BRIDGE OF UNITY: Thousands of lights twinkle on Texas Street bridge
SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) - New life and light are coming to the Texas Street bridge for the first time since it went dark in 2014. The span that connects downtown Shreveport and Bossier City was carefully rigged with thousands of lights; it’s all thanks to the generosity of a Shreveport doctor and various community organizations.
Dr. George Bakowski, an optometrist who practiced in Shreveport for 45 years, said he felt compelled to donate $1 million to help flick the lights back on after learning they were turned off eight years ago.
“For the last 45 years, the local community has supported my practice of optometry, and I decided to give back something that could be enjoyed by everyone,” said Bakowski. “The bridge created civic pride, economic development, and gave us a footprint on a map.”