Nicholson Drive's new path

Parish government will break ground today on a project to widen Nicholson Drive near LSU and make the corridor safer for pedestrians and cyclists amid rapid private development.

Why it matters: Widening the road will improve traffic flow during big LSU events, and the project will add better sidewalks and paths in an area where thousands of students live—and where more than 5,000 new beds are planned or under construction. LSU's new arena is also proposed off Nicholson.

The details:

• The $28 million project, much of it federally funded, is part of MovEBR, the parish’s infrastructure improvement initiative.
• Contractors will widen the segment of Nicholson Drive from Brightside Drive to Gourrier Avenue from two lanes to four, with medians.
• The project also includes shared-use paths on both sides of the street for pedestrians and cyclists, along with bulb-outs—a traffic-calming feature where the sidewalk or curb extends into the parking lane.
• Parish officials say the upgrades should improve traffic flow during major events, including LSU football games.
• The parish plans to continue widening Nicholson to four lanes south to Gardere in two additional phases, though construction on those projects is not expected to begin until late next decade.

The bottom line: MovEBR continues to improve mobility across the parish, with a growing emphasis on complete streets that give people safer options for getting around on foot or by bicycle.