Plans for a new business-led transportation coalition that would prioritize and pursue solutions to the Capital Region’s traffic problems are among the top priorities the Baton Rouge Area Chamber has set for the new year.
BRAC President and CEO Adam Knapp outlined the organization’s priorities for 2015 this afternoon at a meeting of the Press Club of Baton Rouge. BRAC’s top six priorities are job creation, transportation solutions, ozone and air credits, commercial property development, creating a new five-year plan, and developing a regional gubernatorial agenda.
Infrastructure improvements will be key if BRAC is to make progress on all of its priorities, and Knapp said he expects addressing transportation infrastructure shortfalls to be the most critical issue of this year’s race for the governor’s seat.
“If [candidates] want to win voters in Baton Rouge, they better have strategic solutions for traffic. They have to come with real ideas, real ideas about how in their first four years in office they can … advance traffic solutions not just for Baton Rouge, but statewide,” Knapp said.
Because of the state’s tight budget, those traffic solutions may need to be financed through private-sector partnerships and toll roads, Knapp said.
Of course, economic development and job creation is always a top priority of BRAC, and this year it has set a goal of securing $44 million in new direct payroll through the addition of 800 permanent jobs in the Capital Region. Knapp also noted in his talk that BRAC met and exceeded its 2014 goal on job creation. While the organization had hoped to see at least 1,000 jobs added and new payroll of $57 million, Knapp said $58 million in new direct payroll was secured last year though the addition of 1,104 permanent jobs.
BRAC also has set air quality issues as a priority this year as it aims to identify multiple solutions related to Emission Reduction Credits with local business and industry representatives, as well as state and federal regulatory bodies.
In addition, the organization plans to identify a strategy this year for bringing more large commercial office building projects to fruition in the Capital Region.
According to BRAC’s economic outlook for the coming year, the occupancy rate of functional office space will shrink from 7% in 2014 to 3% in 2015. Companies looking to move to the area need office spaces of more than 10,000 square feet that are available for lease under $24 per square-foot.
“We’ve started a conversation with architects, contractors and bankers,” Knapp said. “Doing so is critical to expand our economic development opportunities.”
Other goals include developing and promoting a platform of regional priorities for the area’s business community regarding this year’s governor race and analyzing national best practices as it works toward developing a new five-year plan for the organization.
Check out BRAC’s complete 2015 strategic plan. —Kelly Connelly
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