its campus. The
Nicholson Gateway Plan completed by LSU
FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

community are met. BRAF has also
initiated and managed civic leadership
projects. BRAF’s Plan Baton Rouge initiative
underpinned the rebirth of downtown
Baton Rouge and is returning life to
neighborhoods between LSU and the
city center. The Foundation’s latest civic
initiative is the Water Campus. This
more than $300 million facility will be
located on the Nicholson Corridor and
will be a world-class research institute
focusing on best available science on
water management and coastal issues.

Commercial Properties Reality Trust, will
be the developer of the Water Campus
and the IBM Services Center, a oneresidential and commercial software
development center. Both of these
properties are located along the proposed
HCTS.

The East Baton Rouge
Redevelopment Authority (RDA)
The RDA was created by the Louisiana
State Legislature in 2007. The mission of
the RDA is to return vacant and blighted
property to productive use, fostering
redevelopment through facilitating
partnerships and creating a vibrant and
globally competitive community. It is
Commissioners appointed by the MayorPresident, Baton Rouge Area Foundation
and Baton Rouge Area Chamber. As a
partner in the Nicholson Corridor HCTS
Plan, RDA will be actively reviewing the
Corridor’s many developable properties
that have sat dormant for decades. Many
of these properties have contributed
to blight and neglect in the area and
bringing them back to a productive
Parish and the residents along the
Nicholson Corridor.

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

6

[ Project Parties ]
Capital Area Transit System (CATS)
CATS is the regional transit authority
of the Baton Rouge metropolitan region
and is funded by the Parish. The agency
is under consideration to serve as the
operator for the new HCTS. CATS

transportation system serving cars as well
as bicyclists and pedestrians. The State
will continue to play a role throughout the
development of the HCTS.

East Baton Rouge Parish for a population
of 430,317 and within a service area of
transit service for disabled passengers,
contractual service to Southern University
and seasonal service for special events.
Recently, CATS has announced plans
to move forward with an alternative
analysis to explore the possibility of bus
rapid transit service along the Nicholson
Corridor, which could eventually be
converted into the three-mile HCTS
connecting LSU with downtown.

The segment of Nicholson Corridor
included in as part of the proposed
HCTS has excellent bicycle and
pedestrian facilities along the Mississippi
River, and offers a multitude of intriguing
local activities to stop at along the way.

The State of Louisiana (State)
The State has been an integral player in
the beginning phases of the development
for the Nicholson Corridor HCTS.
Recently, the State transferred control of
three corridors in Baton Rouge, including
the Nicholson Corridor, to the City-Parish
to assist the efforts of local planning

FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

7

GRANT FUNDS AND SOURCES/
USES OF PROJECT FUNDS
USE OF FUNDS

To execute the proposed Nicholson
Corridor HCTS Plan for a mixture of
funding would be leveraged and sourced
from existing federal grants, local
FY 2014 TIGER Discretionary Grant.
A detailed budget and budget narrative
can be found in Appendix D.
Table 1: Project Development Fund Sources
Funding Source

Amount

Status

$1,000,000

Committed

Existing FTA
grants via CATS
(leveraged)

$900,000

Committed

FY 2014 TIGER
Funds

$1,760,000

Applied for

TOTAL Project
Funding

$2,760,000

TOTAL with
leveraged funds

$3,660,000

% TOTAL
Project Funding
TIGER

63%

% TOTAL
Project Funding
Local Match

47%

Local traffic
impact fees
(local match)

Applied for

Committed

FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

Local matched funding would
come primarily from the City-Parish’s
the developments along the Nicholson
Corridor. The City-Parish has committed
up to $1 million from this funding
source to support this project. A letter of
commitment is included in Appendix A.
In addition, CATS has received an
FTA grant in the amount of $900,000
to complete an alternative analysis
for Nicholson Corridor which will be
leveraged in the development of the
Plan.

$1.76 million from the FY 2014 TIGER
Discretionary Grant program, 49%
of needed funding, to complete the
Nicholson Corridor High Capacity Transit
System Plan.

O P E R AT I O N S &
MAINTENANCE
A detailed operations and maintenance
plan will be produced during the project
development phase and alternatives
analysis. A detailed preliminary budget
estimate can be found in Appendix D.
operations rely on funding from:

Table 2: Project Development Fund Uses

Economic improvement district (i.e.
the Downtown Development District)

Funding Use

Amount

Grant administration and
supplies

$245,000

Public Engagement

$300,000

LSU user fees

Alternatives analysis

$900,000

Environmental ROD/
Preliminary Design &
Engineering

Federal Congestion Mitigation and
Air Quality (CMAQ) funds

$2,200,000

TOTAL Fund Uses

Fare box collection
Advertising

$3,660,000

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

8

Selection Criteria
The proposed Nicholson Corridor HCTS Plan will have a positive, longterm impact on Baton Rouge. The Plan meets or exceeds each of the

Figure 3: Proposed HCTS in Relation to Major CATS Bus Lines (in
blue) and the Proposed Regional Rail (in orange)

the City-Parish, residents and stakeholders. A HCTS along Nicholson Coremployment centers, residences, attractions and regional transit services.

PRIMARY SELECTION
CRITERIA
1. State of Good Repair
The Nicholson Corridor HCTS Plan
is the cornerstone of the Corridor’s
continued transformation, linking
recently announced developments to
the downtown business center. Many
plans have been completed for this area
including LSU’s Nicholson Gateway
Plan, which presented high-capacity
transit concepts as a strategy to tie
together corridor assets while addressing
vehicle congestion and multimodal
access. The Parish’s Comprehensive
Plan, FUTUREBR, also made
recommendations to transform Nicholson
into a high-capacity corridor.
Despite its importance to the Parish, the
Nicholson Corridor has no public transit
service. Previously, CATS service to the
FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

Cortana
Mall Hub
Town
Square Hub

LSU campus was eliminated
and now LSU Tiger Trails,
a private bus system, is the
only transit service along
the corridor. The proposed
project will not only unify
service between the downtown
business center and LSU, it
will also connect residents
and travelers to regional
transportation services,
including a proposed regional
rail line to New Orleans, via
the CATS bus hub located

Major Bus
Lines and
Stops
(in blue)

Proposed
HCTS

Proposed
Regional
Rail

Mall of LA
Hub

downtown. It could also be used as an
alternative evacuation route. The map on
this page shows the proposed Nicholson
HCTS, major CATS bus lines and the
link to the proposed regional rail.

and focused bus service delivery within
the proposed transit alignment. This
approach will help make transit more cost
effective, as well as provide a market for
the HCTS from opening day.

CATS and the City-Parish and its
partners will work together to best
integrate the HCTS into the current

As the jurisdictional agency, the CityParish will take the lead in both the
planning and development of the project.

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

9

[ Selection Criteria: Primary ]
IBM Services Center

Along with its partners, the City-Parish is committed
to the development of an HCTS and together,
have already started planning for its construction,
maintenance and operation along the Nicholson
plans will be determined through the completion
of the Nicholson Corridor HCTS Plan. The CityParish and partner agencies have proposed a tax
and an economic improvement district (EID) along
the Corridor that will generate funding for the
construction and maintenance of the HCTS. In
addition to funding sources already committed,
remaining local, state and federal funding will be
secured to complete construction. Operations and
maintenance will be a mix of generated funding
from the EID, farebox and advertising opportunities,
and LSU Operations transfers in addition to other

2. Economic Competitiveness
and recently announced developments,
totaling more than $740 million from both
public and private sources, have started to
stimulate economic growth and transform
the Nicholson Corridor. In addition to these
recently announced developments, downtown Baton
Rouge has seen a resurgence since the adoption
of Plan Baton Rouge in 1998 and has steadily grown

http://www.ibmlouisiana.com/jobs

facility in downtown Baton Rouge that will bring
at least 800 new software development and
maintenance jobs to the capital city.
Distance from proposed stop: Adjacent
Date announced: March 2013

State Capital
IBM Campus

Downtown

$55 million investment
The Water Campus

http://thewaterinstitute.org/stay-connected/
news/2013/12/17/World-Class-Water-Campus-to-beBuilt-in-Downtown-Baton-Rouge

A 30-acre research hub that aims to bring together
world-class scientists who will look for ways to
restore and protect Louisiana’s shrinking coastline.
Distance from proposed stop: Adjacent
Date announced: December 2013

Water Campus

$300 million investment
LSU Nicholson Gateway Corridor
https://sites01.lsu.edu/wp/nicholson/

A 28-acre retail-housing and student residential
center near Tiger Stadium.
Distance from proposed stop: 1 block
Date announced: January 2013

River District

The River District

http://www.wbrz.com/videos/river-district-revitalizationgaining-steam/

A 34.8-acre mixed-use development proposed on
Nicholson Drive between downtown and LSU
that will contain 800 residential units, a hotel and
Distance from proposed stop: Adjacent

LSU Campus

Date announced: January 2014
$365 million investment

FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

10

[ Selection Criteria: Primary ]
space, institutional uses, restaurants,
entertainment, housing and hotels. This
the City’s commitment to the urban
core as well as residents’ desires to come
downtown.

