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Louisiana Highway 10 (LA 10) is a
state highway A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either ''numbered'' or ''maintained'' by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered by a ...
located in southern
Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
. It runs in an east–west direction from
U.S. Highway 171 U.S. Highway 171 (US 171) is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System and the only route within that system currently located entirely within the state of Louisiana. It spans in a north–south direction from the junction of U.S. ...
(US 171) south of Leesville to the
Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
state line east of
Bogalusa Bogalusa is a city in Washington Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 12,232 at the 2010 census. In th2020 censusthe city, town, place equivalent reported a population of 10,659. It is the principal city of the Bogalusa Micropolit ...
. The route connects a string of small towns and cities across the
Central Louisiana Central Louisiana (Cenla), also known as the Crossroads, is a region of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The largest communities in the region as of the 2010 Census were Alexandria (47,893), Natchitoches (18,323) and Pineville (14,555). Central ...
, Acadiana, and
Florida Parishes The Florida Parishes ( es, Parroquias de Florida, french: Paroisses de Floride), on the east side of the Mississippi River—an area also known as the Northshore or Northlake region—are eight List of parishes in Louisiana, parishes in the southe ...
regions of the state. It runs parallel and to the north of the busier US 190 corridor. LA 10 crosses the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...
via the John James Audubon Bridge, the only such crossing between
Baton Rouge Baton Rouge ( ; ) is a city in and the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-sma ...
and Natchez, Mississippi. The western terminus in
Vernon Parish Vernon Parish (French: ''Paroisse de Vernon'') is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 52,334. The parish seat is Leesville. Bordered on the west by the Sabine River, the parish was founde ...
comes within of reaching the Sabine River at the
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
state line and making LA 10 a true cross-state route. During its lengthy route, LA 10 traverses ten parishes and connects six
parish seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
s, including
Ville Platte Ville Platte is the largest city in, and the parish seat of, Evangeline Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 7,430 at the 2010 census, down from 8,145 in 2000. The city's name is of French origin, roughly translating to "flat town ...
,
New Roads New Roads (historically french: Poste-de-Pointe-Coupée) is a city in and the parish seat of Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana, United States. The center of population of Louisiana was located in New Roads in 2000. The population was 4,831 at the ...
, St. Francisville, Clinton, Greensburg, and Franklinton. It also passes through the cities of Oakdale and Bogalusa as well as towns such as
Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
and
Jackson Jackson may refer to: People and fictional characters * Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Qu ...
. LA 10 intersects most of the state's major north–south highways, including
Interstate 49 Interstate 49 (I-49) is a north–south Interstate Highway that exists in multiple segments: the original portion entirely within the state of Louisiana with an additional signed portion extending from I-220 in Shreveport to the Arkansas st ...
(I-49),
Interstate 55 Interstate 55 (I-55) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, connecting the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes. The h ...
(I-55), US 51, US 61, US 71, US 165, US 167, and US 171. Since the end of 2010, LA 10 has existed in two disconnected sections as the
Melville Ferry Melville may refer to: Places Antarctica *Cape Melville (South Shetland Islands) *Melville Peak, King George Island * Melville Glacier, Graham Land * Melville Highlands, Laurie Island * Melville Point, Marie Byrd Land Australia *Cape Melville, ...
service across the
Atchafalaya River The Atchafalaya River ( french: La Rivière Atchafalaya, es, Río Atchafalaya) is a distributary of the Mississippi River and Red River in south central Louisiana in the United States. It flows south, just west of the Mississippi River, and ...
was discontinued. The nearest bridge crossing is on US 190 at
Krotz Springs Krotz Springs is a town in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Atchafalaya River. The population was 1,198 at the 2010 census, down from 1,219 in 2000. It is part of the Opelousas–Eunice Micropolitan Statistical Area. His ...
, to the south via LA 77 and LA 81. Alternately, motorists may cross the river via LA 1 at Simmesport, to the north.


