SHREVEPORT – LSU Shreveport student government president Devesh Sarda said breaking ground on a new drivable bridge from student apartments to the heart of campus signaled a distinct shift for the university.
Legislators and LSUS officials turned the first shovel of dirt Monday on the $4.38 million project, which will construct a vehicular and pedestrian bridge connecting Pilots Pointe Apartments to the rest of campus, crossing a ravine-sized drainage culvert that travels under Youree Drive.
“This marks a new chapter for LSUS – no longer can people say we’re just a commuter campus, we’re a residential campus,” said Sarda, who represents all Louisiana students on the Louisiana Board of Regents. “No more left-handed turns across oncoming traffic on the speedway that is Youree Drive when we’re stressing to make an 8 a.m. class.
“We will have a safe and convenient way to get to class.”
Construction will commence on the bridge that will link Ring Road on campus to the apartments, LSUS’s only residential living option.
The project is expected to be completed before the Fall 2026 semester.
Students can still see Youree Drive from the bridge crossing toward the front of campus, but the days of navigating left-handed turns across from the Wal-Mart entrance or taking the long way to class (right turns on Youree, Bert Kouns Industrial and East Kings Hwy.) will soon be over.
“This is a major safety upgrade for us, allowing students to safely transit from their apartments to campus without having to go on Youree Drive,” said LSUS Chancellor Dr. Robert Smith. “We’re particularly pleased that it’s happening now at a time when face-to-face enrollment is increasing rapidly.
“Pilots Pointe Apartments is at full capacity with a waitlist of 50 or more students. Up until last year, we were back filling our apartment vacancies with students from (Bossier Parish Community College and LSU Health Shreveport).”
Funding comes primarily from state legislative money, and Smith heartily thanked legislators who appropriated dollars to cover a $1.7 million shortfall in the project.
“We wouldn’t be here today celebrating this without our legislators,” said Smith, who also heralded the work of LSUS’s facilities team. “This project was in jeopardy, and I thought even a few months ago that this project wouldn’t happen this year.
“But I want to thank our legislators who worked so hard to get the funding to close the gap. Every elected official works hard for their districts, but our legislative team cares deeply about this part of northwest Louisiana that we call home.”
Louisiana state senator Thomas Pressly said this project reflects LSUS’s growth and importance in the region.
“It’s easy to fight for LSU Shreveport because of the work that Chancellor Bob is doing and the hard work that each and every one of the faculty and staff do to continue to put forth a vision to make LSU Shreveport an incredible place,” Pressly said. “It’s easy for our delegation of (Louisiana senator Alan Seabaugh) and (Louisiana representative Michael Melerine) and others to join together to fight for this wonderful institution and for northwest Louisiana.”
Representatives from other local, state, and national legislative offices were in attendance.
The improvement is one of many positive LSUS trends.
Enrollment of face-to-face students is a driver of the university’s record-setting enrollment, which reached 10,926 this spring.
Pilot Pointe Apartments is another bright spot as more than 75 percent of units have been renovated since LSUS assumed control over the property in 2020.
Improvements include stainless steel appliances and updated flooring along with full walk-in showers and an updated pool area.
The substantial enhancement to LSUS’s residential living space is expected to further grow the university’s face-to-face enrollment.
“We’re changing the face of higher education in northwest Louisiana,” Smith said. “We graduate more students than any other university outside of LSU Baton Rouge.
“Our students are getting national recognition at academic conferences and on the baseball diamond with the first-ever perfect season in college baseball history. It’s a really exciting time.”