Figure 4: Median Annual Household Incomes
Nicholson
Corridor
Baton Rouge
(City)
East Baton Rouge
(Parish)
Louisiana

Major public investments totaling more
than $30 million include:
Ongoing construction of a $2.5
million Downtown Greenway –
comprised of a series of parks,
plazas and multi-use pathways in
the Downtown area and along the
Mississippi riverfront
Downtown façade improvement
program
New $19 million public library in
Implementation of a Complete
Streets policy – including
construction of new sidewalks,
crosswalks, signalized intersections
and bike lanes
The development of a HCTS will
improve access to jobs for residents
living in disadvantaged areas along
the Corridor. The proposed HCTS will
travel through a residential neighborhood,
home to over 11,000 residents. More than

FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

U.S.

Figure 5: Population by Age in the Corridor
70+

$28k
$65k
$48k
$45k
$52k

half of this population is between the ages
of 18 and 39 with a median household
income of $28,000, less than half the
Baton Rouge Metropolitan area’s median
of $65,000 and nearly half of the United
States’ median income of $52,000.1

Total population:
11,043

55-69
40-54
25-39
18-24
10-17
<10
0

1000

2000

alignment. Many of these employers
are also some of the top employers in
the Parish including: Louisiana State
University, the State of Louisiana and the
City-Parish.
In addition to projects planned or
underway, the Corridor contains a large
1

U.S. Census Bureau

4000

Figure 6: Housing Tenure in the Corridor
12%

Rent

13%

in the area are renters. The proposed
HCTS will connect these residents to the
more than 33,000 jobs currently located

3000

Own with a mortgage

75%

Own free and clear

Figure 7: Employment within ¼ Mile of the
Proposed HCTS
6%

Industrial 4%
Retail

26%

Education

4%

Total Jobs:
33,359

19%

Office

Hotel

41%

Public

Source for Figures 4-7: 2010
U.S. Census Block-level data for
East Baton Rouge Census tracts
24, 28.01, 51 and 52.

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

11

[ Selection Criteria: Primary ]
amount of other developable land. A buildable

Figure 8: Potential and Planned
Development and Redevelopment
Vacant land
(yellow)

acres of buildings suitable for adaptive reuse,
73 acres of vacant land and 50 parcels with
strong redevelopment potential. If these
areas are developed in accordance with the
FUTUREBR Comprehensive Plan, there
will be an additional 3,200 housing units and
enough development to support an additional
13,000 employees.

Housing development in progress:
River District: 1800 units
River House: 224 units
Standard: 274 apartments
525 Lafayette: 95 rental units and 9 townhomes
The Onyx: 28 units
Commerce Building: 90 units
LSU: 1,200 units (student and faculty housing)

The City-Parish and its partners also
plan to use a number of economic
development tools to spur investment
along the corridor. This will further
incentivize redevelopment along Corridor and
grow and sustain investment in the downtown

LSU:
Onyx: 5,600 SF commercial
Commerce Building
Redevelopable
land
(light orange)

of these tools include:
Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
Administered through the City-Parish
development
The City-Parish has implemented a
number of TIF districts in Downtown
and will be reviewing the Corridor to
see if additional TIF districts are viable.

FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

Along the proposed route, there are more than six anticipated
construction projects, projected to bring an estimated two
million square feet of commercial buildings, thousands of new
jobs and 3,200 new, multi-family housing units to the area.

River District:
commercial, 40,000 SF grocery, 220-room hotel
River House: 36,000 SF
Water Campus: 1.5 million SF of research
campus, 4,000 workers
Total development potential (not including
active projects):
120 total acres of new and redevelopment

1/4 mile
buffer

3,200 new multi-family housing units
+6,000 population
+3,000 households

Planned
projects
(dark orange)

+600 children
New project value: $637.2 million

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

12

[ Selection Criteria: Primary ]
Economic Improvement District
Allows targeted control of project
on county and municipal taxing units.
The City-Parish recognizes the
importance of encouraging economic
growth throughout the Corridor, and
will be developing additional tools to
do so during the planning process. Tool
development for the Nicholson Corridor
application and approval processes.
The proposed project also aims to increase
connections between multiple modes of
transportation that will link the users of
the HCTS to regional transportation.
These connections, described below, will
movement of people, business and culture
across the city, parish and state. An
integrated fare system will provide
a seamless transit experience and
allow riders to move from bus to
HCTS to regional passenger rail
with ease.
Bus Transit
Currently, the new CATS bus hub located
at the downtown North Boulevard Town

FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

access for riders of the HCTS. Future
improvements to the CATS bus system
will expand service between the Corridor
and outlying areas so users can transition
seamlessly between standard bus and
high-capacity transit to reach popular
destinations.
Trail Connections
The Downtown Greenway is a functional
green network of pedestrian and
bicycle paths that reconnect disjointed
neighborhoods with the central business
district, the Mississippi riverfront, leading
activity centers and two major universities
to provide sustainable transportation
options. The project includes a 2.75 mile
pedestrian and cycling corridor that will
feature green infrastructure to promote
alternative forms of transportation into
and around the downtown area, and
the City has received approximately $3
million to implement the project. HCTS
will increase access to this amenity.
Bicycle Connections
The City-Parish is in the process of
implementing a city-wide Complete
Streets policy that will be integrated into
the Plan. In addition, the City-Parish
has a number of bike facilities located

throughout downtown Baton Rouge
including the Mississippi River Levee
bike and walking path adjacent to the
proposed transit stops. This path is also
part of the Mississippi River Trail system
(http://mississippirivertrail.org)
Pedestrian Connections
The downtown grid system provides an
extensive sidewalk system to ensure local
connection to and from the HCTS. The
Plan will also identify areas along the
corridor that are in need of pedestrian
amenities to connect residents to the new
HCTS.
Regional Passenger Rail
Planning of a regional rail is advancing
– a coalition of Baton Rouge and New
Orleans stakeholders are proceeding with
a detailed study, and a concrete proposal
has emerged. Passenger rail services from
Baton Rouge to New Orleans would
option service as a foundation for
economic competitiveness and a healthy
regional economy. The proposed stops for
the HCTS are located near the stops for
the major bus routes, which also share a
transit hub with the proposed passenger
rail.

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

13

[ Selection Criteria: Primary ]
3. Quality of Life

The proposed Plan would exceed
all of the goals of the Partnership
of Sustainable Communities’ Six
Livability Principles. Below is a
summary of how the HCTS would build
upon the livability principles along the
Nicholson Corridor.
Provide More Transportation Choices
The Plan meets the livability principle
goal of providing safe, reliable and
economical transportation choices to:
Enhance/reduce the cost of user mobility:
The HCTS will provide a reliable and
convenient transit option for residents,
community members and visitors to
the Nicholson Corridor where there
is currently no public transit service.
It will connect to multiple modes
of transportation thus encouraging
community members to use the HCTS
rather than the automobile, thus reducing
mobility costs.
Enhance connectivity, increase transit options
and reduce congestion: The Baton Rouge
area was ranked by INRIX as the 34th
worst congested among U.S. Metro

Areas.2 Though today’s congestion on
the Nicholson Corridor is primarily
concentrated south of I-110 and around
Tiger Stadium on game days, vehicle
congestion along the corridor will
worsen with the upcoming construction
commercial buildings. The proposed
HCTS is poised to be a major amenity
to the City-Parish and will play a role
in providing new transportation options
and linking to existing multi-modal
transportation choices without adding
more vehicles to the road.
Serve economically disadvantaged populations,
non-drivers, students, persons with disabilities:
The Nicholson Corridor HCTS will serve
a multitude of populations including
the listing above. These populations are
currently without a public transit option,
and any HCTS option offered will need to
account for the needs of these passengers.
The Plan will address these needs through
headway to enhance access to goods and
services for this population.

information company: http://www.inrix.com/default.asp

FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

Coordinate transportation/land-use planning;
community participation: As previously
mentioned, this HCTS proposal
stemmed from a number of planning
processes including the FUTUREBR
Comprehensive Plan and the LSU
Nicholson Gateway Plan. These plans
regional relationship between land use
and transportation planning.
Promote Equitable and
Affordable Housing
The Nicholson Corridor is prime for
redevelopment and will see a substantial
the economic competitiveness criteria.
The Plan will use planning interventions,
improved regional transit and public
right-of-way to promote multimodal
mobility around these new housing
locations and developable properties.
Priority will be given to disadvantaged
portions of the corridor and mechanisms
for lowering the combined cost of housing
and transportation. The City-Parish will
develop a place-based housing strategy
for future development that considers
the impact of the HCTS, commercial
development and a blighted property
redevelopment strategy.

