Former Louisiana Highways

[mcdonaat]

That 1937 map shows everything wrong with the 1920's highway system. LA 1318 1/2?? Almost matches LA 99 1/2 in North Louisiana. Imagine your GPS: "In 200 feet, turn right onto Highway 99 and one half. Then, in 2 miles, turn left onto Highway C-1240.

Also note the haphazard and, shall I say, unorthodox trajectories of the numbered designations. LA 1108 overlaps other routes for its entire length; looks like 1318 1/2 magically turns into 877 at the Comite River; also note the routing of LA 276. Most of this nonsense is related to the content of the route descriptions in the original legislative acts.

I still would like to know what "C" routes represented. My wild guess is that they are La. Hwy. Commission assigned numbers as opposed to legislatively assigned numbers.

Looks like only the major roads were completely paved at the time; most of the roads were gravel surfaced. And this was within living memory.

The only thing is... the LHC was changed to the LDH in the early 40's, and State Route C-2080 was created in the late 40's. I can ask around for sure, but I would love to know why. Just for kicks, State Route C-2080 is now LA 28. Also, State Route 21 is now LA 121. State Route 6 is now LA 6, and State Route 15 is now LA 15. But hey, our state isn't exactly the best. I'll pay $25 to the person who can program a GPS to display the old route numbers!

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

That 1937 map shows everything wrong with the 1920's highway system. LA 1318 1/2?? Almost matches LA 99 1/2 in North Louisiana. Imagine your GPS: "In 200 feet, turn right onto Highway 99 and one half. Then, in 2 miles, turn left onto Highway C-1240.

Also note the haphazard and, shall I say, unorthodox trajectories of the numbered designations. LA 1108 overlaps other routes for its entire length; looks like 1318 1/2 magically turns into 877 at the Comite River; also note the routing of LA 276. Most of this nonsense is related to the content of the route descriptions in the original legislative acts.

I still would like to know what "C" routes represented. My wild guess is that they are La. Hwy. Commission assigned numbers as opposed to legislatively assigned numbers.

Looks like only the major roads were completely paved at the time; most of the roads were gravel surfaced. And this was within living memory.

The only thing is... the LHC was changed to the LDH in the early 40's, and State Route C-2080 was created in the late 40's. I can ask around for sure, but I would love to know why. Just for kicks, State Route C-2080 is now LA 28. Also, State Route 21 is now LA 121. State Route 6 is now LA 6, and State Route 15 is now LA 15. But hey, our state isn't exactly the best. I'll pay $25 to the person who can program a GPS to display the old route numbers!

You'll need more than $25. More like $25 K to pay folks to locate, then plot the routes, compile the numbers and end points for the routes in a database (or 2), just so one can create a GIS layer that can be plugged into a GPS unit (or more simply, any internet map program).

[Urban Prairie Schooner]

Some lost state highways from EBR Parish, courtesy of Act 40 of 1955:

La 32 - From a junction with La 30 in Baton Rouge to the State Capitol Building. [Third Street?]

La 425 - From a junction with La 30 south of Essen to La 427, near Essen. [Staring Lane]

La 947 - From a junction with La-US 190 approximately 2.2 miles east of the Baton Rouge By-Pass through or near Sharp Station to a junction with La 37 (excluding approximately 0.4 mile within the US Engineer Depot) [N. Sherwood Forest Drive]

La 949 - From a junction with La 425 southwest of Essen to a junction with La 427 southeast of Essen [Hyacinth St]

La 950 - Comprises the following sections of streets not otherwise numbered in the Baton Rouge area:

1) North 3rd and Choctaw Drive from Dunbar to Plank Road.
2) North 17th and Foss Drive from Ellerslie (extension) to Scenic Highway.
3) North Street from N 21st to N Foster Drive.
4) North Blvd. from N 22nd St. to Edison.
5) Reymond, Eugene, and Buckner Dr. [this is all Eugene St. today] from Perkins Road to North Blvd.
6) Edison from Government to North Blvd.
7) Government from St. Rose Ave. to S. Foster Dr.
8 ) Government St. and Lobdell Ave. from Jefferson Highway to Jefferson Highway.
9) N. Stadium Rd. and Dalrymple Dr. fron Nicholson Dr. to March St.
10) Highland Rd. from Nicholson Dr. Ext. to Terrace.
11) W. Campus Rd. loop from Stadium Dr. to Dalrymple Dr.
12) S. Stadium Rd. and S. Campus Dr. from Nicholson Dr. to Tower Rd.
13) Tower Rd. from S. Campus Dr. to Dalrymple Dr.
14) Raphael Semmes Rd. from Tower Dr. to Highland Rd.
15) Tower Circle from Raphael Semmes Rd. to Tower Dr. to Dalrymple Dr.
16) Highway Testing Lab Drives.
17) State Police Headquarters Drives.

