Gonzales, LA – On Wednesday, September 5, 2018, at 10:00 a.m., representatives with the City of Gonzales will hold a presentation in the Council Meeting Room at City Hall to unveil the new Passenger Rail Station Master Plan. A brief introduction will be given by City of Gonzales Mayor Barney Arceneaux, with City Engineer Jackie Baumann and members of the design team presenting items included in the plan.
The City of Gonzales has joined with numerous stakeholders in Louisiana in making progress in recent years with feasibility studies of the reestablishment of a passenger rail service. The Baton Rogue to New Orleans corridor represents a portion of this corridor and has been identified as a first step in the creation of this larger regional network. This Baton Rouge to New Orleans corridor would provide intercity passenger rail service linking Louisiana’s two largest urban cities to the surrounding, growing parishes along the congested I-10 corridor. This 80-mile trip would create a high-quality, intercity service network connecting the state capital to a world-famous tourist destination in New Orleans, creating a southeast Louisiana Super Region.
The City of Gonzales completed a Gonzales Comprehensive Plan in 2015 which captured a vision of the community for long-term developments which included a passenger rail station as part of a revitalized downtown area. Goals of a passenger station are to provide a safe and reliable transportation option, create a foundation for economic competitiveness, create livable, interconnected communities, and provide an additional means of evacuation for weather emergencies in a vulnerable coastal area.
The presentation with discuss the plan in detail with regard to the rail service, a surrounding site assessment, the proposed building program, and implementation.
Media and residents are invited to attend the presentation, and city representatives will be on-hand to answer any questions on the day.