After nearly three years of construction, the I-20 rehabilitation project in Bossier and Caddo Parishes is complete. The $128 million investment is the largest in the corridor in many years, and it included a total rebuild of every lane and ramp at five interchanges between near Hamilton Road and LA 782-2 in Bossier City. Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development spokesperson Erin Buchanan said if you’ve ever driven in the area, you know how badly the rebuild was needed.
“That was the original pavement,” said Buchanan. “It had been patched over the years. It was bumpy, it was uneven, so this project has been a long time coming.”
The project provided major improvements to turning lanes, travel lanes, shoulders and access points. Buchanan said the rebuild will improve life for local commuters and the impression Louisiana makes on travelers and businesses across the country.
“While this is just three and a half miles-worth of rehab, it was still a critical area,” she said. “That area services about 80,000 to 100,000 vehicles per day.”
She said improved infrastructure can attract new families to Louisiana and lay a foundation for future economic development.
Buchanan said, “When major corporations or other business or people are looking to relocate here, they look at the infrastructure system and how the governments are investing in that.”