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Dive brief:
- Construction is scheduled to begin in May Jimmie Davis Bridge over the Red River between Bossier and Caddo parishes near Shreveport, the Louisiana DOT announced. The goal of the $361.7 million project is to improve traffic flow and congestion as well as safety along State Route 511.
- The Louisiana DOT tapped Baton Rouge-based James Construction Group as the general contractor for the design-build project, which is set to open to traffic in early 2027 and be fully completed in early 2028.
- The work includes a new four-lane section to be built just north of the existing 50-year-old two-lane structure. The roadway on each side of the new bridge will also be widened and reconstructed to accommodate four lanes of traffic, and will include a raised median and three new median openings for U-turns.
Diving Insight:
In addition to the new bridge and road work, the existing section will be rehabilitated and transformed into a linear park that will connect with the parks and trails system in Bossier and Caddo parishes. It will provide pedestrian and bicycle crossings over the Red River, as well as an extension of the trail to Hamel Memorial Park, according to the Louisiana DOT.
Lafayette, Louisiana-based Huval & Associates is the lead designer on the project. Pre-construction works started in December 2023.
The project will be completed in phases, according to the Louisiana DOT. Phase 1 work will include the installation of access roads and temporary trestle bridges to facilitate the construction of the new bridge, the construction of temporary and permanent pavements to accommodate traffic in later phases, the construction of ramps from the avenue and new drainage and pavement on the north side of Route 511.
The The project was defunded amid a budget dispute in June 2023 after a small group of lawmakers withdrew about $140 million designated for it, according to the Shreveport Times. Jay Dardenne, chief financial officer for Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, said that won’t delay the start of construction, but the money will have to be replaced by 2024.
The work is being funded with state money, as well as through the federal Jobs and Infrastructure Investment Act and the American Rescue Plan Act.