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

14

[ Selection Criteria: Primary ]
Enhance Economic Competitiveness
The Nicholson Corridor HCTS will be
pivotal in connecting nearby residents
to the dense, downtown employment
center – as well as the recently announced
development projects – and linking them
to goods and services along the Corridor
including the only full-service grocery
store in the area slated for completion
by the end of 2014 - part of a mixed-use
River District. It will also directly serve
LSU students, faculty and staff, reducing
parking constraints and providing
alternative transportation to and from the
downtown transit hub. Visitors to Baton
Rouge will enjoy modern and convenient
transportation to cultural attractions
throughout the length of the Corridor
from hotels in Downtown.
Support Existing Communities
Planning efforts sustaining recent
economic development activities in
the area and linking residents to jobs
in the downtown business district will
the neighborhoods along the Corridor.
In particular, the transformation of
vacant land and parcels available for
redevelopment positively impacts the
surrounding communities. This is
already taking place through a few of
FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

the housing developments underway,
and described earlier in this application,
which include mixed-use development
on previously vacant land or repurposed
properties. Additionally, the City-Parish
will coordinate with the Redevelopment
Authority (RDA) to develop a plan for
vacant or blighted properties to bring
them back to productivity following the
guiding principles of FUTUREBR.
Affordable housing policies developed as
in order to retain existing residents as the
neighborhood is revitalized.
Coordinate and Leverage Federal
Policies and Investments
In 2012, the City-Parish’s Downtown
Development District received a U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency’s
Greening America’s Capitals technical
assistance grant for the Downtown
Greenway project to create design
schemes that most effectively meet the
Rouge. These green infrastructure
while sparking new investments and
redevelopment in the city’s core. The
Downtown Greenway will be coordinated
in the Nicholson Corridor HCTS Plan
and will link to a proposed stop.

In addition, the City-Parish has received
both a U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development Choice
Neighborhood Planning Grant and a
U.S. Department of Justice Byrne
Criminal Justice Innovation Grant to
create place-based plans in neighborhoods
just north of the targeted Nicholson
Corridor. The City-Parish will use
lessons learned through these placebased initiatives to support the Nicholson
Corridor HCTS plan.
Value Communities and
Neighborhoods
Primary goals of the HCTS will be to
support, strengthen and connect existing
neighborhoods along the Corridor to
major attractions and the region through
increased access to transit and pedestrian
and bike connections. The City-Parish
and its partners will fully integrate
the community and representative
organizations such as homeowners
associations and business districts into the
planning process and soliciting input from
residents on all aspects of the Nicholson
Corridor HCTS plan.

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

15

[ Selection Criteria: Primary ]
4. Environmental Sustainability
The City-Parish is dedicated to providing
a greener and more-sustainable
environment for current residents and for
future generations to come. The proposed
Nicholson Corridor HCTS supports
this commitment through this proposed
HCTS project as well as through the
following existing plans.
Baton Rouge Sustainable Government Operations
Plan: This plan works to reduce CityParish vehicle usage and set reduction
goals, reduce the amount of City-Parish
vehicle miles traveled in 2010 by 15% in
15 years, create incentives for a walk, bike,
or carpool to work program for CityParish employees, and create incentives
for City-Parish employees to use public
transportation.
Louisiana Speaks Regional Vision: The Vision
recommends the revitalization of the Old
South Baton Rouge neighborhood along
calls for the implementation of the Old
South Baton Rouge Plan.
The sprawling suburban development and
auto-centric culture has contributed to the
high level of greenhouse gas emissions in
East Baton Rouge Parish. The Parish is
FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

currently a non-attainment zone under
the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency.3 It was also ranked by Smart
Growth America as 216th out of 221
metro areas with the worst sprawl. The
Nicholson Corridor HCTS will reduce
greenhouse gases while preparing for
population and economic growth.
According to a study conducted for
the Louisiana Department of Natural
Resources, 27% of greenhouse gas
emissions produced from the consumption
of fossil fuels is the result of the
transportation sector in Louisiana.4 The
proposed HCTS will likely lower vehicle
miles traveled (VMT) and positively
of the Nicholson Corridor HCTS Plan
will entail trip generation modeling in
order to estimate reductions in VMT and
greenhouse gas emissions for each mode
alternative.
The Nicholson Corridor HCTS will
positively impact community health
through increased physical activity and
the ability to walk and bike around

3
4

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2013
Louisiana Department of Natural Resources

the nation for its high prevalence of
adult obesity and 6th in the nation
for childhood obesity.5 In Louisiana
65% of adults are either obese or
overweight6 – a fact that imposes a real
cost to families and the community.
Cardiovascular exercise, such as walking
and bicycling, provide far-reaching health
cardiovascular disease, hypertension,
colon cancer, and Type II diabetes.
Changing the built environment to
promote physical activity is a preventative
and proactive approach. The Nicholson
Corridor HCTS Plan will provide area
residents and visitors with opportunities
to increase their physical activity through
walking and bicycling amenities in the
area, and transit access for travel to
housing, employment, and entertainment
and recreation facilities.

