Louisiana Highway 31
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Louisiana Highway 31 (LA 31) is a north–south state highway in Louisiana that serves
Iberia The Iberian Peninsula (), ** * Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica'' ** ** * french: Péninsule Ibérique * mwl, Península Eibérica * eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, defi ...
, St. Martin, and St. Landry parishes, extending from LA 182 in New Iberia, and ending at the same highway in Opelousas.


Route description

From the south, LA 31 begins at a junction with LA 182 in
New Iberia New Iberia (french: La Nouvelle-Ibérie; es, Nueva Iberia) is the largest city in and parish seat of Iberia Parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The city of New Iberia is located approximately southeast of Lafayette, and forms part of the Laf ...
. After a short distance, the route begins to travel along the west bank of
Bayou Teche Bayou Teche (Louisiana French: ''Bayou Têche'') is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed June 20, 2011 waterway of great cultural significance in south central Louisiana in t ...
. LA 31 crosses from
Iberia Parish Iberia Parish (french: Paroisse de l'Ibérie, es, Parroquia de Iberia) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. At the 2020 census, it had a population of 69,929; the parish seat is New Iberia. The parish was formed in 1868 during ...
into St. Martin Parish near a junction with LA 86. Passing through the historic town of
St. Martinville St. Martinville (french: Saint-Martin)Jack A. Reynolds. "St. Martinville" entry i"Louisiana Placenames of Romance Origin."LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses #7852. 1942. p. 480. is a city in and the parish seat of St. Martin Parish, Louisiana ...
, LA 31 briefly overlaps LA 96. Continuing northward, LA 31 makes a jog in the tiny community of
Parks A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urban green space, green spaces set aside for recreation inside t ...
and follows a western bend in Bayou Teche. In the town of
Breaux Bridge Breaux Bridge (;Jack A. Reynolds. "Breaux Bridge" entry i"Louisiana Placenames of Romance Origin."LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses #7852. 1942. p. 77. french: Pont-Breaux; frc, Pont-(de)-Breaux ) is a small city in St. Martin Parish, Loui ...
, LA 31 makes another jog and crosses LA 94. At the north end of town, the highway crosses but does intersect
I-10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost cross-country highway in the American Interstate Highway System. I-10 is the fourth-longest Interstate in the United States at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. This freeway is part of the originally pl ...
, the main highway across southern Louisiana. Access to the interstate is instead provided by LA 328 on the opposite bank of Bayou Teche. LA 31 continues to meander along several bends in the bayou, passing opposite
Cecilia Cecilia is a personal name originating in the name of Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music. The name has been popularly used in Europe (particularly the United Kingdom and Italy, where in 2018 it was the 43rd most popular name for girls born ...
en route to
Arnaudville Arnaudville is a town in St. Landry and St. Martin parishes in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The St. Martin Parish portion of Arnaudville is part of the Lafayette metropolitan statistical area, while the St. Landry Parish portion is part of the ...
. Here, the highway intersects the eastern terminus of LA 93, connecting with nearby
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 ...
. Immediately afterward, LA 31 switches to the opposite bank of Bayou Teche and proceeds northwest to Leonville, where it intersects LA 103. A few miles later, LA 31 leaves the path of Bayou Teche and eventually comes to a T-intersection with LA 742. The highway turns due west, enters the city limits 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 ...
, and 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. LA 31 proceeds on Creswell Lane a short distance further to its junction with LA 182 a few blocks south of the downtown area.


Major intersections


References

{{reflist 0031 Transportation in Iberia Parish, Louisiana Transportation in St. Martin Parish, Louisiana Transportation in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana