Shreveport bond proposal committee takes up streets and drainage ideas

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) — “With bond issues not being passed in the past, now is the time we need it more than ever,” Casaundra Calloway said.

She represents Shreveport City Council District G on the city’s capital improvements committee, which met again Thursday night (Sept. 14) to consider what could be on the ballot for a bond election in 2024.

This time, the group discussed different possible streets and drainage projects. Mentioned were everything from making aesthetic improvements to the area near Shreveport Regional Airport to adding LED lighting along the interstates starting with I-20.

When it comes to streets and drainage projects, the capital improvements committee has a lot to consider. Rehabilitation of neighborhood streets, however, was a particular topic of interest.

“Really, the list we get from the public and staff is, it matches with the PCI data, the data and the people say to do it,” city engineer Patrick Furlong said.

One particular street that committee members brought up as an example is Jewella Avenue.

“They do take good care of it by trying to patch the panels when it needs it, but it needs to be redone,” Calloway said. “I mean patching, we’ve paid the price for that. And so, we really need it really done the right way.”

Calloway said, as a citizen, her focus is on the streets that link neighborhoods.

“We’re tired of paying the high costs of car alignments and needing new tires, so we want to see our streets — that means the most to all of us in Shreveport. How we travel, going to work, going to school, going to church, wherever we go, we want to see better streets.”

The possibility of the bond committee taking site visits and looking at different area streets was also an idea thrown around.

Committee members will next meet Thursday, Sept. 21 to discuss other topics that could be included in a possible bond election.

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