5. Safety
Louisiana and East Baton Rouge Parish
have staggering records for unsafe
vehicular travel. The U.S. Department of

5
6

Pennington Biomedical Research Center, 2013
Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

16

[ Selection Criteria: Secondary ]
fatality rate per 100,000 is 1.4 times
higher than the national rate of 10.39
fatalities per 100,000.7 The estimated
cost of these crashes for the State is $5.6
billion.8 In addition, the Parish ranks third
out of 64 parishes in the state for injuries
per 100,000 drivers.9 And Nicholson
Drive is one of the most dangerous
roadways according to Baton Rouge
these crash statistics, the City-Parish aims
to reduce the number of vehicles on the
roadways through the development of
the Nicholson Corridor HCTS Plan.
The Plan will also take into account
potential causes for these crashes along
the Corridor and work to alleviate them
through design elements of the HCTS.
High-capacity transit and redevelopment
along the Nicholson Corridor will also
increase the number of individuals
along the roadway. These natural “eyes
on the street” will increase surveillance
and mutual policing. Transit stops will
be designed to provide good visibility
and follow Crime Prevention by
Environmental Design Guidelines. The
7
8
9

NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis, 2011
Helmut Schneider, 2012
Ibid

FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

City-Parish and its partners will work
to identify new methods of emergency
be installed along the HCTS that will
allow for passengers to communicate with
the drivers and police.

SECONDARY
SELECTION
CRITERIA
1. Innovation
The City-Parish will achieve an innovative
Corridor and will look for ways to
incorporate the latest technology into the
design of the project. Examples of these
innovations might include:
Bike share and car share integration:
Although bike sharing and car sharing
have been very popular and integrated
into the transportation systems throughout
the United States, Baton Rouge currently
does not have this type of program. The
Nicholson Corridor HCTS Plan will
investigate the feasibility of bringing this
program to the area.
Advanced bus and streetcar models: The
Nicholson Corridor HCTS Plan will

review the most advanced bus and
streetcar models for the City-Parish to use
in the creation of the HCTS including
regenerative breaking, electric bus and
clean diesel.
Solar station shelters: Solar station shelters
will be considered in the design of the
HCTS to reduce the utility cost.

2. Partnership
support from key stakeholders for the
Nicholson Corridor HCTS Plan from a
wide variety of agencies, organizations,
businesses and legislators. See Appendix
A for all letters of support.

U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu
U.S. Representative Cedric
Richmond
Baton Rouge Metropolitan
Councilwoman Tara Wicker
State, Regional and Local Government
City of Baton Rouge/Parish of East
Baton Rouge
Capital Region Planning
Commission (metropolitan planning
organization)

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

17

[ Selection Criteria: Results of Benefit-Cost Analysis ]
East Baton Rouge Parish Housing
Authority
Downtown Development District
Capital Area Transit System (CATS)
Local Businesses, Associations, and Foundations
IBM
Moreno Properties
Baton Rouge Area Foundation
Commercial Properties Reality Trust
East Baton Rouge Redevelopment
Authority

Transportation Benefits

As a component of a larger regional
transportation system, an HCTS plays a
pivotal role in connecting transitioning
urban neighborhoods with employment
centers and linking to other mass transit
system elements (bus rapid transit,
standard bus systems, light rail, etc.).

Redevelopment Benefits

Local Universities
Louisiana State University

An HCTS can stimulate more dense
development and a greater mix of uses
near the line. To the extent that these are
private uses, the City/Parish can receive

R E S U LT S O F
B E N E F I T- C O S T
A N A LY S I S

property and sales tax revenues. Streetcar
also reduces the need for and costs of
structured parking for both private
developers and public institutions, which

As a major component of the proposed
alternatives analysis, the City-Parish and
its partners will develop a comprehensive
of both mode and alignment options for a
HCTS. However, for the purpose of this
planning application, the following highlevel summary describes the anticipated
of the Nicholson Corridor HCTS.

