Highland Creek - Meadow Bend - Staring Lane Extension - Burbank Drive
There are concerns with the Staring Lane extension and how it will affect the Highland Creek Subdivision. From the WAFB news report on the Staring Lane Extension one resident expressed concerns about this extension connecting their neighborhood with the crime-ridden area of Gardere. I personally thought about this when I first heard about the project, however, I really don't give it much weight any longer, as my ideas have changed upon looking at all this on the map below. While there will naturally be some cons to this extension for the Highland Creek Subdivision, I think that the benefits of this road extension will far outweigh the cons.
Change is often repelled. But I once read that change, while uncomforting, is actually an opportunity for growth. Change equals opportunity...
The above map shows:
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the Staring Lane Extension (red)
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the multi-family Bayou Fountain Subdivision (pink)
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the Meadow Bend Subdivision (green)
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the west side of Highland Creek (yellow)
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the east side of Highland Creek (blue)
While the con of this project that flows naturally from any growth is the increased noise the houses near the road side will have that wasn't there before, the benefits will far outweigh this issue.
This extension is a much needed connection for Baton Rouge to Burbank Drive, a now major four-lane corridor for the city. This will alleviate much traffic congestion at the Highland Road - Gardere Lane intersection. We all know that this intersection is very inefficient.
In relation to crime, I don't foresee the Gardere crime flowing over to the Highland Creek subdivision. Look at Highland Creek's neighboring neighborhood Meadow Bend for example. Meadow Bend is a very nice neighborhood and there are very good people in the subdivision. They also have a very proactive home owner's association that seeks to better the neighborhood. Even Meadow Bend, with it being closer to Gardere than Highland Creek has not suffered in property value and neighborhood control from their location.
Additionally, I think the 4-laning of Burbank started to add to the separation of the neighorhood creating a natural buffer. While the 4-lane Staring Lane extension will help create an additional buffer for the Meadow Bend subdivision (see map) and for the west side of the Highland Creek subdivision, even the east side of Highland Creek won't have a real connection to Bayou Fountain, much less Gardere Lane.
One hassle with Highland Creek in the past is getting in and out of the neighborhood for the residents. As Baton Rouge grows, this problem would have only gotten bigger and more wrecks would happen if this extension never took place.
In my opinion, one of Meadow Bend's benefits over Highland Creek was its connection to Burbank Drive. A student who lives in Meadow Bend could get out on Burbank and take it straight to the LSU campus within minutes. Now, Highland Creek will have this convenience, which will make the subdivision more appealing to the LSU community. Highland Creek's investment owner's who rent out properties will see a slight increase in their demand of their properties for this reason. Homeowner's in the subdivision who go to LSU also will have this added convenience.
To summarize, I think that this extension is a major change, that while it does have a noise factor that will make the roadside houses not as appealing in that aspect, I think the traffic relief it will provide and the greater connectivity to the city as a whole will keep the Highland Creek subdivision the stable community that it has been all along. Is it a big change? Yes. But it is a big opportunity for the subdivision to grow as well. Ultimately it will come down to the homeowner's and their association to make Highland Creek what it is to be. I envision the Highland Creek subdivision to remain being a valuable neighborhood with a great future.
View Highland Creek's HOA website for more information on the Highland Creek Subdivision.
