BATON ROUGE- In a city with lots of traffic, the East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council is telling drivers to make room for bicyclists.

"I usually go on the levee because it feels the safest. I'll ride around here if it's not that many cars, but there's really not that much area aside from here to bike," bicyclist Hale Landry said.

The council passed a transportation plan to create hundreds of miles of new bike lanes. It's called the "Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan."
Local bicyclists are pushing for its bike-friendly benefits.

"I think it'll bring people together too because it's more things you can do that are outside," Landry said.

Doug Moore, president of Bike Baton Rouge, says over the years there's been a spike in bicycle deaths across the city.

"We've consistently ranked one of the most dangerous cities for people who walk and bike. The idea is to make the entire city walkable and bikeable, so that not only the privileged few can get where they need to go but anyone can get where they need to go," Moore said.

The plan calls for more than 100 miles of on-street bike lanes, and 250 miles of off-street paths and trails.

It will also include improved pedestrian road designs.

It's an addition, bicyclists say is necessary to keep people safe.