Pros and cons to live in Baton Rouge

[Huckleberry3911948]

Plus
Biggest city in Louisiana
Less expensive housing
Half my relatives live there
Minus
Heat
Crime
Alligators
Mosquitoes

[Lizap]

It's all relative and what you like. Much prefer New Orleans and the Northshore to BR. Don't care for the way BR is laid out. Traffic is a definite problem and has gotten worse since Katrina. Food scene is ok, but inferior to New Orleans. You have to drive to MSY for the best flights/fares. Relative to cities like Denver, Charlotte, Austin, Greenville (SC), Raleigh/Durham, BR just comes up short in a lot of ways, IMO.

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry3911948

Plus
Biggest city in Louisiana
Less expensive housing
Half my relatives live there
Minus
Heat
Crime
Alligators
Mosquitoes

New Orleans is still the largest city by a huge margin, the parish is the largest though.

Originally Posted by Lizap

It's all relative and what you like. Much prefer New Orleans and the Northshore to BR. Don't care for the way BR is laid out. Traffic is a definite problem and has gotten worse since Katrina. Food scene is ok, but inferior to New Orleans. You have to drive to MSY for the best flights/fares. Relative to cities like Denver, Charlotte, Austin, Greenville (SC), Raleigh/Durham, BR just comes up short in a lot of ways, IMO.

Denver has more people than Baton Rouge and New Orleans combined (CSA), why wouldn't it have much more to offer? Same with Charlotte and Austin.

[Tom Lennox 70]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry3911948

Plus
Biggest city in Louisiana
Less expensive housing
Half my relatives live there
Minus
Heat
Crime
Alligators
Mosquitoes

New Orleans is both the biggest city and the biggest metro area by far in Louisiana. Gators are not an issue anywhere in BR or the immediate suburbs. I live on the Amite River and have only seen a few and they don't bother you. I've never seen a gator on the streets of BR or in a suburban neighborhood in Denham Springs or Central.

[VAF84]

I'd say traffic and the road layout is the worst. This is the second time I've had to come here for a few months of work. For a while we spoke about moving here as the city seems to have a lower cost of living, enough shopping/food, and beautiful homes. However the traffic is not proportional for a city this size. Especially if you have to frequently cross the Mississippi on I-10. Were it not for the traffic congestion all over the place, we probably would have considered the move. This is coming from someone who has lived in Austin and Houston for a long time. I'd complain about the mosquito's, but you have to put up with those in places like Houston as well.

[Gil3]

Originally Posted by VAF84

I'd say traffic and the road layout is the worst. This is the second time I've had to come here for a few months of work. For a while we spoke about moving here as the city seems to have a lower cost of living, enough shopping/food, and beautiful homes. However the traffic is not proportional for a city this size. Especially if you have to frequently cross the Mississippi on I-10. Were it not for the traffic congestion all over the place, we probably would have considered the move. This is coming from someone who has lived in Austin and Houston for a long time. I'd complain about the mosquito's, but you have to put up with those in places like Houston as well.

Like many cities of this size and that are in proximity to a larger urban area such as New Orleans, population growth exceeded the development of infrastructure, thus the current dilemma. The surge of transplants after Katrina, as well as others shortly thereafter and now have amplified the problem. Additionally, the population shift to the Southern end of the parish didn't help matters..

I was just down there visiting family this past week and was out during rush hour, missed the exit for Government St. and ended up across the river. Needless to say the journey back was a headache. I did see an article in the paper Monday that they are addressing the traffic snarls on this stretch of I-110 and the bridge.

I have also driven in larger Metro areas such as D.C. Baltimore, New York and Houston and I agree.

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by Gil3

Like many cities of this size and that are in proximity to a larger urban area such as New Orleans, population growth exceeded the development of infrastructure, thus the current dilemma. The surge of transplants after Katrina, as well as others shortly thereafter and now have amplified the problem. Additionally, the population shift to the Southern end of the parish didn't help matters..

I was just down there visiting family this past week and was out during rush hour, missed the exit for Government St. and ended up across the river. Needless to say the journey back was a headache. I did see an article in the paper Monday that they are addressing the traffic snarls on this stretch of I-110 and the bridge.

I have also driven in larger Metro areas such as D.C. Baltimore, New York and Houston and I agree.

The Government St exit is on the right so to cross the bridge must have almost been on purpose. The lanes that take you across the river are on the far left.

[Gil3]

Originally Posted by annie_himself

The Government St exit is on the right so to cross the bridge must have almost been on purpose. The lanes that take you across the river are on the far left.

I was coming from North BR..i should have elaborated..

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by Gil3

I was coming from North BR..i should have elaborated..

Oh. Still doesn't seem like a specific Baton Rouge problem, or a infrastructure problem, that can happen anywhere.

[Living In Louisiana]

Here are some of my pros and cons:

https://youtu.be/d3zStIXBjgo