Work continues on a portion of Wemple Road at the intersection of Airline Drive in north Bossier.
Improvements are underway to the stretch of Wemple Road east from Airline Drive to the Lakewood subdivision, totaling 2,336 feet in length. The $1.4 million project is widening the existing two lane road into a three lane road and adding new curbs, gutters and underground drainage.
Bossier City Engineer Mark Hudson said the project, which began in January, is doing well despite lost time due to bad weather during three of four months this year.
“They’re working six days a week on the project,” Hudson said. “Just like any construction project, it’s a pretty big inconvenience to the people that live through there. They do their best every day to maintain two lanes of traffic. It will be really nice once they get it all finished.”
The project was originally identified as a need when Walmart said it would be building a Supercenter on Airline Drive at Wemple Road. However, that project fell through last March.
Still, the potential remains for future commercial development at that location. The addition of a center turn lane opens up access to the land south of Wemple Road, too, for future development.
“The money was budgeted when we thought Walmart was coming,” Hudson explained. “When we realized they weren’t coming, we decided to move ahead with the project because it’s just a matter of time before something big comes in and we’ll be ready for it.”
The project is scheduled to be finished in May or June, pending any additional weather delays.
WempleRoadProject.MOV from Amanda Simmons on Vimeo.
Debbie Miller
It is a mess right now, but glad to hear it will b done in a month!