Shreveport/Bossier City Development

[dimebag1980]

I've decided I'd make a list of new residential developments that I can think of right off the top of my head. This will only be a fraction of what's actually going on in the area right now, but it'll give an idea of the strength of the local residential market.

BOSSIER PARISH PROJECTS

Bossier City

South Bossier and north Bossier are both growing fast, but north Bossier is growing toward Benton at an almost alarming pace. Bossier is having its infrastructure stretched to its absolute limits with new residential areas like The Colony, Tiburon, Stonebridge, Oak Alley, River Bluff, Autumn Creek, Willow Lake, Legacy (3 large subdivisions in one similar to Twelve Oaks in Shreveport,) and MANY others. Bossier City and Benton actually run together seamlessly now, whereas less than 10 years ago they were at least 5-7 miles apart. At least one new school is planned to begin construction soon in extreme north Bossier, not far from Benton, to accomodate all the new students in the area.

South Bossier has the new developments of Olde Oaks, Savannah Place, Cold Harbor, Plantation Trace, Sunflower Place, Madison Place, Golden Meadows expansion, Southgate Estates, and a few other new subdivisions, the names of which I can't remember off-hand. Two new schools are also planned for south Bossier, between the Bossier City limits and the town of Elm Grove, to accomodate all the new students being crammed into schools in the south Bossier area.

Benton

Subdivisions like St. Charles, Kingston Plantation, Palmetto Place, and Sweetwater Oaks are keeping Benton growing at a very rapid pace. This town is also the home of Cypress Lake and Cypress Black Bayou, and new homes as well as subdivisions are being developed along all shores of the lake. Construction in the Cypress/Benton area has not let up in recent years and is not expected to any time soon.

Haughton

The subdivision I live in is fairly new, but is expanding out once again with at least 2 new streets. Just down the street from my subdivision, Cornerstone subdivision has been going strong for some time now. This is an upscale development that is helping Haughton turn the corner from rural hick town to full-fledged suburb.

Right across the highway from Cornerstone, another new subdivision is underway. I don't know its name, but I do know dirt work is being done now and lots are being sold.

Forest Hills, just a few miles down Highway 80, in west Haughton, continues to expand rapidly. The streets are extending at a fast pace, and now some of the homes can be seen from I-20. This is another upscale development helping Haughton become a real suburb.

Dogwood South, the modern extension of the older Dogwood Trail subdivision, is also going strong. This subdivision is set along rolling hills and is constantly expanding out. New roads are being built and lots are being sold rapidly.

Stockwell Place is also expanding once again. This area began as just a few blocks of homes, but in recent years it has grown east and north across two main thoroughfares. The latest growth in this subdivision has all been to the north. Stockwell Road continues to be extended every few months, and Pleasant Grove Drive is also being extended north.

CADDO PARISH PROJECTS

Shreveport

Most of Shreveport's growth today is south and east of the 3132 loop. Numerous residential developments are being built right behind the LSU-Shreveport campus, transforming the landscape from cotton fields to suburban developments. Projects currently under construction behind LSU-Shreveport include The Haven and Riverbrooke. There are others, the names of which I can't recall right now.

Right off Youree Drive, the King's Crossing area is still building up. At least one new apartment complex has begun construction in this area as well.

South of 3132, the areas of Southern Trace, Norris Ferry Landing, Norris Ferry Crossing, Hidden trace, Longlake, Lakeside on Longlake, Provenance, and numerous other projects I can't think of right now, are cruising along. Literally every time I drive out there, either a new subdivision has popped up or an existing subdivision has expanded out considerably.

The Southern Loop interchange at I-49 has been completed to take some of the strain off Ellerbe and Norris Ferry roads in the Forbing/south Shreveport area. The Ellerbe/Fluornoy-Lucas intersection is also being widened to 5 lanes and realigned to cut back on the number of traffic accidents in this area. The 3132 inner loop is also currently being extended to Fluornoy-Lucas Rd, so the traffic will only increase in this area. The Glen retirement community is expanding out with numerous assisted-living developments in this area, and Twelve Oaks is zipping along. Twelve Oaks is actually 3 large subdivisions in one, and since construction began it hasn't slowed one bit. A new school is being considered for this area to accomodate all the new students in the area.

West Shreveport is also seeing new residential growth these days. New apartments have been constructed on the 3132 service road opposite the Shreveport Regional Airport, and only 1 mile further down the road two new subdivisions are under construction, taking advantage of easy access to 3132 and a burgeoning retail/restaurant district around Pines Road @ I-20.

North Shreveport is pretty stagnant right now, as far as new residential developments go. But what's new? If anything were to change, I will definitely update this.

Blanchard/Mooringsport

These areas are still mostly rural, but new residential developments are slowly beginning to occur here. This area seems to have a lot of trailer parks going in, and in my opinion that trend needs to stop now as it's keeping larger, pricier residential developments from occurring.

Greenwood

I can't remember the names of the projects, but at least 5 major residential/commercial projects were announced earlier this year. Hundreds of homes are in the works, so Greenwood has a bright future ahead and might one day touch the Texas state line and/or become part of Shreveport proper.

Forbing

This once separate town has now become part of the city of Shreveport. This area serves as an link between the latest suburban south Shreveport areas and the actual south Shreveport city limits.

DESOTO PARISH PROJECTS

Mansfield

This small town is struggling with serious crime issues at this time, but new residential and commercial developments are still planned. I have no info at this time on the residential developments, but I do know a new Wal-Mart Supercenter is planned and the residents are fighting the proposal. <-- this town can use anything it can get... no need fighting progress.

Stonewall

Stonewall is fast becoming the overflow area for the south Shreveport residential developments. The schools are becoming overcrowded and homes are being built at a record-setting pace right now. I can't think of the names of any of the residential developments in this area, but I did read an article recently outlining numerous large residential/commercial projects in the works.

As an addendum to this post, I'd like to add that there is an article in today's Shreveport Times about the new schools proposed in Bossier City/Parish.

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d...80345/1002/NEWS

[dimebag1980]

An update on the huge north Bossier City shpping area... the final plat is set to be presented to the Bossier MPC at Monday's meeting.

Below is a the text of the Bossier MPC's March 20 agenda (I've highlighted in red, the case pertaining to the shopping center.)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

** APPLICANT OR REPRESENTATIVE MUST BE PRESENT AT THE MPC MEETING **

BOSSIER CITY-PARISH METROPOLITAN PLANNING COMMISSION

PUBLIC HEARING AND PRELIMINARY HEARING

[bigboyz05]

I put Longview in there because Longview and Marshall are one metro.

[dimebag1980]

I put Longview in there because Longview and Marshall are one metro.

Very true. The thing about a metro area, though, is for a town or city to be added to one, at least 25% of its population must commute to the other cities/towns within the metro. I don't know if a city has ever been "stolen" from one metro to join another, but if Marshall did become an outer bedroom community to Shreveport/Bossier (which it's trying to do) I really don't know how it would work. Would that make it a Shreveport/Marshall/Longview MSA or would Marshall be part of two different MSAs?

[dimebag1980]

Is a "new university" in the cards for Shreveport-Bossier City?

It's a known fact that Shreveport is the most underserved urban area in Louisiana, when it comes to higher education. The cities of Shreveport and Bossier City have a combined population of nearly 270,000 and a total metro area population of nearly 400,000, making it the third-largest urban area in the state, yet the only 4-year college in this area is LSU-Shreveport, which is merely a satellite campus of a larger university. The nearest university, Louisiana Tech University, is nearly sixty miles east of Shreveport-Bossier City in Ruston. The Shreveport-Bossier college list includes LSU-S, LSU School of Medicine, Bossier Parish Community College, Centenary College, Louisiana Tech Barksdale (very few offerings,) and Northwestern School of Nursing.

