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 a north–south direction from LA 13 north of
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 ...
to LA 114 west of Moreauville.
The route connects Eunice, a city in western
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 ...
, with
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
seat
A seat is a place to sit. The term may encompass additional features, such as back, armrest, head restraint but also headquarters in a wider sense.
Types of seat
The following are examples of different kinds of seat:
* Armchair (furniture), ...
of neighboring
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 ...
. Here, LA 29 briefly overlaps
U.S. Highway 167
U.S. Route 167 runs for from Ash Flat, Arkansas at U.S. Route 62/US Route 412 to Abbeville, Louisiana at Louisiana Highway 14. It goes through the cities of Little Rock, Arkansas, Alexandria, Louisiana, and Lafayette, Louisiana.
Some of the high ...
(US 167) and LA 10 through the center of town. North of Ville Platte, LA 29 crosses
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 s ...
(I-49) and parallels that highway toward Bunkie. It then passes through a string of small rural towns, such as
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, which ...
Avoyelles Parish
Avoyelles (french: Paroisse des Avoyelles) is a parish located in central eastern Louisiana on the
Red River where it effectively becomes the Atchafalaya River and meets the Mississippi River. As of the 2010 census, the population was 42,07 ...
.
LA 29 was designated in the
1955 Louisiana Highway renumbering
In 1955, Louisiana passed a law that undertook a comprehensive revision to the state highway classification and numbering system. The new system designated roads by importance to travel patterns and rectified the previous numbering system under n ...
, replacing portions of four former routes. These included State Route 119, State Route 224, State Route 5, and State Route 30. The portion of LA 29 between Cottonport and Long Bridge is scheduled to be eliminated from the state highway system in the future as part of 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) Road Transfer Program.
Route description
Eunice to Ville Platte
From the south, LA 29 begins at a junction with LA 13 just north of the
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 ...
city limits in extreme western
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 ...
. It heads northeast as an undivided two-lane highway, and the surroundings quickly change from residential to rural farmland. 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 29 turns due east through the village of Chataignier and overlaps LA 95 along Vine Street. LA 29 resumes its northward course when LA 95 turns off to the south onto St. Julien Road. LA 1165 laterals off of the highway with signs directing motorists toward the nearby city of
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 ...
. Passing near an area known as Point Blue, LA 29 has a brief concurrency with LA 104, which travels between
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.
LA 29 enters the city limits 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 ...
, just north of LA 1161 (Pine Point Road). The route follows South Chataignier Street to a junction with US 167/ LA 10 at the edge of the business section. US 167 and LA 10 follow the
one-way pair
A one-way pair, one-way couple, or couplet refers to that portion of a bi-directional traffic facilitysuch as a road, bus, streetcar, or light rail linewhere its opposing flows exist as two independent and roughly parallel facilities.
Descriptio ...
of Main and LaSalle Streets through town. LA 29 jogs eastward onto East Main Street for two blocks, overlapping the above highways, and thus becomes a divided four-lane highway briefly. Southbound LA 29 traffic follows East LaSalle and North Chataignier Streets during this stretch.
Ville Platte to Avoyelles Parish
LA 29 heads out of Ville Platte after turning north onto Tate Cove Road. Just beyond the city limits, the route zigzags onto a parallel road running east of Tate Cove and crosses back into St. Landry Parish about later. Immediately across the parish line, LA 29 passes through a
diamond interchange
A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a controlled-access highway crosses a minor road.
Design
The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge. Approaching the ...
with
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 ...
at exit 40, connecting with Opelousas and
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 ...
. The highway turns northwest at a T-intersection with LA 182 near Whiteville and proceeds into
Avoyelles Parish
Avoyelles (french: Paroisse des Avoyelles) is a parish located in central eastern Louisiana on the
Red River where it effectively becomes the Atchafalaya River and meets the Mississippi River. As of the 2010 census, the population was 42,07 ...
.
LA 29 parallels the interstate northward for a few miles before entering the city of Bunkie. During this stretch, the highway crosses the serpentine
Bayou Boeuf
Kraemer is a census-designated place (CDP) in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 934. Its ZIP code is 70371. It is also known as Bayou Boeuf.
Demographics
Education
Lafourche Parish Public Scho ...
several times and intersects LA 106, a connection to I-49. Upon entering Bunkie, LA 29 follows Pershing Avenue to the center of town and a junction with US 71 (Southwest Main Street). LA 29 turns northwest to follow US 71 for three blocks before turning northeast briefly onto East Church Street and across 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 ...