Route description


Western terminus to Ville Platte

From the west, LA 10 begins at an intersection with US 171 in Pickering, a point in
Vernon Parish Vernon Parish (French: ''Paroisse de Vernon'') is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 52,334. The parish seat is Leesville. Bordered on the west by the Sabine River, the parish was founde ...
located between DeRidder and Leesville. It proceeds east as an undivided two-lane highway, immediately crossing the
Kansas City Southern Railway The Kansas City Southern Railway Company is an American Class I railroad. Founded in 1887, it operates in 10 midwestern and southeastern U.S. states: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and ...
(KCS) tracks, and passes along the southern edge of the
U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
base at
Fort Polk Fort Polk is a United States Army installation located in Vernon Parish, Louisiana, about 10 miles (15 km) east of Leesville and 30 miles (50 km) north of DeRidder in Beauregard Parish. It was named to honor Leonidas Polk, the firs ...
. LA 10 then turns to the southeast for and passes through the Vernon Unit of the
Kisatchie National Forest Kisatchie National Forest, the only National forest in Louisiana, United States, is located in the forested piney hills and hardwood bottoms of seven central and northern parishes. It is part of the Cenozoic uplands (some of Louisiana's olde ...
. Curving back to the east, the highway continues before intersecting LA 399 in an area known as
Cravens Cravens Railway Carriage and Wagon Company Limited was a railway rolling stock builder in the Darnall district of Sheffield, England. Founded by brothers named Craven and known as Craven Brothers, later Cravens Limited, it remained a family busi ...
. After a brief concurrency with LA 10, LA 399 turns to the northeast toward
Fullerton Lake Fullerton may refer to: Places Australia * Fullerton Cove, New South Wales Canada * Cape Fullerton, Nunavut India * Fullerton Securities, a financial planning and wealth management product company United States * Fullerton, California, a city ...
. East of Cravens, LA 10 curves to the southeast and passes through the small community of Pitkin. Here, it intersects LA 113, which heads south to US 190 in
Reeves Reeves may refer to: People * Reeves (surname) * B. Reeves Eason (1886–1956), American director, actor and screenwriter * Reeves Nelson (born 1991), American basketball player Places ;Ireland * Reeves, County Kildare, townland in County K ...
. LA 10 and LA 113 proceed eastward out of Pitkin together. LA 113 then splits to the northeast toward Glenmora while LA 10 heads southeast through
Dido Dido ( ; , ), also known as Elissa ( , ), was the legendary founder and first queen of the Phoenician city-state of Carthage (located in modern Tunisia), in 814 BC. In most accounts, she was the queen of the Phoenician city-state of Tyre (t ...
and into
Allen Parish Allen Parish (french: Paroisse d'Allen) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 25,764. The parish seat is Oberlin and the largest city is Oakdale. Allen Parish is in southwestern Louisia ...
. Just across the parish line, LA 10 passes along the north side of the town of
Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist Ships * HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships * ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...
and has a brief concurrency with LA 112, which connects to DeRidder on the west and Union Hill on the east. LA 10 continues southeast for about and crosses a bridge over the
Calcasieu River The Calcasieu River ( ; french: Rivière Calcasieu) is a river on the Gulf Coast in southwestern Louisiana. Approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed June 20, ...
. Shortly afterward, the highway enters the city of Oakdale, widening to an undivided four-lane highway with center turning lane, and curves due east. LA 10 intersects US 165, which parallels the
Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...
(UPRR) tracks. US 165 connects to
Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...
on the northeast and Lake Charles on the southwest. After passing along the southern edge of the downtown area, LA 10 intersects LA 372 (South 21st Street). The highway narrows to two lanes shortly before crossing the city limits and heads toward the parish line. After crossing into
Evangeline Parish Evangeline Parish (french: Paroisse d'Évangéline) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 33,984. The parish seat is Ville Platte. History The parish was created out of lands formerly be ...
, LA 10 intersects LA 106 at a point known as Beaver. LA 106 heads due east toward Pine Prairie while LA 10 begins to make a long bend to the south through a sparsely populated area. later, the route resumes its eastward course. At Barber Spur, LA 10 intersects LA 13 a distance of north of
Mamou Mamou (Pular: 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤥𞤵𞤲) is a city and sub-prefecture in a valley of the Fouta Djallon area of Guinea. Population 376,269 (2018 est),and the city is almost 98% Fulani tribe. Eunice Eunice is a feminine given name, from the Greek Εὐνίκη, ''Euníkē'', from "eu", good, and "níkē", victory. Eunice is also a relatively rare last name, found in Nigeria and the Southeastern United States, chiefly Louisiana and Georgia. Pe ...
and
Crowley Crowley may refer to: Places * Crowley, Mendocino County, California, an unincorporated community *Crowley County, Colorado * Crowley, Colorado, a town in Crowley County *Crowley, Louisiana, a city * Crowley, Oregon (disambiguation) * Crowley, Te ...
on the south. Shortly after this intersection, LA 10 passes the Mamou Municipal Airport and intersects LA 376 in Vidrine. later, LA 10 intersects and begins a concurrency with US 167 at the western edge of
Ville Platte Ville Platte is the largest city in, and the parish seat of, Evangeline Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 7,430 at the 2010 census, down from 8,145 in 2000. The city's name is of French origin, roughly translating to "flat town ...
, the
parish seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
.