The higher education plan being considered for Shreveport-Bossier City includes a merger of Louisiana Tech with LSU-S and LSU School of Medicine in Shreveport. Read about it in the following article:

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d.../1058/OPINION03

[bigboyz05]

That would be great if Shreveport got another university. I read somewhere that LSU Hospital is one of the largest, most important teaching hospitals in the south. That's a great accomplishment. With another major university coming, Shreveport will have an even brighter future than it already has. Also to answer your question about a possible Shreveport/Longview/Marshall metro, anything is possible. As Shreveport grows to the west and Marshall and Waskom grow to the east the linkup seems inevitable. How far down the line you think something like that would happen? What 15-25 years?

[dimebag1980]

That would be great if Shreveport got another university. I read somewhere that LSU Hospital is one of the largest, most important teaching hospitals in the south. That's a great accomplishment. With another major university coming, Shreveport will have an even brighter future than it already has. Also to answer your question about a possible Shreveport/Longview/Marshall metro, anything is possible. As Shreveport grows to the west and Marshall and Waskom grow to the east the linkup seems inevitable. How far down the line you think something like that would happen? What 15-25 years?

I wouldn't venture to guess on that, but to answer your question about Shreveport-Texarkana, now THAT I could definitely see happening. They share much of the same trade area, and even some of the people in the Shreveport metro area are just as close to Texarkana as Shreveport (Vivian, Rodessa, Mira, Ida, etc...) so I wouldn't be at all surprised if the cities did link up down the road. Some corporations already consider Texarkana and Shreveport as the same market when looking to place their businesses in the area.

[dimebag1980]

Yet another large shopping center planned

Here's a little something I just came across while searching for information on the new Shreveport Kohl's location. I often check the website of Houston-based SDI Realty, since they already have 2 shopping centers in Shreveport and one in Bossier, and I know they're the developers for the new Kohl's site. Well, in their "Future Developments" section, there is a small hint about the newest shopping center to be built along Shreveport's hottest retail corridor, Youree Drive.

The information given on this site says the new Kohl's will be joined by a JC Penney store in a new 350,000 sq. ft. power center along with 7 pad sites. A new JC Penney is great news for Shreveport, since the only one remaining in this area is in the Bossier mall. The old JC Penney in south Shreveport closed along with South Park Mall and is now the sanctuary to a nearly 1 million sq. ft. mall-turned-church.

http://www.sdirealty.com/html/development_...ge=&pagesize=50

This is great news, as this is the last chuck of undeveloped land along this busy stretch of Youree Drive.

[bigboyz05]

That sounds really good.

[dimebag1980]

Not sure if anyone has seen trhe Downtown 2010 brochure, but it's worth checking out.

http://www.downtownshreveport.com/document...10-Brochure.pdf

Also, this video called Destination: Downtown is pretty cool...

http://www.downtownshreveport.com/video/destination.html

[richyb83]

That's good stuff ! In the brochure , I like the planned lay-outs . The way the CBD is btwn. West Edge , Red River , and Convention Center District being emphasized ! I noticed north of the area where Cross Bayou runs along , there was a planned Marina w/grocery .How is that coming along ?? I know in Downtown BR they are trying to make more residentail to help it become a 24-Hour destination. But lacks a nice grocery store in the vicinity. They still have to drive 3 or 4 miles to the SuperWal-Mart on College Drive. You can only make a place so Urban, and not have the linch-pin to it all , the grocery store . We are working on it , just an average size grocery will do just fine, once all the additional residence move in.

Last time in Shreveport , a caught a brief glimpse of the Youree Drive area towards the LSU Med.School ; I saw what you were talking about . A large corridor all the newer development . It was impressive.