(UP) tracks concurrent with LA 115. The combined route then branches eastward onto Evergreen Street and passes the local hospital and high school complexes on the way out of Bunkie. After LA 115 departs to the north toward Hessmer and Marksville, LA 29 continues through the small town of
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, which ...
.
The highway assumes a winding path along several bayous for the remainder of its journey. Traveling along Front Street through the town of Cottonport, LA 29 takes on the character of a scenic route as it hugs a sharp bend in Bayou Rouge. Beginning at Cottonport Avenue, the route also overlaps LA 107, another connection to Marksville as well as nearby Mansura. After branching eastward from LA 107, LA 29 proceeds into the incorporated community of
Long Bridge
Long may refer to:
Measurement
* Long, characteristic of something of great duration
* Long, characteristic of something of great length
* Longitude (abbreviation: long.), a geographic coordinate
* Longa (music), note value in early music mensur ...
and reaches its northern terminus at a junction with LA 114 west of Moreauville. LA 114 provides connections to LA 1, the main highway through the area.
Route classification and data
LA 29 has several different classifications over the course of its route, as determined 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). Most of the route between Eunice and Bunkie is classified as a rural major collector, with the remainder diminishing in importance from a rural minor arterial to a rural minor collector. The short concurrency with US 167/LA 10 in Ville Platte is classified as an urban principal arterial. Daily traffic volume in 2013 peaked at 17,100 vehicles in Ville Platte and 8,400 in Bunkie. Most of the route averaged less than 5,000 vehicles per day, with a low of 880 reported south of Bunkie. The posted speed limit is generally , reduced as low as within the two cities.
Three portions of LA 29 are included in state-designated system of tourist routes known as the
Louisiana Scenic Byways
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 border ...
. The first two are short sections south of Chataignier and Bunkie that are part of the Zydeco Cajun Prairie Byway and Northup Trail, respectively. The third extends from Bunkie to the northern terminus near Moreauville and is part of the Louisiana Colonial Trails byway.
Louisiana Department of Highways
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 ...
renumbered the state highway system in 1955.
With the 1955 renumbering, the state highway department initially categorized all routes into three classes: "A" (primary), "B" (secondary), and "C" (farm-to-market). This system has since been updated and replaced by a more specific
functional classification
The functional classification of a road is the class or group of roads to which the road belongs. There are three main functional classes as defined by the United States Federal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) ...
system.
As the above description indicates, the northern terminus at Long Bridge was originally a junction with LA 1. In the mid-1960s, however, LA 1 was moved onto a new and straighter alignment through the area, and LA 114 was extended over the old route. Small improvements have also been made to the alignment of LA 29 over the years. In the early 1960s, a short section of the highway closely following the
Texas and Pacific Railway
The Texas and Pacific Railway Company (known as the T&P) was created by federal charter in 1871 with the purpose of building a southern transcontinental railroad between Marshall, Texas, and San Diego, California.
History
Under the influence of ...
(now the Acadiana Railway) was bypassed. This eliminated a sharp turn across the rail line and allowed the highway to cross at a safer angle. During the early 1970s, both LA 13 and LA 29 were straightened heading north from Eunice. The junction of the two routes was originally located at the intersection of 2nd Street and Camelia Avenue. LA 29 traveled north on 2nd Street, east on Dean Avenue, and north on Threatt Street to join the current alignment. Finally, the highway was re-routed north of Ville Platte around 1988. The original route traveled north on what is now LA 1171 to Tate Cove and turned southeast on LA 3247. LA 29 was simply re-signed to follow what was then LA 363 east and LA 1170 north, creating a somewhat more direct routing.
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, the portion of LA 29 between Cottonport and Long Bridge is proposed for deletion as it no longer meets a significant interurban travel function.
Major intersections
Spur route
Louisiana Highway 29 Spur (LA 29 Spur) runs in a north–south direction along North Chataignier Street in
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
seat
A seat is a place to sit. The term may encompass additional features, such as back, armrest, head restraint but also headquarters in a wider sense.
Types of seat
The following are examples of different kinds of seat:
* Armchair (furniture), ...
of
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 ...
. It is a short connector between the travel lanes of the concurrent US 167/ LA 10, which follows the
one-way pair
A one-way pair, one-way couple, or couplet refers to that portion of a bi-directional traffic facilitysuch as a road, bus, streetcar, or light rail linewhere its opposing flows exist as two independent and roughly parallel facilities.
Descriptio ...
of Main and LaSalle Streets through town.
The route is signed as part of mainline LA 29, as it performs that function for certain traffic movements at the westernmost intersection of LA 29 and US 167/LA 10. Its existence dates back to around 1982, when the one-way pair was put into effect, giving US 167/LA 10 a four-lane corridor through Ville Platte.
Major intersections