Ville Platte to Melville

US 167 and LA 10 enter Ville Platte on West Main Street as an undivided four-lane highway with center turning lane, but the roadway soon separates to follow Main Street eastbound and LaSalle Street westbound, becoming a divided four-lane highway. Passing through the commercial section of town, the highway crosses the Acadiana Railway (AKDN) tracks and intersects LA 29 (South Chataignier Street). LA 29 begins a brief concurrency with US 167 and LA 10 before turning north onto Tate Cove Road. At this intersection, signs direct motorists to follow LA 29 northbound to reach
I-49 Interstate 49 (I-49) is a north–south Interstate Highway that exists in multiple segments: the original portion entirely within the state of Louisiana with an additional signed portion extending from Interstate 220 (Louisiana), I-220 in S ...
. Shortly afterward, the one-way couplet ends as US 167 and LA 10 proceed eastward out of Ville Platte as an undivided four-lane highway with center turning lane once again. Just outside the city limits, the highway narrows to two lanes and then curves to the southeast at LA 748 (Grand Prairie Road) en route to the
St. Landry Parish St. Landry Parish (french: Paroisse de Saint-Landry) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 83,384. The parish seat is Opelousas. The parish was established in 1807. St. Landry Parish co ...
line. In St. Landry Parish, US 167 and LA 10 intersect and briefly run concurrently with LA 103 south of Grand Prairie. After proceeding southeast through Plaisance, the route intersects LA 749, which heads south into
Opelousas :''Opelousas is also a common name of the flathead catfish.'' Opelousas (french: Les Opélousas; Spanish: ''Los Opeluzás'') is a small city and the parish seat of St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States. Interstate 49 and U.S. Route 190 were ...
. Shortly afterward, at a point known as
Nuba The Nuba people are indigenous inhabitants of central Sudan. Nuba are various indigenous ethnic groups who inhabit the Nuba Mountains of South Kordofan state in Sudan, encompassing multiple distinct people that speak different languages which b ...
, the long concurrency of US 167 and LA 10 ends at an intersection with LA 182. US 167 continues east a short distance to I-49 and follows the interstate through Opelousas to
Lafayette Lafayette or La Fayette may refer to: People * Lafayette (name), a list of people with the surname Lafayette or La Fayette or the given name Lafayette * House of La Fayette, a French noble family ** Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757 ...
. Meanwhile, LA 10 turns north to follow LA 182 into the small town of
Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
, situated on Bayou Courtableau. The route passes through the historic town center along Main Street and intersects LA 103, the town's connection to I-49, a second time. LA 10 and LA 182 proceed northeast across a bridge over Bayou Courtableau, exiting Washington. later, after curving due north, the route enters into an interchange with I-49 at Exit 27, connecting to Opelousas and Alexandria. After intersecting LA 745 (Thistlethwaite Boy Scout Camp Road) at Macland, LA 10 and LA 182 separate at a point known as Beggs. LA 10 curves to the northeast toward Lebeau where it intersects US 71, connecting to Alexandria via Bunkie on the northwest and
Krotz Springs Krotz Springs is a town in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Atchafalaya River. The population was 1,198 at the 2010 census, down from 1,219 in 2000. It is part of the Opelousas–Eunice Micropolitan Statistical Area. His ...
on the southeast. From this intersection, LA 10 turns east and closely parallels the Union Pacific Railroad tracks through the village of Palmetto. Over the next , LA 10 travels through a largely unpopulated area that is part of the
Atchafalaya Basin The Atchafalaya Basin, or Atchafalaya Swamp (; Louisiana French: ''L'Atchafalaya'', ), is the largest wetland and swamp in the United States. Located in south central Louisiana, it is a combination of wetlands and river delta area where the Atc ...
. The route continues along the UPRR tracks into the town of Melville where it becomes known as Lafleur Street. At Fontenot Street, LA 10 intersects and begins a brief concurrency with LA 105, a highway that generally runs along the west bank levee of the
Atchafalaya River The Atchafalaya River ( french: La Rivière Atchafalaya, es, Río Atchafalaya) is a distributary of the Mississippi River and Red River in south central Louisiana in the United States. It flows south, just west of the Mississippi River, and ...
. LA 105 turns north onto Landrum Street and crosses under the UPRR tracks while LA 10 proceeds over the levee to a dead end at the Atchafalaya River, which forms the boundary between St. Landry Parish and
Pointe Coupee Parish Pointe Coupee Parish ( or ; french: Paroisse de la Pointe-Coupée) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 22,802; in 2020, its population was 20,758. The parish seat is New Roads. Pointe ...
.


