A better block is upon us

This weekend marks the beginning of a transformation on Government Street with the Better Block BR project. Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on the two blocks between Bedford and Beverly drives, residents will get to see a model of what Government Street could look like if we push local and state officials to update the roadway to a safer, more “complete street” model.

That means bike paths, wider sidewalks, on-street parking, center turning lanes and landscaping all on that stretch between Westmoreland Shopping Center and Ogden Market—a tangible model you can try out for yourself on foot, on bike or by car throughout the weekend. Instead of talking about a better Government Street, as Baton Rougeans have done for many years, we can step inside what it might look like and figure out if it really works.

But what’s a weekend event without a little fun, too? Better Block BR will also feature pop-up shops, restaurants and outdoor cafes, food trucks, a biergarten (!!!), a neighborhood park with a walking trail, music, an art sale, and some super cool Art PODS painted by the BR Walls Project and a bunch of dedicated locals (see photos of their work here). The Mayor’s Family Bike Day will be passing through Better Block on Saturday (find out more, including the route, here), and it’s a perfect stop if you’re coming or going from the Baton Rouge Blues Festival downtown. Plus, 225 will be set up in the Information Lounge (Westmoreland side of Government) both days shooting video of residents who want to share their input about how to improve Government Street. We’ll be posting the interviews on our website soon after the event, so be sure to stop by!

And just so you know where to go and what to do, here’s a map of the event’s layout.

Keep in mind, the Better Block event has the backing of the Mayor’s Office, the FutureBR Implementation Team, Mid City Redevelopment Alliance and Center for Planning Excellence. So this isn’t merely a fun block party, it’s a big step of many big steps to make Government Street a complete street and a viable destination.

For more about the Better Block BR event, check out our story in the April issue of 225 here. We’ve also got a Smart City story about “rightsizing” Baton Rouge streets. And for some examples of complete street transformations in other cities, check out this Flickr site.

(Image above taken from the Better Block BR event map.)

225 asked a few locals who attended what they thought of the event and what they would like to see on Government Street. See their responses below, and check out some pictures from the event here.