SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – The Northwest Louisiana Council of Governments is once again asking for the public’s input on a long-opposed highway expansion.

“I have heard from a lot of people different sides both ways actually multiple ways some of them like it some of them don’t,” said the Executive Director of the Northwest Louisiana Council of Governments.

Shreveport residents were invited to attend the public input open house meeting, at the Shreveport Convention Center on October 17.

“We have been working on this for over 2 decades, we’ve gone through this process back in 2016 and we voted for route number one which was the most direct, we just want it built and it’s been too long,” said President of Fire Tech Systems Linda Biernacki.

“We’re for option number 5 which is the loop, the option that the council of governments wants is going to cost a billion dollars, where is the money coming from? The feds are broke, the state is broke the city sure is broke so we have a loop around the city that’s what we want,” said Allendale Strong member Bill Robertson.

As of right now, construction is still at a standstill, until one of the 5 alternatives is chosen. Kent Rogers says if all goes well, the construction could start as early as next year.

“That is the 100-million dollar question, we hope to have the final draft of that document on the street – summer or fall of next year,” Rogers said. “Once we are done with the public hearing, we’ll take those comments look at what the comments are, and address them appropriately.