Here's what you need to know about Jimmie Davis Bridge. Construction set mid-late May

Work on the new Jimmie Davis bridge is set to start in just a few weeks.

"We are anticipating starting work on the new Jimmie Davis bridge in about a month," said Erin Buchanan, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development public information officer.

DOTD held a construction kick-off meeting April 26 for the Jimmie Davis Bridge Project.

"I travel that road all the time, and I am interested to see the exciting new things they are going to do," Marivel Segarra, a south Bossier resident, said,

This $360 million project will replace, repair and reconfigure the historic Jimmie Davis Bridge that connects Caddo and Bossier parishes. The Jimmie Davis Bridge, which was built in 1968, carries a traffic count of 25,500 vehicles a day.

This project is separated into five phases. Phase 1 is scheduled to begin in mid- to late-May with shoulder reconstruction along Jimmie Davis Highway. According to the DOTD, this work is necessary to be able to accommodate traffic on the shoulders during roadway construction.

Phase 1 is anticipated to take approximately six months, the completion date for the new bridge is scheduled for late 2026.

The new bridge will be four lanes and will include a raised median with three openings for U-turns. According to the DOTD, this configuration will improve traffic flow and ease congestion.

"It's exciting that they are building the bridge and the road and redoing it because there's always accidents on the overage," Segarra said. "The traffic is horrendous. I am just excited to see how it looks afterwards."

Once the new bridge is completed, the 1968 bridge will be transitioned into a walking bridge.

"A lot of the details that go into converting our existing bridge into a pedestrian facility we don't know yet – but it will be something that's very unique for north Louisiana," Buchanan said.

The existing bridge will remain open to traffic for the duration of construction, but there will be alterations to the way motorist can access certain points.

To see road maps and the full presentation from the DOTD, visit Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development (la.gov).

More: What we know about the Jimmie Davis Bridge project: Over $350 million cost, 5 year plan

Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Start of construction is weeks away on Jimmie Davis Bridge