Atchafalaya River to Mississippi River

The route resumes as a gravel road on the east bank of the Atchafalaya River in an area of Pointe Coupee Parish known as
Red Cross The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million Volunteering, volunteers, members and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure re ...
. LA 10 curves to the north while crossing the river levee. Now running parallel with the levee, the highway passes underneath the Union Pacific Railroad bridge. Shortly afterward, it turns east while LA 417 continues the route north along the levee. Over the next , LA 10 proceeds east along Laio Road through the largely unpopulated
Morganza Spillway The Morganza Spillway or Morganza Control Structure is a flood-control structure in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located along the western bank of the Lower Mississippi River at river mile 280, near Morganza in Pointe Coupee Parish. The spi ...
. The highway makes a bend to the south through Ravenswood then resumes an eastward course and intersects LA 77. This section of LA 77, forming its northern terminus, is unsigned and also sports a gravel surface. LA 10 turns north, continuing the route of LA 77, and curves to the east across a second levee to exit the Morganza Spillway. It immediately intersects LA 77 Spur, a paved highway signed as the mainline route. Motorists are directed to turn south onto this route to reach US 190. From this intersection, LA 10 turns north and becomes a paved highway once again. The route follows alongside Bayou Fordoche as it bends to the east toward the village of Morganza, located on the west bank of the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...
. Here, LA 10 crosses the Kansas City Southern Railway tracks and intersects LA 1, which heads northwest through Simmesport. LA 10 turns to the southeast and begins a concurrency with LA 1 along the railroad line for a distance of into the small city of
New Roads New Roads (historically french: Poste-de-Pointe-Coupée) is a city in and the parish seat of Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana, United States. The center of population of Louisiana was located in New Roads in 2000. The population was 4,831 at the ...
, the parish seat. Along the way, the route intersects LA 420 (Pointe Coupee Road), which connects to various points along the Mississippi River. LA 1 and LA 10 cross the New Roads city limits just after passing the False River Regional Airport. The concurrency ends as LA 1 turns south onto Hospital Road, bypassing the town. LA 10 continues ahead co-signed with LA 1 Bus. to an intersection with Parent Street. The business routes of LA 1 and LA 10 head southeast on Parent Street into town while mainline LA 10 travels along a northern bypass of the downtown area. later, LA 10 Bus. rejoins the main route at a second intersection with LA 420. LA 10 proceeds eastward for , traveling over a railroad overpass, to the foot of the John James Audubon Bridge over the Mississippi River. Just before crossing the bridge, a frontage road leads to LA 981, which follows alongside the river levee. LA 10 widens to a divided four-lane highway as it follows the
cable-stayed bridge A cable-stayed bridge has one or more ''towers'' (or ''pylons''), from which cables support the bridge deck. A distinctive feature are the cables or stays, which run directly from the tower to the deck, normally forming a fan-like pattern o ...
across the river and crosses into
West Feliciana Parish West Feliciana Parish (French: ''Paroisse de Feliciana Ouest''; Spanish: ''Parroquia de West Feliciana'') is a civil parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. At the 2010 census, the population was 15,625, and 15,310 at the 2020 census. ...
.


St. Francisville to Interstate 55

LA 10 returns to grade after as an undivided two-lane highway and curves to the northeast through a rural and forested area. later, the route reaches an intersection with US 61 in an area known as Starhill. LA 10 turns northwest to follow US 61, becoming a divided four-lane highway. US 61 and LA 10 intersect the rural highways LA 966 and LA 965 on the way to the parish seat, the small town of St. Francisville. Crossing the town limits, the median transitions to a center turning lane, and an intersection with Commerce Street connects with the historic center of town. As the center lane disappears, US 61 and LA 10 proceed northwest a short distance to a four-way intersection at Jackson Road. Here, US 61 heads northward toward the
Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
state line while LA 10 turns northeast toward
Jackson Jackson may refer to: People and fictional characters * Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Qu ...
. LA 10 continues northeast as an undivided two-lane highway through rural West Feliciana Parish for , passing through
Elm Park Elm Park is a suburban planned community in East London within the London Borough of Havering. Located east-northeast of Charing Cross, it is identified as a district centre in the London Plan with several streets of shops and a priority for ...
to a point known as Carney, where the highway curves to the east. later, it reaches a second intersection LA 965. LA 10 then intersects LA 421 just before crossing a bridge over Thompson Creek and into the East Feliciana Parish town of Jackson. LA 10 travels through Jackson on Charter Street, the town's central thoroughfare. After several blocks, it intersects LA 952 (College Street). At the eastern edge of town is an intersection with LA 68 (Carrs Creek Road), connecting to Wilson on the north and
Baton Rouge Baton Rouge ( ; ) is a city in and the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-sma ...
via US 61 on the south. east of Jackson, LA 10 crosses over the Gloster Southern Railroad (GLSR) line at a point known as
McManus McManus is an Irish surname. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic "Mac Mághnais", in modern Irish "McMaghnuis" which means "Son of Magnus". Its earlier origin is from the Latin "magnus", meaning "great". The Normans used it to honour Charlemagne ...
. Shortly afterward, the highway intersects LA 19, another north–south route connecting to Baton Rouge and Wilson. After heading northeast for , LA 10 curves due east at an intersection with LA 963. The highway passes between a residential development and a large tract of open land shortly before intersecting LA 955, which heads south through Grays to a point near Slaughter. later, LA 10 enters Clinton, the parish seat, running along St. Helena Street. LA 10 intersects LA 67 at Liberty Street, and the two highways run concurrent for two blocks until LA 67 turns south onto Plank Road, the town's main connection to Baton Rouge. On the way out of Clinton, LA 10 curves to the northeast and continues for before crossing the
Amite River The Amite River (french: Rivière Amite) is a tributary of Lake Maurepas in Mississippi and Louisiana in the United States. It is about long. It starts as two forks in southwestern Mississippi and flows south through Louisiana, passing Greate ...
into St. Helena Parish. After entering rural western St. Helena Parish, LA 10 curves to the southeast and intersects LA 38 at Coleman Town, south of Chipola, followed by LA 448 at Darlington. LA 448 connects with LA 37 to Baton Rouge. Continuing southeast, LA 10 intersects LA 1043 to
Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
. later, LA 10 enters Greensburg, the parish seat, and becomes known as Main Street. Nearing the center of town, LA 10 intersects LA 37 itself, followed by LA 43 (Kendrick Street) four blocks later. LA 43 zigzags onto LA 10 for one block then turns south onto Sitman Street toward Montpelier. Outside the town limits, LA 10 intersects LA 10 Spur, an alternate route into Greensburg from the east. Heading out of St. Helena Parish, LA 10 intersects and has a brief concurrency with LA 441, a rural highway.


