Shreveport Lawyer Says New Red River Bridge Can Really Happen

Shreveport attorney William Bradford gives details of the plan by an Alabama developer to build a new, privately funded bridge over the Red River.

Bradford's firm, Blanchard, Walker, O'Quin & Roberts, is part of a team led by Alabama developer Tim James, who says his company can build anew bridge spanning the Red River without government money.

Bradford then explains the privately funded plan. "This a privately funded infrastructure project that will connect 3132 to Highway 71 in Bossier Parish.

"We're going to go from Caddo Parish, across private land...and we're going to traverse that private land to the Red River to a toll bridge, land it it Bossier Parish and take it out to Highway 71.

"This project is intended to provide a lot of free roadway with the exception of the toll bridge."

Here's what Bradford told KEEL:

Bradford then explains the preliminary plan for the toll bridge, built at no cost to Caddo or Bossier taxpayers. "We're looking at about $2," he says, emphasizing that the primary users of the bridge will be the numerous trucks coming to and from the expanding port facility, "It's more for multi-axle vehicles. We are confident that the traffic load will 'dollar out' for success of the project."

More details from Bradford on KEEL:

Bradford also underlines the the James funded project will extend 3132 from Flourney Lucas Rd. all the way to Highway 1. "We want to build a boulevard," he says, "a 45 miler per hour boulevard behind... Twelve Oaks and Esplanade. We're very sensitive to the impact this will have on the neighborhoods."

And the projects timeline? "We show that it takes about 18 to 24 months for permitting...then after hat, we'd like to be under construction by 2023, looking at about a two year build and we hope to have it open by 2025."