The University Lakes Restoration Project team reminds the public that May Street is closed to all traffic between Dalrymple Drive and East Lakeshore Drive.
This applies to vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians.
REIMAGINE THE
LAKES
Exciting changes are coming to
the University Lakes System.
A partnership between LSU and
state and local partners is working
to create a more sustainable lakes system through ambitious environmental restoration that will also add tremendous recreational value for all people of Baton Rouge.
What's Happening at the Lakes?
Phase 1
Work on May Street continues. Pile driving is complete, and the new channel connecting University and City Park Lakes is now open and flowing. This week, the steel girders for the new bridge will start to be installed, and May Street road work east of the channel will continue.
Phase 2A Dredging
Dredging in the northern half of University Lake is mostly complete. The contractor will be dredging in a small cove near E. Lakeshore Drive and Christian Street over the next few weeks as Phase 2A wraps up.
Phase 2 Landscaping
Landscaping of the newly created island near South Lakeshore Drive is also complete, as are shorelines at the corner of May Street and Dalrymple. The new islands near South Lakeshore Drive and Stanford Avenue have been cleared and are currently being planted with native material. The next area to be cleared and landscaped will be the new shoreline along Stanford Avenue, between S. Lakeshore Drive and Milford Wampold Park.
Phase 2B
Dredging of the southern half of University Lake began in early 2025 and is scheduled for completion this September. The new green space across from the Lod Cook Alumni Center at LSU, as well as the expansion to BREC's Wampold Park, are continuing to take shape!
Campus Lake
Dredging continues and is progressing nicely!
Presentation from
Public Meeting
June 9, 2026
High School students and BR Green planted Cypress trees at University Lake
January 23, 2026
Contracts & Amounts
Contracts | Payments | Task |
|---|---|---|
Sevenson | 53,753,915 | Dredging CMAR |
Brown Industrial | 11,549,859 | May Street Contractor |
Sasaki | 4,523,010 | Master Designer |
Stantec | 2,420,036 | Flood Risk Reduction Designer |
CSRS/B&D | 2,077,387 | Project Manager |
RCI | 2,771,840 | Landscape Contractor |
Unawarded Landscape | 2,645,838 | Landscape |
GeoEngineers | 613,883 | Geotechnical Engineer |
Fenstermaker | 536,267 | Survey |
J&W Contractors | 123,000 | Drainage |
Big Gator | 77,500 | Survey |
Taylor Porter | 23,008 | Legal |
Eisner Amper | 22,750 | Audit |
Terracon | 12,000 | Consulting Engineer May Street |
G&S Aerial | 6,160 | Drone Sprayer for invasive aquatic vegetation |
TOTAL | $81,161,694 |
Funding
Funding | Amount |
|---|---|
Capital Outlay | 50,750,000 |
CBDG | 10,000,000 |
EBR | 5,350,000 |
BREC | 5,000,000 |
LA DOTD | 5,000,000 |
LSU Foundation | 4,077,500 |
LSU | 50,000 |
Interest Earnings | 986,456 |
TOTAL | $81,213,956 |
