Arguably Baton Rouge’s most anticipated civic initiative, the University Lakes Project has been steadily making progress since Phase One kicked off last year. The multi-year project is intended to restore the health of the iconic lakes, create new pedestrian amenities and reduce flooding in surrounding neighborhoods.
Regulars of the lakes have seen lots of activity lately. “We’re full speed ahead with the Phase One dredging in City Park Lake,” says Mark Goodson, the project lead and principal with consulting firm CSRS. Moreover, sediment is being pumped to the shoreline of the LSU Bird Sanctuary on University Lake, helping to extend the peninsula’s area, while massive machinery works to expand Interstate 10 in a separate project nearby.
What else is happening, and how long before it’s all finished? Here’s an update.
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1. University Lake near Stanford Avenue
Flood control is one of the project’s key objectives. A weir—a dam-like barrier that controls water flow—is now being modified to enable authorities to draw down the lake in advance of weather events, Goodson says.
2. LSU Bird Sanctuary
The sediment dredged from City Park Lake is being used to extend the shoreline of the LSU Bird Sanctuary. The added sediment is pumped into erosion-control devices called Geotubes, which build out the embankment and eventually create additional habitat for native and migratory birds. Goodson says there are no current plans to open the limited-access peninsula to the public.
3. University Lake
Phase Two calls for the dredging of University Lake, a portion of which is already underway on the north side of the lake. The south side will be dredged after capital outlay funding is approved for the project during this spring’s legislative session, Goodson says.
4. May Street project
The May Street Realignment Project, part of Phase One, will build a new bridge between the two lakes that spans a soon-to-be-dug channel. Pedestrian pathways will be built on either side of the bridge. May Street Park (greenspace off of City Park Lake) will see an improved shoreline and visitor amenities. Construction is anticipated to begin in August or September, Goodson says. It should be completed in the fall of 2026.
5. Dalrymple Drive and I-10
This work is the I-10 widening project, separate from the University Lakes project. Now visible is the temporary trestle bridge on the freeway’s north side, which provides a structure for crews to expand the elevated roadway. Project crews are also in the process of creating cofferdams, temporary dry working areas in the lake that make it possible to build, Louisiana DOTD Communications Director Rodney Mallett says. Crews were scheduled to begin driving piles for the new bridge and building retaining walls on East Lakeshore Drive in March.
6. City Park Lake dredging
At times, there have been as many as three dredging machines in the lake, each removing sediment and debris to deepen the lake to an average depth of 6 feet. The same is happening on a portion of University Lake. Increasing the lakes’ depth ensures water flows naturally and isn’t susceptible to the fish kills and algae blooms of the past. City Park Lake dredging should be completed in July, Goodson says.
7. Landscaping around City Park Lake and Lake Erie
Part of Phase One includes landscaping along the shorelines of City Park Lake and Lake Erie. Expect to eventually see low-growing native plants that will support wildlife habitats and help filter runoff. Goodson says the landscape work should start in early 2025.
Sinker Cypress
The piles of sinker cypress stumps and logs at May Street, Stanford Avenue and other spots will serve several purposes, Goodson says. Some will create underwater habitats and sediment traps. Others will be used to make pedestrian benches in May Street Park. Smaller, inferior pieces will be ground and converted into mulch. Remaining cypress will be auctioned at the end of the work with proceeds returned to the project.
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University Lake Island
Project engineers built an island in the summer of 2022 in University Lake near Stanford Avenue to test how the Lakes’ dredged sediment performed when building up shorelines. Now overgrown, the island will be re-landscaped in the next few months, Goodson says.
This article was originally published in the April 2024 issue of 225 magazine.