After years of planning between Texas and Louisiana transportation departments, the U.S. Hwy. 84 state-line Sabine River Bridge Replacement Project will officially kick-off with a groundbreaking ceremony Friday morning in Logansport. Local and state elected officials and TxDOT and Louisiana Department of Transportation representatives will discuss the significance of the $20.4 million U.S. 84 Sabine River Bridge Project before ceremonially breaking ground for construction.

Friday’s ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. at the Dennis Freeman Memorial Park on the riverfront in Logansport. Officials scheduled to attend are Logansport Mayor Katherine Freeman, Joaquin Mayor Mike Wood, Secretary Sherri H. LeBas of the Louisiana Department of Transportation, and Commissioner Jeff Austin III of the Texas Transportation Commission, in addition to project engineers and construction representatives.

The bridge replacement project has been on the drawing board since the 1980s, and was suspended due to funding woes. The new project is designed to provide a safe and efficient crossing of the Sabine River that meets current design and safety standards to handle the Average Daily Traffic count of 12,500 vehicles. The bridge replacement includes building a pair of one-way two-lane bridges to place the current single structure built in 1936.

The Texas Transportation Commission in July 2013 awarded the $20.4 million construction contract to James Construction Group, L.L.C. of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

A reception hosted by the cities of Logansport and Joaquin will be held following the event at the DeSoto Parish Logansport Branch Library located at 203 Hwy 5.