Edited March 24, 2006 by richyb83

[dimebag1980]

That's good stuff ! In the brochure , I like the planned lay-outs . The way the CBD is btwn. West Edge , Red River , and Convention Center District being emphasized ! I noticed north of the area where Cross Bayou runs along , there was a planned Marina w/grocery .How is that coming along ?? I know in Downtown BR they are trying to make more residentail to help it become a 24-Hour destination. But lacks a nice grocery store in the vicinity. They still have to drive 3 or 4 miles to the SuperWal-Mart on College Drive. You can only make a place so Urban, and not have the linch-pin to it all , the grocery store . We are working on it , just an average size grocery will do just fine, once all the additional residence move in.

Last time in Shreveport , a caught a brief glimpse of the Youree Drive area towards the LSU Med.School ; I saw what you were talking about . A large corridor all the newer development . It was impressive.

I was very impressed with the Downtown 2010 plan, and thankfully it's starting to come together. I don't remember what plans they had for downtown south, but I do know the Rescue Mission of Shreveport-Bossier, which is this area's largest homeless shelter, is well into construction of a brand new facility in downtown south.

The convention center area, in downtown north, is definitely coming along well. With the center complete and the hotel not far behind, and more new small businesses opening up within walking distance of the new center, this can be nothing but a plus. The only thing the city would consider a downside would be the giant, gaudy computer-generated billboard atop Larry Flynt's Hustler Club... it's just a couple blocks east of the new center, and in my opinion, looks like crap. I have nothing against the club, but the sign is tacky. And I know why they did it... to get back at the city for giving them such a hard time about their choice of location. But still... I consider it a blemish on the lower skyline of downtown.

As for the marina/grocery store, I believe that plan has shifted further downriver to an area just south of downtown. The city expanded the Stoner Avenue boat launch and added a marina and floating restaurant/convenience store at that site. Next door to it they just built an outside skate plaza so the kids can skateboard in an urban environment without destroying the CBD.

There has, however, been talk of reopening a downtown grocery store on the bottom floor of the Fairmont apartment building, which would put it within walking distance of numerous downtown residential areas and neighborhoods. Personally, I think something like a Walgreen's would be a great addition to downtown.

The West Edge arts district has come along quickly as well. Author Bill Joyce, the creator of Rollie Pollie Ollie and the Disney movie 'Robots,' has had a big influence in the West Edge district. There are numerous artists' spaces, including an outdoor square for artists, and two new theaters which are nearing completion. Also in this area are a music club, a few local restaurants, and the Shreveport office of New Orleans' Tipitina's Foundation.

Even further to the west of the West Edge district is the area surrounding the Municipal Auditorium, where Elvis had his first public performance and very regular Louisiana Hayride performances for years after that. This area holds a lot of potential, and hopefully the FAME commission can turn that area into a large-scale musical destination like they have planned.

Speaking of Youree and the newer developments, up until just a few years ago, all of Louisiana - Shreveport probably more so than other cities - had fallen behind the rest of the country in newer developments. Heck, until within the last 5-10 years, cities all across the country, that were half Shreveport's size, had more national retailers and eateries than we did. I remember just a few years ago when I last visited Tyler, TX, I was so blown away by the amount of national retailers in that city of only some 90,000 people. Shreveport and Bossier City, just the cities alone, have about 270,000 people and we had nowhere near the number of national retailers or eateries that Tyler had.

Thankfully these days, we pretty-much have what they have and then some. Shreveport, like Baton Rouge, has proven to many chains that it can be a multi-store market. This is why we're now getting a second (and soon thereafter, a third) Target store, a second Bed Bath & Beyond, a second Best Buy, a second of almost everything and a third of many things. We're even finally getting a fifth Wal-Mart Supercenter in central Shreveport (only about 3-4 miles south of downtown.)

Have I said enough? Sorry, but once you get me started...

[dimebag1980]

More articles related to the growth along Airline Drive, between north Bossier City and Benton...