1955 routing of La 30 - Beginning in Darrow, via the current routes of LA 75 and LA 327 to Gardere Lane, Highland Road, Nicholson Dr. Extension, Nicholson Drive, St. Phillip/St. Louis Sts., Third/Lafayette Sts., Florida Street ending at Business US 61-190 at Acadian Thruway.

[cenlaroads]

Some lost state highways from EBR Parish, courtesy of Act 40 of 1955:

La 32 - From a junction with La 30 in Baton Rouge to the State Capitol Building. [Third Street?]

3rd, 4th, and 5th streets are the only options I can think of, but I don't know anything about the history of downtown Baton Rouge's roads.  Do you or does anyone else know where the highway testing lab is/was?

[Urban Prairie Schooner]

Some lost state highways from EBR Parish, courtesy of Act 40 of 1955:

La 32 - From a junction with La 30 in Baton Rouge to the State Capitol Building. [Third Street?]

3rd, 4th, and 5th streets are the only options I can think of, but I don't know anything about the history of downtown Baton Rouge's roads.  Do you or does anyone else know where the highway testing lab is/was?

The testing lab is at the SE corner of Florida Blvd. and N. Foster Drive.

[NE2]

It ain't perfect, but Google Books has "snippet view" of the laws: http://books.google.com/books?id=uXZGAQAAIAAJ&q=%22la+32%22 There seem to be several different years here.

http://ims.er.usgs.gov/gda_services/download?item_id=5588172&quad=Baton%20Rouge%20West&state=LA&grid=7.5X7.5&series=Map%20GeoPDF
http://ims.er.usgs.gov/gda_services/download?item_id=5588174&quad=Baton%20Rouge%20West&state=LA&grid=7.5X7.5&series=Map%20GeoPDF
I don't see anything that could have been LA 32 (and note that LA 30 appears to end downtown, not at Florida and Acadian). (The latter shows the south end of I-110 as I-410 - !)

[cenlaroads]

Here are some former 3000 series LA routes.

LA 3035 - This was Sullivan Road in East Baton Rouge Parish from LA 37 to LA 3034.

LA 3052 - This was a temporary designation for the US 90 expressway through Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes while the road was under construction.

LA 3077 - This is now LA 27's current route from Lewis St. north of Sulphur to LA 108.

LA 3175 - This is now LA 6 from its north junction with LA 6 Business to LA 1.

LA 3198 - While US 90 was being upgraded, after the bypass of Raceland was complete, this route was current LA 182 from US 90 to LA 1 on the west side of Bayou Lafourche.

LA 3199 - This was current LA 182 from US 90 to LA 308, on the east side of Bayou Lafourche.

[mcdonaat]

According to the DOTD, highways can be relocated without legislative permission, per Act 74 of 1932 (about the same time that the C routes showed up. C routes are for Commission-designated routes, which are basically routes that the Commisssion made for the general public use. An example would be C-1500, which would become US 61/190 By-Pass. It was pooled together from a few different local dirt roads, realigned, and paved.

As for the last map that shows I-110 as I-410, plans were still up in the air to spur I-110 along its current route, then via Airline Highway to I-12. The neat thing, though, is that I-110 is older than I-10.

For Alexandria-area, LA 180 has not been deleted, but shortened to the connector road between US 71 and US 165. Baton Rouge-area has had LA 987-1/-2 deleted, and are going to be resigned as TO LA 1/TO US 190 in one direction, and TO LA 986 in the other. As far as Staring Lane being an older state route, I actually use a bypassed segment of Perkins Road to access Bluebonnet when coming from work (at the corner of Highland and Staring). I simply head up State Route 887 (Staring), then turn at State Route 275 (Hyacinth). It makes for a hell of a shortcut! A bridge stamped with State Route 887 still exists along Staring Lane, and is completely exposed due to construction.

[cenlaroads]

Here are a few more decommissioned routes I know of (I'm only listing highways I have driven):

LA 393  —  Abie Fontenot Road from LA 383 to US 165 (north of Iowa)

LA 446  —  In Livingston Parish, Gum Swamp Rd. from LA 42 near Frost to LA 444 near Bayou Barbary

LA 825  —  Pilgrim's Rest Church Rd. in Union Parish, from LA 15 to AR state line

LA 929  —  This is now Ascension Parish Route 929.

LA 962  —  Wadd Kent Rd. from LA 67 northwest about 2.4 miles (north of Clinton)

LA 974  —  Warranka Rd. from LA 10 south 0.8 miles (beginning about 2 miles west of Morganza)

LA 980  —  This is now West End Drive in New Roads

LA 1021  —  Amite Church Rd. from LA 1019 east about .2 miles (north of Denham Springs)

LA 1060  —  Arcola Rd. from US 51 about 2.3 miles northwest (north of Roseland in Tangipahoa Parish)

LA 1149  —  This is now the segment of LA 383 from Jefferson Davis parish line to US 165.  LA 383 formerly consisted only of that portion from US 90 north
about 10.3 miles.

LA 1154  —  East River Rd. from LA 1153 to Rapides Parish line (north of Oakdale)

LA 1202  —  N. Bayou Rapides Road from LA 496 to LA 496, near the Alexandria airport.  It's still labeled on Google maps.

The testing lab is at the SE corner of Florida Blvd. and N. Foster Drive.

Thanks!  I must have passed that building a hundred times then without knowing what it was.

[Urban Prairie Schooner]

I don't see anything that could have been LA 32 (and note that LA 30 appears to end downtown, not at Florida and Acadian). (The latter shows the south end of I-110 as I-410 - !)

Link to 1955 BR map with major routes labelled:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/77396241@N02/7416877896/in/photostream

[mcdonaat]

I don't see anything that could have been LA 32 (and note that LA 30 appears to end downtown, not at Florida and Acadian). (The latter shows the south end of I-110 as I-410 - !)

Link to 1955 BR map with major routes labelled:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/77396241@N02/7416877896/in/photostream

Would it be safe to assume that US 61/190 didn't ever go down the street configuration that US 61/190 Business go down today? Also noticed LA 1 using what is now LA 987-X streets through downtown Port Allen. It might be one of the instances where a rerouted original state route runs along its old route (the pre-1955 LA 1 and post-1955 LA 1 used the same surface street for a moment).

[NE2]

Interesting - I suppose the present Chippewa-3rd-River connection didn't exist yet. My guess is that LA 30 was the 3rd-Lafayette one-way pair, and became part of US 61-190 Biz soon after the renumbering.

[NE2]

Would it be safe to assume that US 61/190 didn't ever go down the street configuration that US 61/190 Business go down today?

The 1953 topo I linked shows it on 3rd/Lafayette-3rd-Choctaw-Scenic. Not exactly the same as now, but close.

[mcdonaat]

I guess US 61/190 Business isn't exactly the original routing through downtown, but it was shifted to those routes to avoid the construction with I-110, and left there. US 190 used to end at the ferry, so the route was a reverting back to the original alignment, in some respects.

[Urban Prairie Schooner]

I don't see anything that could have been LA 32 (and note that LA 30 appears to end downtown, not at Florida and Acadian). (The latter shows the south end of I-110 as I-410 - !)

Link to 1955 BR map with major routes labelled:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/77396241@N02/7416877896/in/photostream

Would it be safe to assume that US 61/190 didn't ever go down the street configuration that US 61/190 Business go down today? Also noticed LA 1 using what is now LA 987-X streets through downtown Port Allen. It might be one of the instances where a rerouted original state route runs along its old route (the pre-1955 LA 1 and post-1955 LA 1 used the same surface street for a moment).

These are the various iterations of route alignments for US 61/190 (and US 65 to early 1950s) through BR to the best of my knowledge:

Original late 1920s alignment: Old Hammond Hwy. (US 190); Jefferson Hwy. (US 61 and 190 past OHH intersection) to Clay Cut Rd., Claycut to Westmoreland (S. Acadian Thwy.), Westmoreland to Gov't, Gov't to Dufrocq (19th), Dufrocq to North Street, North Street to Jackson Road (Scenic Hwy. – US 61 only).   US 190 proceeded west on North St. to the old Miss. River ferry landing where it ended (it was extended across the river ca. 1935).

In 1936-7: OHH/US 190 and US 61/Jefferson Hwy.  to Gov't, Gov't to Foster, Foster to North Street, North to Bayou Sara Road (Scenic Hwy.). US 190 continued west via North Street to the ferry landing.

In 1939: OHH/Jeff Hy. to Gov't, Gov't to Dufrocq (19th), Dufrocq to North Street; US 190 west to ferry, US 61/65 east to Bayou Sara Road

US 190 was moved from Old Hammond and Jefferson Hwys. onto newly constructed Florida Blvd. in 1940. The route it met its old alignment at 19th and turned north to follow US 61/65 to the new Airline Highway bypass in Scotlandville (at what is likely Louisiana's oldest interchange). US 190 was moved to the Huey P. Long bridge (the "old" Miss. River bridge) in 1940 and removed from the ferry route, though the ferry itself continued to operate until 1968.  The Airline 'bypass route' was Bypass US 61/190.