Tangipahoa Parish to Bogalusa

Shortly after crossing into
Tangipahoa Parish Tangipahoa Parish (; French: ''Paroisse de Tangipahoa'') is a parish located in the southeast corner of the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 121,097. The parish seat is Amite City, while the largest city is ...
, LA 10 passes through an interchange with
I-55 Interstate 55 (I-55) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, connecting the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes. The h ...
at Exit 53, connecting to Hammond on the south and
Jackson, Mississippi Jackson, officially the City of Jackson, is the Capital city, capital of and the List of municipalities in Mississippi, most populous city in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The city is also one of two county seats of Hinds County, Mississippi, ...
on the north. Proceeding due east, LA 10 intersects US 51 at Fluker and turns south to follow that highway, running parallel to the
Canadian National Railway The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States. CN i ...
(CNRR) tracks. After , the route intersects LA 1048, which leads to another interchange with I-55. Just south of this intersection, at a point known as
Arcola Arcola may refer to: Places ; Australia * Arcola, Grafton, a heritage-listed house in New South Wales ;Canada * Arcola, Saskatchewan, a town in the Province of Saskatchewan * Arcola Airport, an airport in the Province of Saskatchewan ;England * ...
, LA 10 resumes its eastward course and separates from US 51, which continues south through Roseland and Amite City toward Hammond. After crossing a bridge over the
Tangipahoa River The Tangipahoa River ( ) originates northwest of McComb in southwest Mississippi, and runs south U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed June 20, 2011 through Lake Tangipahoa in ...
, LA 10 begins to travel in a general northeastern direction and intersects the rural highways LA 1058, LA 1054, and LA 1061 over the next . The latter junction is located in an area known as Wilmer, and LA 10 continues eastward for before crossing the
Tchefuncte River The Tchefuncte River ( ) drains into Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana in the United States. It is about long.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed June 20, 2011 Etymology The ...
into Washington Parish. Just across the parish line, LA 10 intersects LA 450 at Stoney Point. LA 450 connects to
Sunny Hill Sunny Hill ( Hangul: ) is a South Korean girl group (formerly a co-ed group) formed in 2007 by For Everyone Media. The group consists of Bitna, Kota, Eunju and Geonhee. Janghyun left the group in 2014 and Jubi and Misung left the group in 2019. ...
on the north and
Folsom Folsom may refer to: People * Folsom (surname) Places in the United States * Folsom, Perry County, Alabama * Folsom, Randolph County, Alabama * Folsom, California * Folsom, Georgia * Folsom, Louisiana * Folsom, Missouri * Folsom, New Jerse ...
on the south. Soon afterward, the highway curves to the northeast toward
Richardson Richardson may refer to: People * Richardson (surname), an English and Scottish surname * Richardson Gang, a London crime gang in the 1960s * Richardson Dilworth, Mayor of Philadelphia (1956-1962) Places Australia * Richardson, Australian Cap ...
, where it intersects LA 440. LA 10 turns east to continue the route of that highway toward Franklinton. On the way, LA 10 intersects the concurrent LA 16 and LA 25, connecting to Amite City and Folsom, respectively. LA 10 turns northeast to join the concurrency across the Bogue Chitto River and into Franklinton, the parish seat. The route immediately curves into the downtown area and intersects Main Street, where LA 16 and LA 25 turn off to the south and north, respectively. LA 10 continues along Washington Street and intersects LA 436 (Mott Street) then curves eastward through the east side of town. Beyond Franklinton, LA 10 passes through a sparsely populated area, and after , it intersects LA 439. Soon afterward, LA 10 intersects LA 62 at Sheridan. LA 62 heads northward through the community of
Pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accep ...
. LA 10 curves to the southeast and passes along the edge of the Ben's Creek Wildlife Management Area. After , LA 10 crosses into the northwest corner of the city of
Bogalusa Bogalusa is a city in Washington Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 12,232 at the 2010 census. In th2020 censusthe city, town, place equivalent reported a population of 10,659. It is the principal city of the Bogalusa Micropolit ...
. The highway enters town on Sunset Drive then zigzags south onto Rio Grande Street and east onto Superior Avenue. At Shenandoah Street, LA 10 intersects LA 60. The highway briefly widens to four lanes as it passes through a commercial area and crosses the Canadian National Railway tracks. LA 10 proceeds briefly onto Carolina Avenue before turning northeast onto Louisiana Avenue, a divided two-lane residential thoroughfare. After several blocks, LA 10 intersects LA 21 (North Columbia Street), which connects to Covington on the southwest and
Columbia, Mississippi Columbia is a U.S. city in and the county seat of Marion County, Mississippi, which was formed six years before Mississippi was admitted to statehood. Columbia was named for Columbia, South Carolina, from which many of the early settlers had migr ...
on the north. The median disappears as LA 10 passes Ponemah Cemetery and becomes an undivided two-lane highway once again. Less than east of the Bogalusa city limits, LA 10 crosses a bridge over the
Pearl River The Pearl River, also known by its Chinese name Zhujiang or Zhu Jiang in Mandarin pinyin or Chu Kiang and formerly often known as the , is an extensive river system in southern China. The name "Pearl River" is also often used as a catch-a ...
and into the state of Mississippi, where it continues as
Mississippi Highway 26 Mississippi Highway 26 (MS 26) is a state highway in southern Mississippi. It runs from a continuation of Louisiana Highway 10 (LA 10) east through Pearl River, Stone, and George counties to MS 198 in Lucedale. Along the way it ...
(MS 26) toward Poplarville.