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d...070327/0/NEWS01

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d...260322/0/NEWS05

This article is related to the growth in both north Bossier and south Shreveport:

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d.../603090337/1002

Forgive me if I've posted either of these before. I can't remember having done so...

Edited March 25, 2006 by supkof

[dimebag1980]

Article related to the city's fifth Wal-Mart Supercenter, currently under construction in central Shreveport. This is a huge deal for central Shreveport, because it will most likely revive the troubled Shreve City district.

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d...08270371/0/NEWS

I will be getting photos as this project moves along. I have pre-destruction photos of the Burlington Coat Factory and other buildings they tore down to build the new supercenter.

[dimebag1980]

Here's an article from today's Shreveport Times related to the possible southern extension of the Arthur Ray Teague (ART) Parkway from CenturyTel Center Drive to Sligo Road to relieve congestion in extreme south Bossier.

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d...50331/1002/NEWS

[dimebag1980]

And an article from today's Shreveport Times about the Stoner Avenue Skate Plaza which I mentioned yesterday.

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d...50335/1002/NEWS

[richyb83]

Good to see so much going on over there ! Thats great to see Shreveport becoming a multi-store market ! I think a Skate Plaza is essential componet to have in any city .

Looking at the street maps , Shreveport has a nice, dense, grid system. But from what I have been told ,yall too , are really begining to spread out. What used to be green fields , is now filled with shopping centers and houses all over the place !

[dimebag1980]

Good to see so much going on over there ! Thats great to see Shreveport becoming a multi-store market ! I think a Skate Plaza is essential componet to have in any city .

Looking at the street maps , Shreveport has a nice, dense, grid system. But from what I have been told ,yall too , are really begining to spread out. What used to be green fields , is now filled with shopping centers and houses all over the place !

Yes, dfinitely. I like it to an extent. I like seeing all the development, but I'm not really fond of the sprawl. Shreveport-Bossier is growing fastest to the north and south, creating major sprawl. Imagine a commute from Benton to south Shreveport... I know many people who do it, and it can take as long as an hour in certain situations. Typically, I'd guess it takes about 35-45 minutes.

Bossier City is having the worst go of it, no doubt. They're really having to beef up their city's infrastructure, because they never planned to be more than just a suburb to Shreveport. Well now that suburb is like a smaller Fort Worth... a sleepy bedroom community that has blossomed into a self-contained city. There is truly no reason for people in Bossier City to have to visit Shreveport if they didn't want to.

The areas of north Bossier, east Bossier, south Bossier, south Shreveport, and west Shreveport are currently in "sprawl" mode. The southern stretch of Youree Drive, Shreveport's busiest corridor, was nothing but cotton fields up until less than 10 years ago. Now it's stores and restaurants as far as the eye can see. The same goes for Bossier's Airline Drive. The land which will soon be Bossier's largest shopping center, as it stands right now, is a cow pasture tucked between a large church and I-220. Beyond that property, you see new residential developments scattered about in an area that, 10 years ago, was nothing but farm land.

Sprawl is a problem, but the cities of Shreveport and Bossier are trying to keep up.

[bigboyz05]

I know what you mean about Bossier supkof. The last time I was over there, I was like "d@mn Bossier has definitely stepped it up." The traffic is hell though. Once me and my mom went to Bossier. We were on Airline and the traffic was backed up as it was but, this idiot who thought he could make the next light ended up blocking the street and causing grid lock in all directions :angry : . It was quite a while before we made it to our destination. Shreveport/Bossier looks like it will become a miniature D/FW with Benton becoming a future Arlington. Man this growth is great, except for the traffic of course. You have to be really proud of your city. I'll be down there in mid April to visit a friend, so I know I'll probably see more development going on.

[bigboyz05]

Also, I don't know if you've been over to the Arkansas forum but, bringing gambling to Arkansas will be on the ballot for the next election. If it passes there will be casinos built in Little Rock, Texarkana, Hot Springs and West Memphis. The one in Texarkana would be a resort with a 700 room hotel and the casino with 6 restaurants. Have they mentioned anything about it on Shreveport news stations or newspapers?

