Kansas City Southern Railroad Bridge, Cross Bayou

The Kansas City Southern Railroad Bridge spans Cross Bayou with an A-frame truss design that crosses the waterway. It maintains its original single track and connects two sections of Shreveport on either side of the bayou.

Engineer John Alexander Low Waddell built this structure in the 1890s for a different location in Oklahoma. The bridge was moved to Shreveport and reassembled there in 1926 to serve its new community.

The bridge shows how important railroads were to daily life in Shreveport and the surrounding area. It was part of a network that connected people and goods, linking different parts of the community together.

The bridge is not open to the public for walking, as it remains an active railroad line. The best views come from pathways and vantage points along the edges of the bayou.

It is one of only two surviving examples of Waddell's patented A-frame truss design in existence. This rare construction method was a technological achievement that showcased engineering innovation of the era.

Location: Louisiana

Architects: John Alexander Low Waddell

GPS coordinates: 32.51944,-93.75028

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:00