Route classification and data

LA 10 serves as the principal east–west route for many of the small towns and cities it traverses. Roughly half of the route is classified by the
Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) is a state government organization in the United States, in charge of maintaining public transportation, roadways, bridges, canals, select levees, floodplain management, port facili ...
(La DOTD) as a rural minor arterial. Portions of the route running through sparsely populated areas or areas otherwise served by the interstate highway system are often classified as major collectors. The very lightly populated and travelled section immediately east of the Atchafalaya River is a minor collector. However, several brief stretches of LA 10 serve as principal arterials, such as the portion running through Bogalusa and the concurrencies with US 61 and US 167 through St. Francisville and Ville Platte, respectively. Daily traffic volume in 2013 averaged between 3,000 and 5,000 vehicles for most of the rural portions of the route. The highest numbers reported were between 14,000 and 17,000 vehicles for the US 167 concurrency east of Ville Platte; 13,000 through Franklinton; and 11,700 for the US 61 concurrency near St. Francisville. The lowest numbers were reported on either side of the break in the route at the Atchafalaya River, averaging between 1,000 and 2,000 vehicles. The portion immediately east of the river between Red Cross and LA 77 averaged less than 200 vehicles. The posted speed limit is usually in rural areas, reduced to between and through town. Several stretches of LA 10 are included in the state's system of tourist routes known as the
Louisiana Scenic Byways Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a U.S. state, state in the Deep South and South Central United States, South Central regions of the United States. It is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 20th-smal ...
. These consist of the Myths and Legends Byway west of Oakdale and the Zydeco Cajun Prairie Byway between Ville Platte and Melville. A short section of the route between New Roads and St. Francisville is also part of the ten-state National Scenic Byway known as the Great River Road. This includes the John James Audubon Bridge across the Mississippi River, which is used as a connector between the west and east bank routes of the Great River Road. Additionally, the entirety of LA 10 east of Morganza is part of the Zachary Taylor Parkway, an ongoing parkway project first designated by the state legislature in 1992.


History


Pre-1955 route numbering

In the original Louisiana Highway system in use between 1921 and 1955, the modern LA 10 was part of several different state highways. West of the Mississippi River, these consist of State Route 257 from the western terminus at Pickering to Sandy Hill;
State Route 118 Route 118 or Highway 118 can refer to multiple roads: Argentina * National Route 118 (Argentina), National Route 118 Canada * British Columbia Highway 118 * New Brunswick Route 118 * Nova Scotia Highway 118 * Ontario Highway 118 * Prince ...
to Cravens; State Route 22 to the modern junction with LA 749 west of Nuba; State Route 217 to Nuba; State Route 5 to Beggs; State Route 27 to Lebeau; State Route 1 to the modern junction with LA 77 east of Ravenswood;
State Route 41 The following highways are numbered 41: International * AH41, Asian Highway 41 * European route E41 Australia * Olympic Highway * Mid-Western Highway Canada * Alberta Highway 41 * British Columbia Highway 41 * Manitoba Highway 41 * Newfoundlan ...
to Morganza; and State Route 30 to New Roads. The modern route bypassing New Roads and crossing the Mississippi River by bridge to US 61 at Starhill did not exist during the pre-1955 era. East of the Mississippi River, the pre-1955 state highway designations consist of State Route 3 from Starhill to St. Francisville; State Route 35 to Fluker; State Routes 33 and 35 concurrently from Fluker to Arcola; State Route 302 to Richardson; State Route 137 to the modern junction with LA 16 / LA 25 west of Franklinton; State Routes 34 and 35 concurrently into Franklinton; and State Route 35 for the remainder of the distance to the Mississippi state line east of Bogalusa. All of the above highway routes were designated by acts of the state legislature between 1921 and 1928. The portions of the routes used by the modern LA 10 remained largely consistent up to the 1955 Louisiana Highway renumbering with the exception of former Route 22 through Allen Parish. The original highway followed the present LA 1156 through Elizabeth and then travelled along
section line road In many jurisdictions in the United States, roads run along every section line, giving access to previously remote areas and serving in many instances as firebreaks. A road or arterial in which the centerline is laid out along a section line bound ...
s south and east into Oakdale. The present diagonal route connecting Elizabeth and Oakdale was laid out alongside an existing railroad line and opened around 1941.