[dimebag1980]

Also, I don't know if you've been over to the Arkansas forum but, bringing gambling to Arkansas will be on the ballot for the next election. If it passes there will be casinos built in Little Rock, Texarkana, Hot Springs and West Memphis. The one in Texarkana would be a resort with a 700 room hotel and the casino with 6 restaurants. Have they mentioned anything about it on Shreveport news stations or newspapers?

I do read the Arkansas forum, almost as much as I read this one. To answer your question, yes it has been mentioned here, but surprisingly I've only heard it once. Since all of Shreveport's major TV stations also cover the Texarkana market (Shreveport-Texarkana, I believe, is considered one TV market) I know KTBS ran a story on it one day. I've also read about it in the Texarkana Gazette... I read that paper daily, as Texarkana is also sort-of my hometown.

I'm kind of at a crossroads with my support of this development. While I think it would be awesome, and would definitely add a totally different offering to the Texarkana market, I know a large casino in Texarkana would definitely hurt the casinos in Shreveport-Bossier. Most of the people I know in Texarkana drive to Shreveport on a faily regular basis to gamble and shop. I know that thousands of Texarkana-area residents do gamble in this market, and I'd hate for Shreveport-Bossier to lose that revenue. We've already lost a percentage of our Dallas market to the Indian casinos in Oklahoma, but we're finally starting to see that trend turn back in our favor.

So again, I'm on the fence. I see the positives for Texarkana, but I also see the negatives for Shreveport-Bossier. Only time will tell, I suppose. It's just a really good thing Shreveport-Bossier has diversified its economy, so the loss of the casino market here wouldn't sting as bad as it would have 5-10 years ago.

[dimebag1980]

I know what you mean about Bossier supkof. The last time I was over there, I was like "d@mn Bossier has definitely stepped it up." The traffic is hell though. Once me and my mom went to Bossier. We were on Airline and the traffic was backed up as it was but, this idiot who thought he could make the next light ended up blocking the street and causing grid lock in all directions :angry : . It was quite a while before we made it to our destination. Shreveport/Bossier looks like it will become a miniature D/FW with Benton becoming a future Arlington. Man this growth is great, except for the traffic of course. You have to be really proud of your city. I'll be down there in mid April to visit a friend, so I know I'll probably see more development going on.

Of course I'm proud of my cities. Having lived in Bossier City for 23 years before moving to Texarkana, then Shreveport, and now Haughton, this is the only area I've ever lived in for any length of time. I've been all over the U.S., but of course my home cities will always hold the biggest place in my heart.

Bossier City has always had worse traffic than Shreveport. Most people don't understand this, since Bossier has less than 70,000 people and Shreveport has over 200,000 people. Bossier City has sprawled out to half Shreveport's size now, so the city is much less dense than Shreveport is, but Bossier's infrastructure stinks. Thankfully this is being worked on right now, with the new Benton Road overpass currently under construction, and the northern and southern extensions of the parkway being in the works. Also, Bossier is looking to other roads to relieve congestion. Roads that used to be nothing more than rural back roads, like Swan Lake Road and Sligo Road, are being considered for extension and widening, just to help the flow between Benton and north Bossier, as well as from central Bossier to south Bossier. Eventually these roads will have to be widened anyway, since there are so many new residential developments popping up in these areas.

Airline Drive has always been the most congested street in the entire metro... simply because of Bossier's lack of infrasturcture. Being from Texarkana, my wife absolutely hates that street... because quite simply, until recently, Texarkana didn't have any traffic issues. She just wasn't used to it. I grew up just a couple miles off Airline Drive, so I went to school on that street, and we shopped and ate along that street. Heck I even walked and biked down that street as a kid. It has gotten worse in recent years, though, as Bossier and Benton have virtually closed up the gap.

bigboyz05 - next time you're down here, drive down Airline Drive from the I-20 interchange by the mall, all the way to Benton... you'll see exactly what I'm talking about. Then, if you made the same drive 2-5 years from now, you'd never recognize it.

