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 Lake will be re-excavated soon. Over the next several weeks, the public will be able to see the new bridge taking shape.
The project team is developing a new guide to help residents and visitors identify the native plant material that has been planted around the lakes, including a flowering schedule. Look for this new resource on the website soon.
Landscape maintenance is ongoing to remove weeds and cut back new growth periodically in the newly landscaped areas.
Phase 2A
Dredging in the northern half of University Lake is wrapping up. Landscaping of the newly created island near West Lakeshore Drive is also complete, and shorelines at the corner of May Street and Dalrymple are well underway. The new islands near South Lakeshore Drive and Stanford Avenue will be the next to be landscaped and should begin this month. A local contractor sprayed the new, invasive vegetation that has already grown on the new shoreline fill around Stanford and South Lakeshore with an aquatic-safe herbicide on June 29th and will make a second application on July 14th.
The landscape contractor recently removed some logs and debris from University Lake near East Lakeshore Drive. The dredging contractor will also pick up stray logs and debris from the lake before they demobilize later this summer.
Phase 2B
Dredging of the southern half of University Lake began in early 2025 and is scheduled for completion this summer. The new green space across from the Lod Cook Alumni Center at LSU, as well as the expansion to BREC's Wampold Park, are starting to take shape!
Campus Lake
Raking and drainage improvements are complete, and dredging has begun.
Presentation from
Public Meeting
June 9, 2026
High School students and BR Green planted Cypress trees at University Lake
January 23, 2026
Dam release at May Street
July 2, 2025
Dam prior to release at May Street
Dam release at May Street
Lake Erie aerial view
Dam prior to release at May Street
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 |
