News Release
January 8, 2014
For Immediate Release
Contact: Tammy Sharp
[email protected]
337-378-9329

TxDOT announces  funding for new Burr Ferry Bridge

LEESVILLE, La.--The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) recently announced that funding is in place for a new bridge across the Sabine River at the Texas/Louisiana border. Design work will start in 2015 with construction to follow in 2017.

 

The bridge construction is part of ongoing work by the Gulf Coast Strategic Highway Coalition, of which the Greater Vernon Parish Chamber of Commerce is a member, through funding from the Vernon Parish Police Jury's Community Development Fund first initiated many years ago by then state Rep. John Smith.

 

Sen. Smith (R-Leesville); the Vernon Parish Police Jury; Rep. James Armes (D-Leesville); and Rep. Frank Howard (R-Many) have been consistent supporters of local involvement in the Gulf Coast Strategic Highway Coalition through the years. The project has also included the widening of La. 28 to four lanes between Leesville and Alexandria.

 

"The new bridge on La. 8 will provide a much better a transportation link between Fort Hood and Fort Polk, significantly improving deployment and mobility efficiency for both bases," said Fort Polk Progress Chairman Michael Reese.

 

The new bridge will add capacity to a two-lane steel through truss bridge that currently serves traffic on the connection of SH 63 in Newton County, Texas, and LA 8 near the Vernon Parish community of Burr Ferry. The existing bridge was built in 1937, replacing a ferry that served the area. This spot is about 8 miles downstream of the dam at Toledo Bend Reservoir.

 

The Gulf Coast Strategic Highway System, according to its website, is being pursued to meet the military transportation needs of U.S. Army and National Guard facilities in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi -- facilities which must deploy and return combat equipment through Gulf Coast seaports. It will also help meet the need to move a growing amount of freight from one region to another.

 

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Fort Polk Progress is a regional community organization that takes a proactive stance toward Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) by maintaining relationships and partnering with decision makers in Congress, at the Pentagon and at the state level, ensuring that the most up to date information concerning Fort Polk and the surrounding communities is used in decisions concerning the base. In addition, Fort Polk Progress actively markets the base to the military as the most cost effective place to provide soldiers with the best training possible and strives to help ensure the best possible quality of life for soldiers, civilians and their families. Most recently, Fort Polk Progress has spear-headed an Education Initiative, which acknowledges exceptional educational achievements in the region and pursues continued excellence in education for military families throughout the region. 

 

For more information about Fort Polk Progress visit us on the web, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

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