In late June Willis Knighton Medical Center (WK) filed a lawsuit against the City of Shreveport (City) and Red River Express (RRE) objecting to the servitude the Shreveport City Council granted to RRE in late May over the city-owned 15-acre tract (Tract), located on the south side of Flournoy Lucas at the dead end of Highway 3132 for the construction of an expressway.
Tim James, the president of RRE LLC, has made many visits to Shreveport/Bossier, appearing before the Shreveport City Council, Caddo Commission, Bossier City Council and Bossier Police Jury. He has also met with residents of the Esplanade and Twelve Oaks subdivisions.
The servitude is needed for the construction of the expressway which, as planned, is to be a private two lane road to extend from Flournoy Lucas at 3132 south between the Esplanade and Twelve Oaks subdivisions, then turning east to Highway One and then to the Arthur Ray Teague Parkway over a new bridge to be constructed.
Initially WK supported the expressway as being an attractive alternative for large commercial vehicle traffic (dump trucks. concrete trucks, 18 wheelers) and reduction of accidents on Flournoy Lucas Road on the stretch from the end of 3132 to Highway 1 and thus benefit The Oaks of Louisiana, owned by WK, located on Flournoy Lucas.
However, the restrictions placed on the servitude limit large commercial vehicle traffic and thus will not provide the traffic relief that WK had sought. In pleadings WK mysteriously alleged that the servitude restrictions “will necessarily result in an increase on large commercial vehicle traffic on Flournoy Lucas…”
WK pleadings allege that the servitude is unlawful for many reasons, which the City has denied in its answer.
So, what’s the catch?
WK and the Caddo-Bossier Port would greatly benefit from the expressway IF large commercial truck traffic was allowed on the expressway. For WK, there would be less commercial truck traffic and potentially less accidents on Flournoy Lucas in the vicinity of The Oaks. The large commercial truck traffic to the Port would benefit from the shortcut to Highway One.
Interesting enough Brian Crawford is the WK CAO and a Port Commissioner, leading some skeptics of the proposed expressway to suspect collision.
WK President/CEO Jaf Fielder has been quoted in the Shreveport-Bossier Advocate saying the servitude restrictions “raise serious concerns about increased congestion and safety risks to surrounding neighborhoods.” Fielder did not explain his illogical reasoning since the restrictions have no impact on the existing commercial truck traffic on Flournoy Lucas Road.
The Shreveport-Bossier Advocate quotes Tim James as saying, “I expect everything will work out.”
Lost in these legal shenanigans are the residents of 12 Oaks who will have an expressway virtually in their backyards and those in both 12 Oaks and Esplanade who expect the expressway will not only decrease their property values but also the attractiveness of their submissions.
If WK’s lawsuit is successful, the RRE servitude will be revoked. In that instance the tract will become the city’s Strait of Hormuz with the warring tractions being WK, 12 Oaks and Esplanade subdivisions, the Port and James.
Stay tuned.
John came to Shreveport in January of 1977 when he was transferred to Barksdale AFB.
He’s been active in Shreveport politics since deciding to make Shreveport his home.
John practiced law for 40 years and he now monitors local politics. He regularly attends Shreveport City Council and Caddo Parish Commission meetings.
John is published weekly in The Inquisitor, bi-monthly in The Forum News, and frequently in the Shreveport Times.
He enjoys addressing civic groups on local government issues and elections.