Why the riverfront has emerged as a key focus area of Plan Baton Rouge III

Baton Rouge has sat on the bank of the Mississippi River for centuries, but many in the community feel that the Red Stick hasn’t done enough to capitalize on its status as a riverfront city. That may soon change.

As the international planning and design firm Sasaki continues to develop Plan Baton Rouge III, downtown Baton Rouge’s new master plan, one sentiment has emerged clearly from meetings with stakeholders and engagement with the public: It’s time for Baton Rouge to reconnect with the river.

That’s according to Joshua Brooks, the Sasaki principal leading the project. He tells Daily Report that the Mighty Mississippi is far and away one of Baton Rouge’s biggest assets.

“The riverfront is such a huge opportunity and one that is very missed,” Brooks says. “Baton Rouge could have an incredible waterfront experience, and it doesn’t.”

Unlike other river cities like Cincinnati or Chicago, where bustling commercial areas, green spaces and promenades line the water, Baton Rouge’s riverfront remains fragmented and, in some cases, difficult to access. Railroad tracks, River Road traffic and the levee itself constitute barriers that discourage both locals and visitors—as well as investors—from engaging with the river in meaningful ways.

Plan Baton Rouge III aims to identify ways to solve that problem. The planning team at Sasaki is currently in the early stages of gathering input and analyzing opportunities for transformative change.

Though nothing is set in stone, Brooks sees potential for a new kind of civic space downtown—one that could bring together dining, retail and cultural activity, all with a front-row view of the Mississippi.

“It’s time to really think critically about what can happen on and along the waterfront to really reorient downtown to the river,” he says.

Plan Baton Rouge III kicked off in February, and the planning process is expected to take 10 to 12 months in total. Brooks says a final plan should be delivered in Q1 2026. Other priorities for downtown include bolstering residential growth and enhancing connectivity to the rest of Baton Rouge.

This isn’t the first time riverfront revitalization has been attempted. In the late 2000s, then-Mayor Kip Holden pushed for the downtown ALIVE project, a levee-side “interactive adventure” that was to be developed in partnership with the Audubon Nature Institute. Plans called for an aquarium, an outdoor concert amphitheater, interactive nature exhibits and more. Voters rejected the tax proposals that would have brought the project to life on two separate occasions.