From the late 40s to around 1954: US 61/65 entered BR via Jefferson Hwy., then to Government Street, East Blvd., North Blvd., to Lafayette/3rd couplet, merging together as N. 3rd St. near the State Capitol, then north to Choctaw Drive, then east to Scenic Hwy.  US 190 met this route at Florida St. and continued to the north from there. US 65 was removed around 1951.

In 1955: US 61/190 paired along Florida Blvd. from the traffic circle (now interchange) at Airline Hwy., then west to Margaretta St. (Acadian Thruway), then north on Margaretta to North St., then west on North St. to Scenic Highway, and Scenic Hwy. northward. 

In 1956: Florida Blvd. to N. 9th/N. 10th couplet, merging at the future Governor's Mansion curve into the original portion of the "Baton Rouge Freeway" (originally proposed as I-410, became part of I-110) to an exit at Scenic Hy., thence northward on Scenic.

Sometime around 1960-61, US 61/190 (now business) moved to the present route via River Road and Chippewa Street when those roadways were constructed.

The present Airline Highway bypass was signed as Bypass 61/190 until some point in the early 1960s.

[mcdonaat]

Actually, I want you to hop on the old bridge from LA 1-area and travel into Baton Rouge, and count the number of By-Pass shields. It's signed still, but its not officially US 61/190 Bypass, just US 61/190. I still refer to it as the bypass, actually. US 61/190 By-Pass shields aren't going anywhere anytime soon, and if they are, I have my hand in the hat for grabbing one.

[Urban Prairie Schooner]

I guess US 61/190 Business isn't exactly the original routing through downtown, but it was shifted to those routes to avoid the construction with I-110, and left there. US 190 used to end at the ferry, so the route was a reverting back to the original alignment, in some respects.

Downtown BR was not conveniently sited in relation to the historical north-south major routes, being situated as such between the refinery on the north and the LSU campus on the south. I think the alignment has moved a number of times as access has been improved, especially from the north.

[Urban Prairie Schooner]

Actually, I want you to hop on the old bridge from LA 1-area and travel into Baton Rouge, and count the number of By-Pass shields. It's signed still, but its not officially US 61/190 Bypass, just US 61/190. I still refer to it as the bypass, actually. US 61/190 By-Pass shields aren't going anywhere anytime soon, and if they are, I have my hand in the hat for grabbing one.

I know the shields are there, but since they don't look as if they've been changed out since the sixties, I consider them to be relics and thus superseded. Cool relics, but relics nevertheless.

[mcdonaat]

The coolest thing though, relic-wise, is the remaining cat-eye reflectors on the US 61/190 cloverleaf near Southern. If you turn your brights on, the reflectors still say US 61, and reflect pretty well, in my opinion. I've heard that the state MIGHT place old-style US cutout shields along the business routes around the state, where people know the roads by ___ Street or _____ Blvd, instead of the numbers.

[bassoon1986]

LA 3175 - This is now LA 6 from its north junction with LA 6 Business to LA 1.

I wonder if this was decided when they built that by-pass? I've never in my whole life seen that signed, it's always been LA 1 and LA 6. However in the past few years when they redid the street signs in that part of town and renamed the street in front of NSU campus to University Parkway, the street blades on the bypass say LA 3175.

[cenlaroads]

I don't know when the bypass was built, but the situation may have been the same as it was with the US 90 expressway bypass of Houma, when the partially completed road was named LA 3052 until the entire road was completed.  Perhaps the section once called 3175 was built first, and when the entire bypass was complete, it was renamed?

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Actually, I want you to hop on the old bridge from LA 1-area and travel into Baton Rouge, and count the number of By-Pass shields. It's signed still, but its not officially US 61/190 Bypass, just US 61/190. I still refer to it as the bypass, actually. US 61/190 By-Pass shields aren't going anywhere anytime soon, and if they are, I have my hand in the hat for grabbing one.

I know the shields are there, but since they don't look as if they've been changed out since the sixties, I consider them to be relics and thus superseded. Cool relics, but relics nevertheless.

They're regular shields. It's the bypass directionals above them that makes them "special." Considering the gun-play going on around EBR Parish, I don't see anyone risking their life to pick one of those "bypass" additions off.

[mcdonaat]

Plus the fact that anyone can report you, it's right there on mainline Airline. If anyone wants to steal a sign, just steal one from an unknown route!

[agentsteel53]

are any of the shields the old 16" size?

[mcdonaat]

Nope! They're 24-inch shields. I was told by someone that manages signing that the project was to simply replace the shields. The idea is that the road was signed as By-Pass US 61/190 for 40+ years in the field, and it doesn't bother the younger people. Older people still call it the Bypass, so it makes sense to sign it as such. However, they're not a priority issue, so it's no biggie. Makes for a neat thing to point out though.