4th Ouachita River bridge proposed - KNOE 8 News; KNOE-TV; KNOE.com |

By Victoria Shirley

MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News)- The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration are proposing to build a fourth bridge over the Ouachita River.

"I was president of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce when the first study was done on where to locate the bridge, that was in the 1970's." said Dwight Vines, Monroe's Economic Officer. 

There have long been hopes for a fourth bridge over the Ouachita River. With the three bridges currently connecting the Twin Cities nearing capacity the effort has been revived by legislators who are funding the first step of the project: a two year long study.  "This bridge will provide an additional avenue for cars and trucks to go over the Ouachita bridge. So it'll help relieve that." said project manager Scott Hoffeld.

The proposed highway would be built north of the West Monroe and Monroe corporate limits. The road would connect highway 143 with 165 to the east and include a new Ouachita river bridge crossing. On Tuesday, project manager Scott Hoffeld collected input from stakeholders and the public.

"Now we're going to do our homework but there is always something that we may not know about the project area that the public may." said Hoffeld. But for Monroe's economic development officer, Dwight Vines and many other's in the audience on Tuesday, money is a concern. Past studies have projected such construction on the project to cost anywhere near 200 million dollars. "I don't know where that money is going to come from, it's not going to happen soon." said Vines.

The cost of construction won't be realized until the study has concluded in 2014. Hoffeld says the use of tolls is an option to help fund the project. "We encourage the public to come out and inform us of things we need to be considering." said Hoffeld.