Is Funding Jimmie Davis Bridge Really a Plan to Kill I-49?

State Rep. Raymond Crews talks about legislation proposed by Shreveport representative Cedric Glover, a proposal that would move $100 million from funding for the proposed Inner City Connector to renovate the Jimmie Davis Bridge.

"I was just contacted by Representative Glover last night. As you know, he's not a big fan of the Inner City Connector and we all know that Jimmie Davis needs to be fixed. This is (a plan) to divert funds from something he doesn't want to something he does.

"We can actually do both of these things and we need to do both of these things. I think (Glover) makes a pretty good argument that, 'Hey, Jimmie Davis, we're ready to go. We put the money in there and we can go on it.' Inner City Connector takes a lot more coordination, we've been fighting that for years and we know the Feds are going to kick in funds for a project like that.

I think he's got a good deal here, but sometimes his motives aren't exactly what we're hoping for."

Meanwhile, State Rep. Larry Bagley talks about the Cedric Glover and comes down on the opposite side.

"What Cedric did was try to stop I-49. It's only going to cost $20 million or so to fix Jimmie Davis Bridge...and they have that in capital outlay All (Glover's legislation) would do is take the rest of the money for I-49 and move it to other projects in south Louisiana.

"The Jimmie Davis Bridge is going to get fixed. The money's already there. Basically, what he (Glover) would do is kill I-49."