Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development—Government Street Road Diet

After conducting a safety analyses, Louisiana DOTD found that Government Street in Baton Rouge had segments with crash rates greater than two times the statewide average for similar four-lane section roadways. Approximately 800 crashes occurred from 2008 – 2010. To make all people safer on the roadway while providing better multimodal transportation options, DOTD’s $11.7 million road diet project consisted of reducing Government Street to one travel lane in each direction, with a two-way-left-turn-lane in the center, along with raised divider islands and sidewalk improvements with ADA accessible ramps and bicycle lanes in each direction. Additionally, a roundabout was constructed to replace the signalized intersection. Now, all users of the roadway—whether traveling by car, bike, or on foot—are safer and have greater mobility options on Government Street.