Brace yourself for some shocking news – Shreveport is very accessible by bike. Despite limited infrastructure like bike lanes, bike parking, and other amenities, it is still quite easy to bike through the city’s neighborhoods to arrive at your destination. Shreveport cyclists hope that the city will join Baton Rouge and New Orleans as bronze award-winning, bicycle-friendly communities in Louisiana.
The two most accessible ways to explore Shreveport-Bossier by bike are along either side of the Red River via the Clyde Fant Trail or Arthur Ray Teague Parkway. Outside of that, the Shreveport neighborhoods of Highland, South Highland and Broadmoor can give you plenty to explore and connect you to downtown. Follow Creswell Avenue, Gilbert Drive, Highland Avenue, Fairfield Avenue or Centenary Boulevard north to Marshall Street for a scenic, low-traffic route to downtown activities (see maps).
Maurice Loridans, a local bicycle advocate and commuter, has a terrific explanation of what the Shreveport-Bossier and Louisiana laws are regarding riding bicycles and safety. Personally, I have used these streets for the past three years with no problems. They are wide neighborhood streets with plenty of passing room, street lights, and have “sharrows” alerting drivers that these are heavily-used streets for bicycles.
Shreveport’s bicycle advocacy group is A Better Shreveport, whose members have been working with the Northwest Louisiana Council of Governments (NLCOG) to develop bicycle and pedestrian plans. Plans from the Shreveport Common team have also included bike lanes, shared paths, and artistic bike racks placed around town! The Caddo Parish Commission has also included new bicycle lanes in its construction along North Lakeshore Drive, north of scenic Cross Lake, and I can tell you firsthand that the lanes currently in place are useful and help to connect cyclists to Caddo Parish’s park system.
I urge everyone to advocate for progressive cycling efforts in our city and get involved by starting a weekend bike ride group, planning a tour of the city, or just riding your bike to the park! The best way to experience the sights, sounds, and sense of community unique to Shreveport-Bossier is by bike.
