BATON ROUGE - For several months, one man has been trying to find out the party responsible for maintaining a pedestrian trail in his neighborhood. The trail is often overgrown.

Last summer, the city made some improvements to Gus Kinchen Trail, a pathway between homes in the Webb Park area. Dex Gonzales lives nearby and uses the trail.

"We go on walks in the afternoons and mornings, our babysitters, kids, people walk, exercise, or jog," said Gonzales.

The Gus Kinchen Trail is named after former councilman and LSU football champion Gus Kinchen. It stretches more than 2,500 feet between College Drive and Country Club Drive. The path is lined by trees, benches, and little libraries. Gonzales reached out to 2 On Your Side about the lack of maintenance in the area, which includes tall grass and trees dropping dead branches. There is a dead tree near the trail at Marshall Drive.

"Once a week in the summer, you're going to have to cut it, but crickets," said Gonzales.

So far, his emails haven't received the response he's been looking for since the grass continues to grow. 

The Baton Rouge Department of Maintenance is responsible for maintaining the Gus Kinchen Trail. Maintenance cut the grass along the pathway on June 8. The city says that due to staffing limitations, they plan to keep the trail on a three-week mowing rotation.

Gonzales is hoping for more than every three weeks. The infrequency of maintenance has prompted some people to do the work themselves. Some of Gonzalez's neighbors have been mowing the grass near their homes.

Gonzales hopes the city finds a way to hold up their end of the maintenance bargain so he can keep using the trail with his family.

The Webb Park Civic Association did some work on the trail and planted several trees in 2017. According to a prior board member, the association dissolved in early 2026.