The project to reopen Shreveport’s Linwood Avenue Bridge has been held up due to unfinished engineering design work and the need for railroad approval. The bridge, a key city corridor, was closed in 2022 by the Louisiana Department of Transportation due to structural issues that made it unsafe for public use.

Design and Approval Issues

According to city engineer David Smith, the project design is about a third to halfway complete, and railroad officials will not give final approval until they see a full plan. The current $6-7 million plan to rehab the bridge was developed to reduce expenses and expedite reopening. Full replacement is estimated to cost $40 million.

The bridge spans freight rail lines and rail yard tracks owned and operated by the railroad. Businesses and buildings near the bridge closure appear vacant and some have fallen into disrepair. The project manager is listed as COS Engineering while the designer is Forte and Tablada.

Funding and Timeline

Voters approved $3.5 million as part of the city bond proposition that passed in 2024, and lawmakers appropriated $3.5 million in 2025 and another $1.5 million this year. However, the city has not signed a contract for the project, and construction is not expected to start until late 2027.

Democratic State Rep. Steven Jackson expressed disappointment, stating that the city has the funds to move the project along but has not done so. City engineer David Smith said that the company designing the repairs is working on it, but he was unable to say when it would be completed.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.