Mayor-President Melvin L. “Kip” Holden is inviting the public to kick-off a year-long process to update the East Baton Rouge Parish Land Use and Development Plan and to share their vision of the city and parish for the next 20 years. National urban planner John Fregonese, selected to lead the process, will join Mayor Holden for a kickoff reception Tuesday, January 26th at the Louisiana State Museum, 660 N. 4th Street, from 5:30 until 7:30 p.m.

“This is an opportunity for the citizens of East Baton Rouge to learn how they can be involved in a planning process that will define our future,” said Mayor Holden, “and give focus to our collective vision.  To kick off that process, I think it’s important to celebrate the many assets we enjoy and bring people together around this project.”

“FUTUREBR” is the name city-parish officials have given the East Baton Rouge Comprehensive Master Plan, a community-wide planning project being conducted by the City-Parish Planning Commission and the Mayor-President that will examine current development and economic trends through an inclusive citizen engagement process.

John Fregonese, lead planner on the project, will make a brief presentation at 6 p.m. and premier a short film entitled, “FUTUREBR:  Our Vision for Tomorrow” which highlights neighborhoods and commercial development throughout the parish.

City-Parish Planning Director Troy Bunch also encouraged the public to get involved.  “Citizen participation is critical to the success of the Comprehensive Master Plan,” said Bunch. “Citizen groups, active in planning, can provide a better understanding of current conditions as well as guide growth and development alternatives.  This is an opportunity for the public to voice opinions and address both physical and social issues.”

Fregonese Associates is an award-winning urban and regional planning firm based in Portland, Ore.  They have worked on plans in cities across the country including Chicago, Dallas, Salt Lake City and Denver.  In Louisiana, Fregonese Associates was involved with the Louisiana Speaks project and has been selected to lead a team to develop a best practices manual for Louisiana coastal communities.

“While we have done plans in many communities, the one constant for success is the involvement of the local community,” said Fregonese.  ”We want to make sure everybody that wants to can be involved in meaningful ways.  It is time for all citizen planners to sign up for what will be a very productive and enjoyable year.”

Jazz music will be provided by the Jacob Dupre Trio, an award-winning group of Baton Rouge High School students who are bringing all types of jazz to local Baton Rouge events.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) considered bids totaling more than $67 million at its Dec. 16 public bid opening, according to Gov. Bobby Jindal and DOTD Secretary William D. Ankner, Ph.D.

With a bid of $20,160,138.41, Barriere Construction Co. LLC, Boutte, was the low bidder on the most expensive job let Dec. 16, a project in Orleans Parish calling for installing drainage pipe, asphalt overlay and related work on General Degaulle Drive at its intersection with Wall Boulevard, Life Center Drive, Seine Court, Westbend Parkway, Behrman Place and MacArthur Boulevard.

Other projects awarded are listed below by parish(es), description, contractor and bid:

Acadia – Asphalt overlay and related work on La. 342 from the Lafayette Parish line to La. 35, H & S Construction Co. Inc., Broussard, $318,658.35.

Allen – Asphalt overlay, installing a concrete girder span bridge and related work to replace a bridge on Arkadelphia Road over Six Mile Creek, Gilchrist Construction Co. LLC, Alexandria, $1,239,669.90.

Bienville – Installing drainage pipe, asphalt overlay and related work on La. 4 from Loggy Bayou to Ringgold, Madden Contracting Co. Inc., Minden, $2,827,913.24.

Bienville, Caddo, Claiborne, Webster – Scour repairs and related work at the U.S. 80 Mile Creek Bridge; the U.S. 171 Boggy Bayou Bridge; the U.S. 79 Bayou D’Arbonne Bridge; and the I-20 Bear Creek Relief Bridge, Specialty Trackhoe & Dozer Service Inc., Shreveport, $490,889.50.

Concordia – Asphalt overlay, pavement patching and related work on La. 129 from Workinger Bayou to U.S. 84, D & J Construction Co. Inc., West Monroe, $1,732,968.17.

Concordia – Clearing and grubbing, installing a concrete slab span bridge and related work to replace the Turtle Lake Bridge, Gilchrist Construction Co. LLC, Alexandria, $559,599.

DeSoto – Installing drainage pipe, asphalt overlay, pavement patching and related work on La. 172 from the Texas state line to La. 5, Benton & Brown LLC, Minden, $3,273,024.55.