Post-1955 route history

LA 10 was created in the 1955 renumbering, largely combining the routes of former State Routes 22 and 35. Pieces of important cross-state routes such as former State Routes 1 and 5, as well as short connectors such as former State Routes 27, 41, and 257 were used to create a continuous route running north of and parallel to the existing US 190 corridor across the state. Despite its length, most of the route of LA 10 has remained the same since 1955. The only major change has been the bypassing of New Roads and St. Francisville resulting from the construction of a cable-stayed bridge across the Mississippi River that replaced the toll ferry connecting the two communities.


John James Audubon Bridge

Until 2011, LA 10 followed the current business route through New Roads. It then crossed the present alignment north of town and followed what is now LA 420 and LA 981 to the former ferry landing opposite St. Francisville. After crossing the river by ferry, LA 10 continued on Ferdinand Street through St. Francisville to the present junction of US 61 and LA 10. The John James Audubon Bridge across the Mississippi River was constructed between May 2006 and February 2012 at a location downriver from the toll ferry service. In May 2011, the bridge was opened to traffic early when high water during the 2011 Mississippi River floods caused ferry operations to be suspended. The New Roads–St. Francisville Ferry was permanently discontinued with the opening of the bridge. The bridge project resulted in a realignment of several highway routes in the area. A northern bypass of New Roads was constructed to link LA 10 with the bridge, and the old route through town was designated as LA 10 Bus. LA 420 and LA 981 were extended to cover the remainder of the old route on the north side of the present route. At the same time, LA 1 was re-routed onto Hospital Road, a bypass formerly designated as LA 3131, on the west side of New Roads. Its former route through town became LA 1 Bus., sharing pavement with LA 10 Bus. On the opposite side of the river, a new highway was constructed to connect the Audubon Bridge with US 61 at Starhill, and LA 10 now followed US 61 into St. Francisville. The old route of LA 10 through town was renumbered as LA 1263 for several years until being transferred to local control in 2018.


Other improvements

The remaining route changes have mostly resulted from the construction of small sections of roadway to eliminate zigzags through several towns. The entire route through Oakdale was relocated along a former railroad right-of-way during the 2000s, eliminating six right-angle turns east of US 165. The original 1955 route entered town on 6th Avenue and turned south onto 13th Street, east onto 5th Avenue, south onto Irene Street, east onto Jackson Street, south onto Mill Street, and east onto South Street, continuing across LA 372 (21st Street) onto Old LA 10 to rejoin the present alignment. Later, the route was slightly altered to follow Jackson Street directly to 21st Street, turning south to Old LA 10 and eliminating two of the turns. The current route provides a streamlined four-lane corridor throughout Oakdale. In Greensburg, a zigzag was eliminated when a new highway segment was opened in 1994 leading eastward out of town. The old route has been retained as LA 10 Spur. Two zigzags were eliminated in Bogalusa at the Canadian National (formerly the
Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad The Gulf, Mobile and Ohio was a Class I railroad in the central United States whose primary routes extended from Mobile, Alabama, and New Orleans, Louisiana, to St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri, as well as Chicago, Illinois. From its two ...
) crossing. LA 10 originally curved north onto Cumberland Street just past the intersection with LA 60 then turned east to cross the railroad tracks on Ontario Avenue. The route then turned south onto Austin Street and east onto Carolina Avenue, proceeding along the current alignment. An eastward extension of Superior Avenue has streamlined this part of the route. Two bridge replacements in East Feliciana Parish have also eliminated zigzags through towns. LA 10 originally entered Jackson on a now-demolished bridge aligned with Sycamore Street, necessitating a jog onto Charter Street, the main thoroughfare. The present bridge crossing aligned with Charter Street was constructed in 1959. The approach roads to the old bridge still exist in an abandoned state. More recently, the original bridge crossing into Clinton was also replaced. Prior to 2005, LA 10 entered town on Jackson Street and turned north onto Bank Street before proceeding east on St. Helena Street. An additional improvement has been the widening of the Ville Platte corridor to four lanes around 1982 by diverting westbound traffic onto LaSalle Street, located two blocks north of Main Street which previously carried two-way traffic. Finally, the present bridge over the Pearl River at the Mississippi state line was constructed in 1998, replacing the original span that existed just to the north. The old approach road on the Louisiana side is still in use as a local road, including a smaller span over Peters Lake.


