Barriere Road Expansion Study

RPC, in coordination with Plaquemines Parish Government, is conducting a conceptual feasibility study to evaluate the potential extension and modification of Barriere Road between LA 23 and Walker Road in the Belle Chasse area. This effort aligns with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), emphasizing improved transportation efficiency, enhanced safety, and planning for all roadway users. The study corridor includes Barriere Road between LA 23 and Walker Road, with the broader study area defined as the land south of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, bounded by the hurricane protection levee to the west and LA 23 to the south and east.

Due to the unique geography of Plaquemines Parish, LA 23 serves as the only continuous downriver route on the west bank and is designated as a National Highway System route. It parallels the Mississippi River as a four-lane arterial from Belle Chasse to Venice, making it critical to regional mobility. As a result, land use and development south of Belle Chasse on the west bank have a direct impact on the Belle Chasse population center and overall transportation system performance.

 Westwego Road Crossing and Pedestiran Connectivty Study

RPC, in coordinafion with Jefferson Parish Government and the City of Westwego is conducfing a conceptual feasibility study for the assessment of rail crossing improvementsand potenfial Complete Streets modificafion of roadways on the Westbank of the Mississippi Riverfront in Jefferson Parish. Rail/highway crossing improvements will focus on the area between the Harvey Canal on the east and 9 Mile Point Rd. on the west. Complete Streets improvements will focus on Westwego between Victory Drive on the east and Louisiana Street on the west, primarily along 4th Street (LA 18)and River Road (LA 541). This evaluation will review and assess appropriate locations for grade separations of the railroad, the incorporation of Complete Streets treatments for vulnerable users, and the potenfial for integrafing design concepts to serve both needs. 

Barton Avenue Corridor: Bicycle and Pedestrian Accessibility Study

The RPC, in coordination with the St. Charles Parish is conducting a feasibility study for the assessment and potential modification of the corridor immediately adjacent to and including LA 3060 (Barton Ave.) from US 90 to LA 18 which could include travel lane modification, streetscaping, traffic calming measures, introduction and integration of walking and bicycling features, water management and resilience enhancements, and related improvements which would enhance safety, multi-modal use, and improve the quality of life for all users. 

Geospatial Pluvial Flood Risk Geosptail Modeling

As a result of stakeholder input and assessing regional data needs, the RPC recentently kicked off the development of various geospatial datasets and products thatcan assist local policymakers, planners and engineers by providing data driven insights toenhance regional flood resilience and inform infrastructure investments.

This effort will leverage existing GIS and spatial datasets to quantify land cover and surface runoff potential across the region’s varied landscapes, integrating precipitation data to assess flood vulnerability.