Bossier Council President Jeff Darby: Benton Road Overpass “A Bridge to Somewhere”

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Bossier Council President Jeff Darby: Benton Road Overpass “A Bridge to Somewhere”
Official Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies, as KCS Train rolls down track under the Overpass

By Tom Pace, Executive Editor, SBLive!
January 11th, 2008

As if on cue, the lonesome sound of a KCS train’s horn was blowing, just as the official ribbon-cutting ceremonies for Bossier’s Benton Road Overpass began this morning at 10:04. An omen maybe, of even bigger, and better things to come for Bossier City.

Bossier Council President Jeff Darby gave the invocation, and then the opening remarks about the completion of this 21 million dollar project, calling it “…a bridge to somewhere!” Darby said that many in government said the overpass couldn’t be built, because it cost too much. Plus, there was no state or federal money to help with construction costs. But, in spite of it all, the project was approved, the land acquired, and the overpass has now been completed.

Mayor Lorenz “Lo” Walker followed Darby, saying the only requests he had for this event, was, “…for a train to come rolling by when the ceremonies began, and beautiful weather, both of which happened today.” Walker said the Benton Road Overpass is now officially known as Highway 3.

The media was there, along with a small group of area officials, guests, and Chamber officials, watching the ribbon-cutting, which took place in the parking lot, just behind the old Ryan’s Steakhouse on Benton Road. With scissors in hand, and Mayor Walker & Jeff Darby sharing the giant-oversized pair of scissors, Executive Director of the Bossier Chamber of Commerce, Lisa Johnson gave the countdown.

“Three, two, one,” she shouted…the ribbon was cut, and Bossier’s bridge to somewhere, the Benton Road Overpass, continued to carry the cars and trucks of commerce, and the public, with ease.