Triangle J Airport

The primary reason for closure was economic, driven by rapid urban and commercial development. The construction and expansion of Interstate 12 adjacent to the property significantly increased the land's value for commercial use. The eastward suburban sprawl of Baton Rouge made the location prime real estate, leading to the airfield being sold and redeveloped.

The site of the former airport has been completely and densely redeveloped. There are no visible remnants of the runway or any aviation facilities. The land is now occupied by a major commercial center at the intersection of Interstate 12 and O'Neal Lane. Key landmarks on the former airport grounds include the AMC Baton Rouge 16 movie theater, a SpringHill Suites by Marriott hotel, a Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, and various other restaurants and retail businesses.

Triangle J Airport was a small, privately owned general aviation airfield established between 1964 and 1968. It was owned by J.D. Crichton. The airport featured a single unpaved, 2,600-foot north/south runway. It served the local general aviation community, catering to private pilots and small aircraft. Its history is representative of many small, post-war airfields across the United States that were eventually overtaken by suburban expansion. It played a modest role in the local aviation scene for approximately a decade before its value as commercial real estate surpassed its value as an airfield.

There are zero prospects for reopening. The land has been irreversibly converted to high-density commercial use. Reacquiring the numerous valuable commercial properties, demolishing them, and obtaining the necessary zoning and FAA approvals to re-establish an airport in such a congested urban area is not feasible.