Louisiana highway map mystery

[cjk374]

Last week, my fiance' & I went to the antique shop located in the old store at Clay, LA.  I bought and old highway map for $1.  I'm not sure how old this map is.  Here are some clues and details about the map:

1)  There are no interstates.

2)  There are no 4-digit state routes.

3)  The map was prepared by the Louisiana Dept. of Highways.

4)  The map legend shows a 1948-spec US shield as the sign used to designate US highways.

5)  It shows the following speed limits to be observed on Louisiana highways:
         *Automobiles:  60 MPH.  (color is actually used on the map)
         *Buses:  55 MPH.
         *Trucks:  45 MPH.
         * Also listed as a "law":  Do not drive unless you have a driver's license (except residents of states not requiring a license)  I didn't know such states existed.

6)  These are the phone numbers for a couple of the state police troops for reporting accidents:
         *Troop "A":  2-6141
         *Troop "D":  HEmlock 6-2505  (typed as printed on the map)

7)  The Westbank Expressway is shown as under construction between US 90 & LA 45.  The Ponchartrain Expressway is also listed 
         as under construction between US 61 & (I'm guessing because I am not familiar with the area) the east end of the Westbank   
         Expwy.

8)  There are absolutely no roads running through the Atchafalya Basin between US 90 & US 190.

Now some hints for the railfans amongst us:

1)  The only line operated by the Santa Fe (Merryville-Oakdale) is listed as the GC&SF RR. (Gulf Coast & Santa Fe perhaps?)

2)  All of Missouri Pacific's lines are still on the map including the branch into Farmerville, and their line from Collinston to Clayton.

3)  The Louisiana & North West RR's line from Bienville to Natchitoches is not on the map.  It was abandoned in 1924 (south of   
        Chestnut) and 1949 (south of Bienville).

4)  The Rock Island's line from Alexandria to Eunice is still shown.

Does anyone have any ideas?      

[usends]

Is US 71 shown ending in Port Allen or Krotz Springs?
Is US 167 shown ending in Alexandria or Abbeville?

[froggie]

Look in the bottom left corner of the main part of the map.  Based on your description, it will likely say "Surface Types Corrected To July 1, 1956".

[Alex]

See what best fits the description of your map on this list to date it:

https://web.archive.org/web/20101128220554/http://roadmaps.org/omml/la.html

[cbalducc]

1)  The only line operated by the Santa Fe (Merryville-Oakdale) is listed as the GC&SF RR. (Gulf Coast & Santa Fe perhaps?)

Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe.  I think the line between DeRidder and Oakdale was abandoned in the 1980s.  God bless.

[leroys73]

Only going by phone numbers I would make a guess of late 50's but for Louisiana could be 60's.

[mcdonaat]

What is the number for the highway running south of Alexandria through Opelousas and Ville Platte? If it's 26, then the highway is pre-1955 at least. If it shows LA 99 1/2 as running through Lucky and Friendship, then it's at least pre-1951.

No Interstates means pre-1956, so it's highly possible that the road is pre-1955. I can cross-reference the maps with the highway department scans from 1930, 1946, and 1954... including 1940 Census maps.

Scans, please!!!

[froggie]

No Interstates means pre-1956,

The 1956 LA map (which I have and mentioned upthread) does not have Interstates listed/shown.

[cjk374]

Is US 71 shown ending in Port Allen or Krotz Springs?
Is US 167 shown ending in Alexandria or Abbeville?

My computer died, so I am late responding.  Apparently Sundays will be the only day I have access to a working computer.

US 167 shows ending in Abbeville and US 71 ends in Krotz Springs.

What is the number for the highway running south of Alexandria through Opelousas and Ville Platte? If it's 26, then the highway is pre-1955 at least. If it shows LA 99 1/2 as running through Lucky and Friendship, then it's at least pre-1951.

No Interstates means pre-1956, so it's highly possible that the road is pre-1955. I can cross-reference the maps with the highway department scans from 1930, 1946, and 1954... including 1940 Census maps.

Scans, please!!!

The map isn't with me right now, so I don't know about LA 26, but I do know I never saw an LA 99 1/2.  I examined this part of the map closely because I was looking for my railroad's old route.  I also forgot about Louisiana's mass renumbering in 1955, so this has to be either 1955 or 1956.

Also, I don't own a scanner/printer device yet.  If I ever get one of these, I could be dangerous.   

[cjk374]

Thanks for all of the help.

Look in the bottom left corner of the main part of the map.  Based on your description, it will likely say "Surface Types Corrected To July 1, 1956".

This is what my map has on it.