Economic Development Benefits
an HCTS include providing an amenity
that helps attract and retain businesses
and urban professionals, particularly
young creative types, who often prefer
to live close to work and want reliable
alternatives to owning and driving a car.

Other Benefits
Increased business opportunities
such as retail, shopping, restaurants
and other services that support
increased transit and pedestrian activity
as well as residents from existing nearby
neighborhoods
Opportunity to build innovative
partnerships or utilize new
transportation programs and
technology
Increased transit ridership for “choice”
riders as well as transit-dependent users
convenient, and comfortable transit
for low-income and student riders
Increased bicycle and pedestrian use
Expanded access to education and jobs
Short-term job creation and economic
activity during construction
improvements
Increased access to recreational,
cultural and entertainment amenities
impacts
Lessens reliance on cars and fossil fuels

FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

18

Project Readiness
The Nicholson Corridor HCTS Plan will
build off of momentum gained in the
Corridor through the many economic
development announcements made within

extensive planning documents for many
of the developments for the area and
have participated in the City-Parish’s
comprehensive planning process.

a highly collaborative team with a shared
vision and experience working together to
create this transit system.

The Nicholson Corridor HCTS Plan
also does not present any implementation
challenges related to right-of-way

PROJECT SCHEDULE

agency coordination. The project is under

A detailed project schedule is included in
Appendix C.

any additional legislative approvals. The
future implementation of the plan will be
conducted by the City-Parish, so no other

ASSESSMENT OF
PROJECT RISKS
A N D M I T I G AT I O N
S T R AT E G I E S
The City-Parish and it its implementing
partners have included the development
of a HCTS along the Nicholson
Corridor in their planning documents.
In September 2011, there was a major
legislative approval for this project by the
City-Parish’s Metropolitan Council of
the FUTUREBR Plan that incorporated
the HCTS along Nicholson Drive.
This project does not present any
of the supporting partners have created

FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

the Nicholson Corridor HCTS.

E N V I R O N M E N TA L
A P P R O VA L S
Although environmental clearance will
need to be prepared for the construction
of the HCTS, the planning of this
clearance. The City-Parish is planning
to move forward with the environmental
clearance during the planning project
and will work closely with the FTA
environmental specialist and FTA regional
staff through this process.

S TAT E A N D L O C A L
PLANNING
FUTUREBR Regional Transit Vision
The Nicholson Corridor is an integral
part of FUTUREBR’s transit vision
featuring three primary components:
A robust bus system based on multiple
transit hubs
A high-capacity transit system from
the State Capitol to the Mall of
Louisiana
A regional rail connection to New
Orleans with one stop Downtown and
one stop at the Mall of Louisiana
All of these transit systems should be
integrated and connected through
common stops. A new high-capacity
transit system along the Nicholson
Corridor will connect Baton Rouge to
affordable movement of people, business
and culture across the city, Parish and
state.
Currently, the Nicholson Corridor has
extremely limited public transit service,
despite its importance in the Parish. Due

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

19

[ Project Readiness ]
to the loss of LSU as a major supporter of
the CATS system, service to the campus
was largely cut, and LSU Tiger Trails,
a private bus system, is the only transit
service. It is assumed that the Nicholson
HCTS will largely replace the Tiger Trails
route along Nicholson, and in addition,
restore a high capacity transit experience
to the LSU Campus.

CATS Bus System
CATS has recently implemented a
revised bus route system based upon
the recommendations in FUTUREBR.
Several new transit hubs have been
created, expanding the service area.
There will be several lines that connect to
the regional rail stops to New Orleans.

Regional Passenger Rail
Planning for the regional rail system
has proceeded apace – a coalition
of Baton Rouge and New Orleans
stakeholders has conducted a detailed
study, (http://connect.cpex.org/
wp-content/uploads/2014/03/BRNOLARail_StrategicBusinessPlan_
FINAL_February2014.pdf) and a concrete
proposal has emerged. Passenger rail
services in the Baton Rouge to New
Orleans corridor will provide a safe and

FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

foundation for economic competitiveness
and a healthy regional economy. It
communities that are both livable
and interconnected. By offering a safe
and convenient way to evacuate large
numbers of people without increasing
highway congestion along Interstate 10,
the passenger rail service will provide
evacuation routes during a natural disaster
and provide easy access to Baton Rouge’s
Medical Centers.

