Businessman Wade Giles Favors Baton Rouge Loop

Giles Property on Joor Road Could Be Site of Major Loop Interchange

CENTRAL — Central businessman Wade Giles is chairman of the Central Economic Development Foundation and one of the few local residents who openly speaks out in favor of the proposed Baton Rouge Loop.  At last Tuesday’s Council meeting, he was the first person to take the microphone in opposition to Councilman Wayne Messina’s resolution which would put the City of Central on record against the Loop.

Giles said, “We need infrastructure and development.  The Loop may come.  If not, it’s from shortsighted views like this resolution.  The Loop will be along the northern by-pass.  It will attract shoppers from the northern part of the parish.  The cost won’t be paid by our tax dollars but by private dollars.”

“With the right routing for our city, it will be a boon.  I think the bridge at Hooper is a good idea but it won’t help traffic.  I’m against this resolution, re-think it, and put it to bed.”

Despite Giles’ statement that the Loop will follow the so-called northern by-pass along Hwy. 64, the Capital Area Expressway Authority lists the route across Central from Joor to Sullivan to Magnolia Bridge Road as the “base” route for the Loop.  Loop studies indicate that the northern by-pass would be much longer and produce much less revenue in tolls than the route through Central.

The “base” route of the Loop directly through the center of the City of Central crosses Joor Road exactly where Giles’ business, Southern Power, is located at 8437 Joor Road.  See www.brloop.com and go to Interactive Map.  If the acreage there were expropriated, he would be paid “fair market value.”  However, if the Loop narrowly missed his property, it could skyrocket in value, because the largest and perhaps only interchange for the Loop in the City of Central is likely to be on Joor Road.

Asked about whether the proposed Loop going through or near his property concerned him, Giles on Wednesday told the Central City News the Loop won’t go through the center of Central but the northern by-pass.  He said he prefers the northern route but is not in opposition to either route.