East Baton Rouge – Asphalt overlay and related work on La. 30 from La. 73 to just south of Skip Bertman Drive, F.G. Sullivan Jr. Contractor, Baton Rouge, $2,436,353.04.

Evangeline, Lafayette – Sealing asphalt pavement and related work on La. 13 from La. 10 to La. 106, and on La. 3168 from La. 93 to U.S. 90, P.R. Parker Company Inc., Shreveport, $455,740.73.

Lafayette – Installing drainage pipe, asphalt overlay, concrete overlay, pavement patching, installing a concrete slab span bridge and related work to widen U.S. 90 from four to six lanes from Pinhook Road to Broussard, Diamond B Construction Co. LLC, Alexandria, $19,895,009.49.

Madison – Asphalt overlay, pavement patching and related work on U.S. 65 from Walnut Bayou to U.S. 80, Diamond B Construction Co. LLC, Alexandria, $1,035,811.57.

Ouachita – Asphalt overlay and related work on the I-20 eastbound on-ramp to U.S. 165 northbound, Gilchrist Construction Co. LLC, Alexandria, $420,548.90.

Ouachita – Replacing the deck on La. 3249 Well Road Bridge over I-20, Gibson & Associates Inc., Balch Springs, Texas, $3,174,512.01.

Rapides – Upgrading guardrail and related work on the Pineville Expressway, Odum Services LP, Marshall, Texas, $405,020.

Rapides, Sabine – Replacing bridge expansion joints and related work on U.S. 167 over U.S. 71; on U.S. 171 over Bayou San Patricio; and on I-49 over U.S. 71, Gibson & Associates Inc., Balch Springs, Texas, $183,504.

Sabine – Asphalt overlay, pavement patching and related work on La. 473 from La. 191 to the Vernon Parish line, Prairie Contractors Inc., Opelousas, $873,975.70.

Terrebonne – Asphalt overlay, pavement patching and related work on La. 57 from Bobtown Bridge Road to Dulac, Huey Stockstill Inc., Picayune, Miss., $992,018.90.

Terrebonne – Installing fiber optic cables and related work on phase III of the Houma ITS Deployment Project, Diamond Electrical Co. Inc., Baton Rouge, $1,043,623.50.

Ferry Operations – Replacing the engine on the M/V Ascension ferry, Bollinger Quick Repair LLC, Harvey, $308,579.

BATON ROUGE, La. — Today, Louisiana Economic Development released a report detailing selected economic highlights for calendar year 2009.

LED Secretary Stephen Moret issued the following statement on Louisiana’s economic performance in 2009:

“Continuing a trend that began early last year, Louisiana’s economy in 2009 once again outperformed the South and the nation. Unemployment rates remained well below that of the South and U.S., and employment held relatively stable, down about one percent since January 2008 versus about five percent for the South and U.S. overall.

“Despite the national recession, our business development results for 2009 were even better than in 2008, which itself was an award-winning year. Dozens of companies announced significant expansions or relocations in 2009, kicking off projects that will result in more than 21,000 new jobs, $2.5 billion in new capital investment, $53 million per year in new state tax revenues and billions of dollars in new sales for small businesses.

“These projects include several in exciting new growth industries, such as advanced manufacturing (V-Vehicle Co.), digital media (Pixel Magic) and pharmaceutical manufacturing (Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories), as well as traditional industries, such as petrochemicals and oilfield services.

“Our recent corporate headquarters successes continued, with several expansions, as well as new additions to the Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 lists. CenturyLink will soon join Entergy and The Shaw Group on the list of Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Louisiana. And Louisiana’s list of Fortune 1000 headquarters recently grew by two: Albemarle Corp. completed the move of its corporate headquarters from Virginia to Louisiana; while, Superior Energy Services joined the Fortune 1000 list just this year. Pool Corp. continues as a Louisiana-based Fortune 1000 company.

“Louisiana and its cities improved their position in numerous national rankings while Gov. Jindal and the Legislature implemented significant policy changes to position Louisiana for a brighter economic future.

“Although the nation awaits a significant jobs recovery, Louisiana is well-positioned to secure new business investment in 2010 and will experience significant job growth from projects announced in 2008 and 2009. In the year ahead, business retention efforts will remain our top priority at LED, while we also will expand our focus on cultivating new growth industries.”

To read LED’s Selected Economic Highlights for 2009 report, click here.