[bigboyz05]

This may never happen because gambling has been on the ballot in Arkansas countless times and has failed every time. I think that even with a casino in Texarkana, Shreveport will be just fine because it's economy is so diverse and it is growing so fast. It's also possible that Texarkana would end up pulling most of it's customers from Western Arkansas and Southeastern Oklahoma. I believe Shreveport will always be "King" of the Ark-La-Tex.

[dimebag1980]

This may never happen because gambling has been on the ballot in Arkansas countless times and has failed every time. I think that even with a casino in Texarkana, Shreveport will be just fine because it's economy is so diverse and it is growing so fast. It's also possible that Texarkana would end up pulling most of it's customers from Western Arkansas and Southeastern Oklahoma. I believe Shreveport will always be "King" of the Ark-La-Tex.

I hope you're right, but every time I visit Texarkana I do see more and more growth. It's surprising, because when I first started dating my wife 5 years ago there was literally NO growth... and now, suddenly, it's exploded.

Texarkana is definitely doing things right. I no longer joke with my wife about there being nothing going on there, because there is a LOT going in there now.

I will say, though, my in-laws were in town from Texarkana for the day, and we took them to eat at the new Satlgrass Steakhouse in the Boardwalk (the FIRST Saltgrass location outside the large Texas cities of Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin,) and they were impressed. They'd been down there before, but it's matured so much since then... and new buildings are uder construction, which impressed them. They got to see the trolley, but didn't get to ride it... IT WASN'T RUNNING!! It was a warm, PRETTY day and there were hundreds of people down there shopping and eating, but the trolley wasn't running!! The only transportation through the complex running was the pedicabs!

Edited March 26, 2006 by supkof

[bigboyz05]

Of course I'm proud of my cities. Having lived in Bossier City for 23 years before moving to Texarkana, then Shreveport, and now Haughton, this is the only area I've ever lived in for any length of time. I've been all over the U.S., but of course my home cities will always hold the biggest place in my heart.

Bossier City has always had worse traffic than Shreveport. Most people don't understand this, since Bossier has less than 70,000 people and Shreveport has over 200,000 people. Bossier City has sprawled out to half Shreveport's size now, so the city is much less dense than Shreveport is, but Bossier's infrastructure stinks. Thankfully this is being worked on right now, with the new Benton Road overpass currently under construction, and the northern and southern extensions of the parkway being in the works. Also, Bossier is looking to other roads to relieve congestion. Roads that used to be nothing more than rural back roads, like Swan Lake Road and Sligo Road, are being considered for extension and widening, just to help the flow between Benton and north Bossier, as well as from central Bossier to south Bossier. Eventually these roads will have to be widened anyway, since there are so many new residential developments popping up in these areas.

Airline Drive has always been the most congested street in the entire metro... simply because of Bossier's lack of infrasturcture. Being from Texarkana, my wife absolutely hates that street... because quite simply, until recently, Texarkana didn't have any traffic issues. She just wasn't used to it. I grew up just a couple miles off Airline Drive, so I went to school on that street, and we shopped and ate along that street. Heck I even walked and biked down that street as a kid. It has gotten worse in recent years, though, as Bossier and Benton have virtually closed up the gap.

bigboyz05 - next time you're down here, drive down Airline Drive from the I-20 interchange by the mall, all the way to Benton... you'll see exactly what I'm talking about. Then, if you made the same drive 2-5 years from now, you'd never recognize it.

Since there is so much growth and traffic between Benton and Bossier, has there ever been a freeway proposed between the two cities? Would there even be enough room for something like that? Do you think that Bossier will ever grow far enough south to grow around Barksdale?