Its not a secret that traffic in Bossier City is a nightmare. With the 7th (or eighth, depending on your resource) largest population in the state of Louisiana, you'd expect the city to have more than two main roads for north/south travel. But the footprint of Bossier City really boils down to just Airline Drive and Benton Road.

Sure, there are a few other roads that could be used, or that people have tried to develop as alternative options, but none of those have truly helped with the issues on Benton Road or Airline Drive. However this new project appears to a good chance to ease up the traffic on one of those roads.

The Walter O. Bigby Carriageway is already under construction, and has a targeted completion of Spring 2024. The hope is to take some of the traffic burden off crucial portions of Benton Road and East Texas Street. It will work similar to the Benton Spur, where traffic can cut around and avoid railroad crossings.

It will involve the use of "traffic circles" or "roundabouts", which drivers on East Texas Street are already getting familiar with. So there could be some learning that goes along with the new route.

Here's a crude concept of where the Carriageway will go, and below you can see what the City says about the plan...

Maps.Google & Canva
Maps.Google & Canva
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According to a release from the Bossier City Mayor's Office, the project is moving along well. They said:

"Currently, the contractor is working on driving bridge piling and preparing for girder installation for the railroad overpass portion of the overall $60 million project. This is crucial in ensuring the continuous flow of traffic without being impeded by railroad activity when the project is finished.

Phase I of the project is already complete, which included a new roundabout on US 80 (E. Texas Street) at Old Benton Road.

Phase II also involves the construction of two more roundabouts, one located at Hamilton Road and Water Plant Road, and the other at the intersection of Shed Road and the new 4-lane roadway extension.

Pavement work as part of Phase II continues along Hamilton Road and adjacent to Benton Road as the new roadway takes shape, ultimately tying in to Benton Road just north of Riverwood Drive."

Credit: City of Bossier City
Credit: City of Bossier City
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They stated that they do anticipate the project to be done next year, but the release did mention something that we all have to keep in mind when in Louisiana:

"The entire project is anticipated to wrap up in Spring 2024, with progress dependent on weather conditions and other factors that may impact construction timelines."

Credit: City of Bossier City
Credit: City of Bossier City
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As far as Bossier City's goal for the carriageway? They addressed that directly in their release:

"The purpose of the Walter O. Bigby Carriageway is to provide another segment of roadway to motorists looking to travel on a north-south thoroughfare with limited constraints such as active railroad crossings and multiple intersections."

Credit: City of Bossier City
Credit: City of Bossier City
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It does look like this project will have a pretty good chance of helping with those traffic nightmares at the corner of Benton Road and East Texas.

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