Melville Ferry closure

On December 31, 2010, the
Melville Ferry Melville may refer to: Places Antarctica *Cape Melville (South Shetland Islands) *Melville Peak, King George Island * Melville Glacier, Graham Land * Melville Highlands, Laurie Island * Melville Point, Marie Byrd Land Australia *Cape Melville, ...
service across the Atchafalaya River between St. Landry and Pointe Coupee Parishes was discontinued, effectively cutting the route of LA 10 in half. The ferry service and adjoining portions of LA 10 were once part of the main highway route between Baton Rouge and Alexandria and, on a larger scale,
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster.
; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...
and Shreveport. When the original state highway system was created in 1921, it was designated as part of State Route 1, which followed the
Jefferson Highway The Jefferson Highway was an automobile highway stretching through the central United States from New Orleans, Louisiana, to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Jefferson Highway was replaced with the new numbered US Highway system in the late 1920s. ...
auto trail The system of auto trails was an informal network of marked routes that existed in the United States and Canada in the early part of the 20th century. Marked with colored bands on utility poles, the trails were intended to help travellers in ...
. Five years later, it became the original route of US 71 when the
U.S. Highway System The United States Numbered Highway System (often called U.S. Routes or U.S. Highways) is an integrated network of roads and highways numbered within a nationwide grid in the contiguous United States. As the designation and numbering of these h ...
was created. It was bypassed as a major through route during the 1930s when bridges were constructed on the present US 190 at Krotz Springs and LA 1 at Simmesport. A bridge at Melville never came to fruition, and the ferry served a small number of travelers until its ultimate closure at the end of 2010.


Future

La DOTD is currently engaged in a program that aims to transfer about of state-owned roadways to local governments over the next several years. Under this plan of "right-sizing" the state highway system, two short sections of LA 10 are proposed for deletion as they do not meet a significant interurban travel function. In St. Landry Parish, the portion of LA 10 from Nuba to I-49 north of Washington is to be eliminated. This section of the route runs concurrent with LA 182 and is paralleled by I-49. The remaining portion of LA 10 to be deleted consists of the roadway sections that served the defunct Melville Ferry in Pointe Coupee Parish. It exists on either side of the Atchafalaya River, extending from LA 105 in Melville to LA 417 in Red Cross.


Major intersections


Special routes


New Roads business route

Louisiana Highway 10 Business (LA 10 Bus.) runs in a southwest to northeast direction from LA 1 Bus. and LA 10 to a second junction with LA 10 north of
New Roads New Roads (historically french: Poste-de-Pointe-Coupée) is a city in and the parish seat of Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana, United States. The center of population of Louisiana was located in New Roads in 2000. The population was 4,831 at the ...
. The highway follows the original route of LA 10 through New Roads before the construction of the John James Audubon Bridge across the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...
caused the realignment of several highway routes in the area. From the southwest, LA 10 Bus. heads east on Parent Street co-signed with LA 1 Bus. and immediately enters the city of New Roads. At New Roads Street, opposite the St. Augustine Catholic Church and Cemetery, LA 1 Bus. turns south toward the downtown area located along the False River. LA 10 Bus. turns north onto New Roads Street briefly before curving to the northeast and away from town. After , LA 10 Bus. ends at an intersection with its parent route opposite the eastern terminus of LA 420. LA 10 Bus. is an undivided two-lane highway for its entire length. The portion of the route shared with LA 1 Bus. is classified by the La DOTD as an urban minor arterial with an average daily traffic volume of between 5,800 and 6,300 vehicles in 2013. The remainder of the route is a mixture of urban collector and rural major collector averaging 4,800 vehicles daily through town, reduced to 1,220 as it approaches LA 10. The posted speed limit is generally through town and otherwise. Prior to 1955, the route was part of State Routes 30 and 35. It became part of the original route of LA 10 with the 1955 Louisiana Highway renumbering and remained so until the Audubon Bridge and adjacent New Roads bypass were opened in 2011. At this time, the old route through New Roads was retained in the state highway system as LA 10 Bus.


Greensburg spur route

Louisiana Highway 10 Spur (LA 10 Spur) runs in an east–west direction from a local road in Greensburg to a junction with LA 10 just east of the corporate limits. It is a remnant of the original route of LA 10 through Greensburg. LA 10 Spur is an undivided two-lane highway for its entire length. It is classified as a rural local road by the La DOTD with an average daily traffic volume of 1,270 vehicles in 2013. The posted speed limit is , increasing to outside the town limits. Prior to 1955, the route was part of State Route 35. It became part of the original route of LA 10 with the 1955 Louisiana Highway renumbering and remained so until the present parallel alignment was opened in 1994. At this time, LA 10 ceased to make a jog south onto Sitman Street and east onto this route, which was retained in the state highway system as LA 10 Spur. The western portion, extending from LA 43 (Sitman Street) to the current point of state maintenance, was returned to local control in 2015 as part of the LaDOTD's Road Transfer Program with the remainder proposed for deletion in the future.


See also

* * *
List of crossings of the Lower Mississippi River This is a list of bridges and other crossings of the Lower Mississippi River from the Ohio River downstream to the Gulf of Mexico. Locations are listed with the left bank (moving downriver) listed first. Crossings See also *List of crossings ...


References


External links

{{Attached KML, display=inline,title
Maps / GIS Data Homepage
Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
Louisiana Scenic Byways Homepage
0010 Transportation in Allen Parish, Louisiana Transportation in East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana Transportation in Evangeline Parish, Louisiana Transportation in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana Transportation in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana Transportation in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana Transportation in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana Transportation in Vernon Parish, Louisiana Transportation in Washington Parish, Louisiana Transportation in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana