May Street closures in affect, Baton Rouge residents concerned with traffic congestion

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Residents living on or near May Street near LSU are expressing concern over the traffic congestion that may make its way near the area.

May Street officially closed on Wednesday to start the construction process. Miriam Tiritilli, who lives on May Street, said she’s frustrated with the closure.

“Now, all of a sudden, it’s inconvenient to go grocery shopping,” she said.

May Street near LSU is one of the most used roadways in the area, by car and on foot.

“What it involves is really tearing up May Street and rebuilding it between Dalrymple Drive and East Lakeshore,” said Mark Goodson, project manager with CSRS.

Goodson said this change has been in the works for a while, and it’s all a part of the University Lakes Project. He said the upgrades will not only be beneficial for pedestrians, but drivers. The plan is to create a channel and allow those in the water to be able to travel between the University and City Park Lakes.

“Along with that will be providing new multi-use paths on either side of May Street, new lighting and new greenspace and landscaping, and parking for what was May Street Park before,” he said.

Goodson said the construction on May Street plays a key role, but Tiritilli is not happy about the timing.

“It may not be as big a deal. It’s still a big deal during summer, but when school comes back in, it’s going to be crazy,” she said.

This won’t affect game day traffic, as the road is already blocked off. Tiritilli said although she’s concerned, she still wants to see the finished product.

“We’re hoping that the long run will be beneficial to our property values. Hopefully, the safety of the pedestrians will be improved,” she said.

Construction will only happen during the day. They expect to be finished by August of next year. To stay up to date with construction for both May Street and the University Lakes Project, click here.

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