Mission

CONNECT advocates for expanded mobility choices throughout the New Orleans to Baton Rouge region that offer improved access to affordable homes, job centers and equitable

economic opportunity.

Louisiana Speaks

New Primary Transit Corridor

(intercity high speed rail

and/or

regional commuter rail

= New or Existing Secondary

Transit Corridor ( light rail or

street car)

=

Louisiana Speaks

BR/NO Rail• Stimulus funding opportunity this past fall: Louisiana didn’t apply

• Annual operating expenses couldn’t be identified

Transit Initiative

• Ford Foundation grant to develop outreach campaign

• Build on local and national momentum around transit

• Identify dedicated funding source to sustain connector rail

• Educate the NOLA/BR region on benefits of rail

Who is CONNECT?

Policy and Planning

Research and

Resources

Outreach, Education

and Communications

Special Projects

Steering Committee

General Membership

Organizational Members Institutional Partners

Institutional Partners

City of New Orleans City of Baton Rouge St. John the Baptist Parish

New Orleans Regional Planning Commission Capital Region Planning Commission

South Central Planning Commission Jefferson Parish Planning Department

New Orleans Regional Transit Authority Capital Area Transit System

New Orleans Office of Community Development

New Orleans Legislative Delegation Capital Region Legislative Delegation

Sen. Mary Landrieu’s Office LSU Law School

Dr. Norman Francis, Xavier University

Southern High Speed Rail Commission

Steering Committee Baton Rouge Advocates for Safe Streets Transport for NOLA

Providence Community Housing New Orleans Citizen Participation

Project

New Orleans Neighborhood Development Collaborative

American Planning Association, Louisiana Chapter

American Society of Landscape Architects, Louisiana Chapter

Baton Rouge Downtown Development District

Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations

Greater New Orleans Community Data Center

Louisiana Realtors Association Baton Rouge Area Chamber

AARP

Baton Rouge Area Foundation University of New Orleans

Louisiana Housing Alliance Louisiana Disaster Recovery

Foundation

Greater New Orleans Foundation

Organizational Members Pennington Biomedical Research Center

Forum 35

Puentes New Orleans

Sierra Club

New Orleans Downtown Development District

Urban Land Institute

Equity and Inclusion Campaign

Louisiana Public Transit Association

Gulf Coast Housing Partnership

Greater New Orleans Urban League

City-Works

PolicyLink

Greater New Orleans Biosciences Economic Development District

Baton Rouge Area Convention and Visitors Bureau

Travel Tech Foundation

Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center

Transit in Louisiana • Three cities have transit

systems 2 million annual boardings each

• 7 Amtrak stations in the state

• New Orleans Streetcar TIGER grant $45 million

• Public transportation in the state lags behind

• Highway funding prioritized

• No defined transit policy at state level

Build Our Region

• 45% Population

• 48% Jobs

• 53% Gross Domestic Product

Quality of Place

Percentage of resident’s income spent on housing

Source: Center for Neighborhood Technology

< 30% income

Data not-available

> 30% income

Quality of PlacePercentage of income spent on housing and

transportation combined

Source: Center for Neighborhood Technology

> 45% income

< 45% income

Data not-available

Transit Funding in the Region

CATS: $14,833,727

RTA: $ 88,693,284

Commuters

Livingston Parish:25,265 Daily Work Trips34.6% increase since 2000

Into Orleans Parish:37, 517 commuters

Ascension Parish:15,753 Daily Work Trips31.1% increase since 2000

Commuters

• Into Orleans Parish: 37, 517

• Low-Wage Workers• In-Commuters: 15, 685• Out-Commuters: 13,058• Net inflow: 2, 624

• New Orleans has more low-wage workers commuting in than out

Source: Greater New Orleans Community Data Center

Commuters

• Low-Wage Workers• In-Commuters: 21,968• Out-Commuters: 16,724• Net inflow: 5,244

• Jefferson Parish has the largest net inflow of low-wage workers

Source: Greater New Orleans Community Data Center

CongestionCurrent traffic patterns

By 2050, over 21% of roads in this study area will be congested

Congestion

Overall Effects

Quality of Life

Attractiveness of Other

States

Direct Business Costs and

Taxes

Current Cycle

Sprawl Auto Dependence

Congestion &

Pollution

Future Cycle

TOD

Fewer Cars

Transit Expansion

More $ for Housing

Trip Chain

Work

Gym

School

Grocery

Home

Reliability • Highway travel time fluctuates and increases• BR/NO rail is 90 minute travel time—even at

5:00 • Time decreases with track improvements • Creates “day trip” culture in businesses • Increases frequency of ridership

That’s Why…

TOD Quality of Life• Transportation options attract and retain talent• TOC’s give residents budget flexibility• Connects residents to jobs efficiently and

affordably • Offer easy access to goods, services and

amenities• Allow a variety of mobility options

Population:

44%Households:

57%Employment

:

53%

Region’s Potential

Station Area Opportunities

• Become focal points for new development and reinvestment

• Opportunity to create mixed-use, walkable districts and neighborhoods in Louisiana

• Connect to local transit, infrastructure, walking and biking

Baton Rouge Northern Terminal

*MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area)

  Downtown Baton Rouge Station     Population    Households    Employment

  131,920 43,305 94,341

% of the MSA 17.2% 15.1% 24.6%

Baton Rouge Northern Terminal

BR Terminal Opportunities

• Included in BR Comprehensive Plan update:– station area planning: opportunity sites, connections to

city centers

• Dense commercial core, urban grid• State capitol complex, downtown business

district, convention center• 7,000 state employees, many commuters• Connect to major centers in Baton Rouge:

– Downtown, State Capitol, Florida corridor, Tulane campus, Baton Rouge General, BRCC

*MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area)

Baton Rouge Suburban Station

  Suburban Baton Rouge Station  Population Households Employment

  125,485 49,013 83,659

% of the MSA 16.3% 17.1% 21.9%

Baton Rouge Suburban Station

• Possible Park & Ride • Connect to Mall of Louisiana, offices and hospitals• Transit link to LSU campus• Intensive development and land uses integration

*MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area)

Gonzales Town Center Station

  Gonzales Station  

     Population    Households    Employment

  40,578 14,382 14,808

% of the MSA 5.3% 5.0% 3.9%

Gonzales Town Center Station

• Station could form basis for strong town center

• Possible Park & Ride location

Station RadiusUnderutilized Vacant Land

*MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area)

LaPlace Town Center Station

  LaPlace Station  

     Population    Households    Employment

  52,543 14,999 12,350

% of the MSA 4.9% 4.2% 1.7%

LaPlace Town Center Station

• Station can provide point of connectivity to many places in the region

• Potential Park & Ride location• Point of connection to multiple

transport services

*MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area)

Kenner Suburban Station

  Kenner Station     Population    Households    Employment

  165,258 65,929 118,271

% of the MSA 15.3% 18.2% 15.9%

Kenner Suburban Station• Favorable for new development, much

available vacant and underutilized land• Easy and quick connection to New

Orleans International Airport– Travelers – Airport employees

• Stop at car rental lot, built in shuttle service

*MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area)

New Orleans Terminal

  New Orleans Station  

     Population    Households    Employment

  304,341 180,593 275,709

% of the MSA 28.2% 50.0% 37.1%

• Major activity center regionally and statewide

• Existing multi-modal connections• Opportunity to strengthen link to major

attractions and centers for residents and visitors

• Tulane University, Med School, connection to BR Med Sc

• Baton Rouge General Hospital• LSU Med school in NOLA

New Orleans Terminal

New Orleans Transit System

Ridership Will Grow

• Ridership will grow with proven convenience, reliability, time savings– Reliable service– Frequent trips– Alternative to increasing

highway congestion– Population growth– Increasing fuel price

Opening

2013

Long term 2038

39,000 boardings per

month

135,000 boardings per

month

460,000 annual

boardings

1,500,000 annual

boardings

Projected Ridership

• Better integration of land use, transportation and housing policies and practices

• Investment in transportation choices and transit oriented communities to create economic advantage

• We must set clear goals and design our organizations, policies and funding methods to best achieve them

Louisiana Needs…

Get CONNECTed

connect.cpex.org