Integrating a Nicholson Corridor
High-Capacity Transit System
The proposed route of the HCTS
connects the State Capitol, running
through the North Boulevard Hub/Town
Center, the LSU campus, and the Medical
Centers (Baton Rouge General and Our
Lady of the Lake), all the way to the Mall
of Louisiana. There it connects with both
a major bus hub and the regional rail
station to New Orleans. It would provide
an important high-capacity transit link
between the major employment centers,
popular shopping areas, and much of
the new and existing residential housing
in the Parish. In addition, the proposed

Visualization of a potential streetcar along Nicholson
Corridor from FUTUREBR Comprehensive Plan.

stations for the Nicholson Corridor
HCTS are located near stops of major
bus routes. This interconnectivity will
allow a seamless transit experience. The
fare systems would be integrated, allowing
riders to move from the bus to the high
capacity system with ease.

FUTUREBR Land Use Vision
The Nicholson Corridor HCTS is an
implementation project that will help
realize objectives of numerous regional
and local planning efforts, including
FUTUREBR. The FUTUREBR Plan
focuses on integrating transportation and
land use planning in order to concentrate

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

20

[ Project Readiness ]
new development and redevelopment in
existing urban areas that already have
new residents, businesses and jobs. This
approach maximizes public resources to
leverage private investment and enhance
existing communities so they better meet
the needs of current and future residents
and workers. Additional Corridorlevel policies and programs, such as a
Complete Streets policy, an economic
improvement district, and an updated
zoning code, will work in concert with
the HCTS to support more economically
productive and livable land use patterns in
Baton Rouge’s urban core.

TECHNICAL
FEASIBILITY
The Nicholson Corridor HCTS Plan will
pull together multiple plans that have
been initiated in the area and further
develop the design and engineering
studies that need to be completed prior to
the HCTS construction. The Nicholson
Corridor HCTS Plan will leverage the
detailed Alternative Analysis moving
forward from CATS on the Nicholson
Corridor. It will also use data generated
from the FUTUREBR planning process
and the LSU Nicholson Gateway Plan

FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

that both called for the creation of the
HCTS while accounting for the recent
explosion of economic development
projects that will be constructed within the
next few years along the corridor. Both
the Alternatives Analysis and the Plan will
work to develop costs for the development
of the HCTS and design criteria.
The City-Parish has developed a scope of
be selected as part of the project and can
be found in Appendix D.

FINANCIAL
FEASIBILITY
Through its work on the HUD Choice
Neighborhood Planning Grant and
the DOJ Byrne Criminal Justice
Innovation Grant, the City-Parish
has gained experience coordinating
and administering federal funds and
working with partnering agencies in
the development of transformative,
place-based plans. The City-Parish has
also had prior experience collaborating
with the RDA, CATS, Baton Rouge
Area Foundation, and Louisiana State
University. The City-Parish through
its Finance Department is very versed

grant accounting and auditing and has
a portfolio of more than $49 million in
grant funding.
For this program, the City-Parish will
appoint a Grant Coordinator who will
act as the single point of contact for the
project and be responsible for all the
project reporting and schedule tracking. A
job description for the Grant Coordinator
can be found in Appendix E. The
Grant Coordinator will form a leadership
team of partners who will guide the
development of the Nicholson Corridor
HCTS plan with the selected planning
to the development of this project and
fees to the project. The commitment letter
can be found with the support letters in
Appendix A.

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

21

Federal Wage Rate Certification
Appendix B

FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

22

Bibliography
NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (2011).
Helmut Schneider, P. (2012).
and Decision Sciences, Louisiana State University.
INRIX. (n.d.).

Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Department of Information Systems

. Retrieved April 17, 2014, from http://inrix.com/scorecard/

Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals. (n.d.). Louisiana Council on Obesity Prevention and Management. Retrieved April 17,
2014, from http://new.dhh.louisiana.gov/index.cfm/page/804
Louisiana Department of Natural Resources. (n.d.). Inventory of Greenhouse Gases in Louisiana. Retrieved April 17, 2014, from http://
dnr.louisiana.gov/assets/docs/energy/reports/LA_GHG_inventory_report.pdf
Pennington Biomedical Research Center. (2013, October). Reducing Childhood Obesity in Louisiana. Retrieved April 2014, from http://
www.pbrc.edu/prism/docs/PRISMReport_web.pdf
U.S. Census Bureau. (n.d.). American Fact Finder.
index.xhtml
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2013, December 5).

FY 2014 TIGER - GRANT APPLICATION

Retrieved

NICHOLSON CORRIDOR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN

23