Mayor-President Melvin L. “Kip” Holden will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony commemorating the completion of the Lobdell Improvements Project, the 10th roadway construction project completed for the Green Light Plan, at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010.

“Another Green Light project completed means another bottleneck has been opened up in Baton Rouge, and it means less time spent by our citizens sitting in traffic on high-volume, arterial roads,” said Mayor Holden. “The Lobdell Improvements Project is a perfect example of the Green Light system at work as we increase capacity to relieve congestion on our key roadways, working together with the citizens of East Baton Rouge Parish to achieve a common goal.”

Completed on February 5, 2010, the project was constructed by Barber Brothers Contracting Co., LLC of Baton Rouge.  Through the public bid process, the firm was awarded the $4.1 million project to replace a three-lane undivided roadway with a four-lane curb and gutter roadway that includes sidewalks and raised median.  The project provides an improved north-south corridor and safer access into the Independence BREC Park and its school bus transfer station.

Ribbon Cutting Participants

From City of Baton Rouge/Parish of East Baton Rouge:

Mayor-President Melvin L. “Kip” Holden

Mayor-Pro Tem Mike Walker

Metro Councilmember Alison Cascio, District 11

Mike Futrell, Chief Administrative Officer

From the Department of Public Works:

Peter Newkirk, P.E., Director

Bryan Harmon, P.E., Deputy Director / Chief Engineer

Ingolf Partenheimer, P.E., Deputy Director / Chief Traffic Engineer

Jose Alvarez, P.E., Chief Construction Engineer

From the Green Light Plan; CSRS, Inc.:

Michael Songy, P.E., Program Director

Brad Ponder, P.E., Program Manager

From the Engineering Consultant; Aillet Fenner Jolly & McClelland, Inc.:

Robert Isemann, P.E.

Jay Watson

From the Contractor; Barber Brothers Contracting Co., LLC:

Mr. Hilliard Barber