"THE NEW (IN 1915) TRAFFIC BRIDGE"

Dedication of the Traffic Street Bridge 15 Jan 1915. Bossier Parish Library Collection; 0000.001.051

The January 14, 1915 issue of the Bossier Banner announced the opening of the new traffic bridge.

“Work on the new traffic bridge across Red River at Shreveport, erected by this parish and the City of Shreveport, was completed on the 8th and the bridge was opened to traffic Tuesday morning of this week.”

“Mr. Ira G. Hedrick of Kansas City, retained by the builders as consulting engineer, stated before a joint meeting of the two bodies, held in Shreveport Monday, that the bridge was one of the finest of its kind in the South, that the work had been carefully done, and that the contractors should be complemented for erecting such a substantial structure. The actual cost of the bridge, he said, was around $350,000.”

“According to contract the bridge was to have been completed by April 8th of last year. It will be seen that the contractors were 274 days late in completing the work, but because of high water, the sinking of the barge on which the pile driver had been erected and the loss during the high stage of the water of about $3000 worth of steel they were penalized for only fifty-nine days, at the rate of $50 per day. Had they finished the work by December 8th they would have received a bonus of $3000.”

“Former Mayor J. H. Eastham and former Commissioner C.G. Rives of Shreveport were named as members of the committee to act with the Police Jury of our parish and the City Council of Shreveport in conferring with that city’s Chamber of Commerce regarding a formal celebration of the opening of the bridge.”

This bridge was built specifically for vehicular traffic whereas earlier bridges had been built for railroad trains. The old traffic bridge was torn down in the 1960s to make way for I-20.

To find out more about the bridges that connect Bossier to Shreveport visit the Bossier Parish Libraries History Center.

By: Ann Middleton