Best City in Louisiana (Baton Rouge, Bossier City: subdivisions, live in, costs)

[MetroBTR]

The Alternative to I-10 to get through Baton Rouge is U.S. 190/U.S. 61 (Airline Highway and Florida Boulevard). They do have their fair share of rush hour traffic, but they don't get nearly as bad as the interstate.

[WestbankNOLA]

Originally Posted by MetroBTR

The Alternative to I-10 to get through Baton Rouge is U.S. 190/U.S. 61 (Airline Highway and Florida Boulevard). They do have their fair share of rush hour traffic, but they don't get nearly as bad as the interstate.

so would you say that BR's traffic is worse than NO's?

[darylwi]

I find BTR's traffic to be more predictable than in NOLA. But I live here all the time too. I tend to believe I know when to expect bad traffic around here. Whereas I can drive into NOLA on a Saturday morning and run into a slowdown on 10 usually between Clearview and the 610. I know the construction isn't helping that location right now, but I've noticed it for years, pre-construction. I've also run into unanticipated slowdowns on the westbank expy during non-rush times.

I will say that I feel like I have many more options to get around in NOLA. Roads tend to parallel and intersect with each other making it easier to navigate across town. In BTR, roads just run into other roads and turn opposite directions. They "T" into other roads and then you're on your own if you're not familiar with our city streets.

[Innotech]

Lafayette is probably the easiest to navigate based on road design, because it is mainly built around a few main roads with a ton of different ways to get just about everywhere. Traffic is epic for a city of this size though. It quickly outgrew the infrastructure and will probably only get worse. Which brings me to being thankful that there are so many ways to get around here.

[MetroBTR]

I always thought just the opposite of Lafayette road design. I find it very confusing, almost like a spiderweb. I like the road design of Shreveport and New Orleans. I find most of their major roads tend to go in a straight line.

[SBCmetroguy]

Originally Posted by MetroBTR

I always thought just the opposite of Lafayette road design. I find it very confusing, almost like a spiderweb. I like the road design of Shreveport and New Orleans. I find most of their major roads tend to go in a straight line.

Yes, in New Orleans you can get anywhere very easily. I also like that our roads are like this as well. Bossier City and Shreveport both have extremely long thoroughfares. In fact, when my friends from Texarkana visit, they often ask how to get around and I will say, if you want to get from Macaroni Grill (just an example) back to Texarkana easily, just leave the Macaroni Grill parking lot and turn right onto Youree Drive. Stay straight north on Youree Drive and you will go through downtown Shreveport and all the way to Texarkana. Literally.

[MetroBTR]

I think the problem with Baton Rouge is that there are not enough continuous north-south thoroughfares being utilized. Foster Drive and Acadian thruway are under-utilized during certain times of the day (some people don't even know that you can go from College to Airline by taking Foster Drive.

Not enough people have bothered to learn the surface street system. They rely solely on the interstate...giant traffic jam waiting to happen. For example...lots of people don't know that you don't have to get on the interstate or on Perkins to get from College to Acadian. Bawell Drive is an easier route. Same thing with Essen and Bluebonnet. I normally take either Anselmo Lane or Summa Avenue to go between the two. Maybe it would help if these shortcuts were widened. Also, Staring Lane needs to be widened. Maybe a center turn lane should be added on Lee Drive, as well.

I can't wait for the widening of Perkins Road to be completed so that it will become a very viable alternative to the interstate to get to the mall.

[Rosinante]

Originally Posted by summer grace

That makes a lot of sense, about 1-10. My friend really thought the traffic in Baton Rouge worse than N. O, it seemed to me.

Both are pretty bad, but B.R. is getting worse... much worse. If I had it to do over, I would have moved south of Gonzales 20 years ago.

[Rosinante]

Originally Posted by MetroBTR

I can't wait for the widening of Perkins Road to be completed so that it will become a very viable alternative to the interstate to get to the mall.

They spent all of that money on the roadways between Bluebonnet and Seigen, but did NOTHING to provide direct access to that awful, traffic-snarling mall. Those of us who use Bluebonnet to access the interstate are faced with traffic backups that begin just east of the library and all the way up to Perkins, and it is a royal PITA — especially with all those folks on their cell phones not paying attention.

Maybe that last little stretch of Perkins is widened things will be better, but building direct entrances to and from the interstate still seems like the better option. There had been some talk of actually building a new road from the mall area over to Siegen but I guess that idea failed.

[Innotech]

Originally Posted by MetroBTR

I always thought just the opposite of Lafayette road design. I find it very confusing, almost like a spiderweb. I like the road design of Shreveport and New Orleans. I find most of their major roads tend to go in a straight line.

I suppose after living here, I see the city as a basic rectangle or pentagon of 4-5 main roads. Its VERY easy to navigate to me. Frankly I get confused as heck with grid layouts.