I-20 to get major overhaul in Bossier
Sections of the interstate in Shreveport also will be repaired
BOSSIER CITY, La. (KSLA) — It looks like Interstate 20 in Bossier City is about to get some much-needed help.
Louisiana DOTD recently announced a major project to repair I-20 in Bossier City and parts of Shreveport.
“This project has been necessary for quite some time. Anybody who drives that section of I-20 knows that the repairs are needed,” said Erin Buchanan, LaDOTD spokeswoman for the Shreveport-Bossier City area.
The department awarded the contract to JB James Construction LLC, of Baton Rouge, for $117,656,250.15.
The project includes reconstruction of all lanes of the 3.5-mile stretch of I-20 from west of Benton Road (Louisiana Highway 3) near Hamilton Road to Industrial Drive (Louisiana Highway 782-2).
The pavement will be removed down to the roadway sub-base and replaced along this section of interstate that services 62,000–86,000 vehicles a day.
“The portion of I-20 just west of Benton Road to Industrial Drive in Bossier City will undergo a complete rehabilitation, meaning all lanes of that section of interstate will be removed and replaced from the very bottom all the way up to the driving surface of the roadway,” Buchanan explained.
Sections of I-20 in Shreveport also will be repaired.
“Also included in the project is some full-depth pavement concrete patching, which will occur on the eastern end of that, meaning Industrial and I-220 in Bossier City and then on the western end to Pines Road in Shreveport to about I-49,” Buchanan said.
The highway department said that construction possibly could start later this year and that the project could take up to 2.5 years to complete.
“We know, in general for this project, there will be lanes closed in each direction,” Buchanan warned. “Motorists overall will need to expect there to be some congestion.”
So she said they will be encouraging through traffic, motorists who do not need to exit within the construction zone, to take I-220 instead.
And during the roadwork, LaDOTD will be using new technology for this area to warn motorists of construction and congested areas. It’s a real-time advanced warning detection system.
“The queue detection system works in real time to notify motorists that they’re approaching a line of stopped or slowing vehicles,” Buchanan explained. “It’s a movable, transportable system. It will be at points outside of the work zone to notify motorists that they are approaching the queue, that there are delays ahead and that they should detour if they need to.”
Copyright 2023 KSLA. All rights reserved.
