BATON ROUGE, La. — Leaders from 11 southern Louisiana communities gathered Oct. 15 to advance transportation and downtown improvement projects aimed at increasing pedestrian access, supporting tourism and strengthening local economies.
The LSU AgCenter hosted the Complete Streets Summit at the Water Campus in Baton Rouge with the Center for Planning Excellence and Well-Ahead Louisiana, an initiative of the Louisiana Department of Health. Participants received guidance from planning, transportation and community development experts on moving local projects forward.
The summit focused on helping communities gain access to funding, planning support and technical assistance while building partnerships, said Jamila Freightman, program manager for the AgCenter’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention High Obesity Program.
Franklin officials pointed to infrastructure funding as one result of their participation in the first summit in 2022. Ed “Tiger” Verdin, the city’s public relations and Main Street director, said that gathering helped Franklin secure Transportation Alternatives Program funding for improvements in heavily traveled pedestrian areas.
The city’s revitalization work includes a downtown pocket park and plans to upgrade its Bayou Teche boardwalk into a more accessible, family-friendly gathering space.
Verdin said the projects are intended to serve residents while supporting tourism and related tax revenue.
Representatives from the Donaldsonville area also attended. Ternica Williams, a registered nurse and quality/compliance professional with West Ascension Parish Hospital, described health and transportation challenges facing the rural community.
“We’re here to see what we can do to help move the community forward,” Williams said. “I don’t want to have the conversation if we’re not going to move forward and do something about it.”
The summit followed an Oct. 7 community visioning session at the Kentwood Library, where residents discussed priorities including jobs, the economy and transportation.
LSU AgCenter nutrition and community health agent Isabel Zebrick organized that session to help identify community-led projects reflecting residents’ needs.
Kentwood Police Chief Michael Kazerooni said the gathering brought together residents from different areas and occupations to identify community strengths, weaknesses and shared goals.
Resident Ronald Harrell said he wanted the discussions to produce tangible improvements.
“I’m interested in making our community better, more livable, more accessible, more inclusive, prosperous,” Harrell said. “Wherever I live, I want it to be the best it can be.”