Traffic - Out to Lunch - It's Baton Rouge

Whether you live in Baton Rouge, work in Baton Rouge or just pass
through Baton Rouge every now and then, you have experienced the
Capital Region s notorious gridlock. Baton Rouge ranks among the
very worst mid sized cities in the nation for traffic congestion.
Business leaders last year in a Chamber survey listed traffic as
the single biggest problem facing Baton Rouge. The issue commanded
a lot of attention last year during the governor s race and there
has been a lot of talk about what could and should be done. But
will anything happen On this edition of Out to Lunch Stephanie
talks with three of the Capital Region s most seasoned experts on
this subject. They each have a unique perspective on this
overwhelming problem and have all put a lot of thought into how to
solve it. Scott Kirkpatrick, an attorney and lobbyist with Roedel
Parsons, cut his teeth in the offices of former U.S Sen. John
Breaux, former Congressman Richard Baker, and former Gov. Kathleen
Blanco. With his government affairs background, Scott has found
himself at the helm of a group that s trying to address Capital
Region gridlock. It s called the Capital Region Industry for
Sustainable Infrastructure Solutions, or CRISIS. Scott and his
colleagues on the committee have fashioned a wish list of big
ticket infrastructure projects and are now working on ways to make
at least some of them a reality. Perry Franklin is president and
founder of Franklin Associates, a consulting firm that specializes
in community outreach, community affairs, redevelopment and
transportation issues. Lately, Perry has been spearheading a series
of community meetings about the widening of interstate 10 in Baton
Rouge, the first step in a lengthy process the federal government
requires before undertaking any such project. Perry has his finger
on the pulse of the community with respect to this issue. Wilfred
Barry is president of the SJB Group, a local engineering firm that
offers turnkey services in land surveying, parks and planning, site
development, utility systems and transportation, among other
things. Wilfred is also a lifelong resident of Baton Rouge, who has
given a lot of thought to the region s transportation woes and has
some interesting insights on the issue. If you ve sat in Baton
Rouge traffic cursing the bumper to bumper speed you re crawling
along at, this conversation will only get you across the old
bridge. But it contains answers that will take us into the rest of
the 21st Century. Photos at Mansurs on the Boulevard by Ken
Stewart.

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