Before I-49 was completed through central Louisiana, was US 71 or LA 1 considered the better route from Shreveport to Alexandria? They parallel each other a few miles apart. Also, if you were going from Alexandria to, say, Baton Rouge, was it better to take LA 1 all the way or the US 71-US 190 routing?
I have driven all of US 71 in Louisiana, but I only have LA 1 from the 3-states marker to Natchitoches. There are many more stores/services on US 71 than what I have seen so far on LA 1. Because of that, I would say that US 71 was the better choice.
71 is a bit more direct to Baton Rouge. LA 1 seems to meander around more, but having driven LA 1 north of Alexandria, I'd agree there are generally more services on 71.
Pre I-49, from Alexandria to Baton Rouge, US 71 to 190 was definitely the straighter shot. It's still definitely fewer miles than using I-49 to 190.
Now from Shreveport to Alexandria I think it depends. If you wanted fewer places to slow down for small towns then take LA 1. The only places now with a speed limit change are Natchitoches, Natchez and Boyce. If you wanted towns and services then US 71 has the better route. There's a little more variety of scenery on 71, too.
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Quote from: bassoon1986 on December 15, 2018, 11:42:04 AM
Pre I-49, from Alexandria to Baton Rouge, US 71 to 190 was definitely the straighter shot. It's still definitely fewer miles than using I-49 to 190.
Now from Shreveport to Alexandria I think it depends. If you wanted fewer places to slow down for small towns then take LA 1. The only places now with a speed limit change are Natchitoches, Natchez and Boyce. If you wanted towns and services then US 71 has the better route. There's a little more variety of scenery on 71, too.
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Before LADOTD mucked up the numbers, LA 1 was the old Jefferson Highway.
Quote from: US71 on December 15, 2018, 11:48:02 AM
Before LADOTD mucked up the numbers, LA 1 was the old Jefferson Highway.
Which is irrelevant, since the original LA 1 went all over the place via Robeline, Belmont, and Mansfield.
Quote from: bugo on December 15, 2018, 05:44:14 AM
Before I-49 was completed through central Louisiana, was US 71 or LA 1 considered the better route from Shreveport to Alexandria? They parallel each other a few miles apart. Also, if you were going from Alexandria to, say, Baton Rouge, was it better to take LA 1 all the way or the US 71-US 190 routing?
Seemingly, most of the pre-I-49 traffic traveled from Shreveport / Bossier via LA-1 to Alexandria. In Alexandria, the Baton Rouge and parts east traffic took US-71 to US-190.
It still is closer to Baton Rouge to dump I-49 in Alexandria and follow US-71. I generally go ahead and take I-49 to Opelousas then take US-190 to Baton Rouge, but I rarely to never take I-10 unless I am going to Lafayette or Crowley as a stop.
Quote from: bwana39 on December 20, 2021, 05:47:51 PM
Quote from: bugo on December 15, 2018, 05:44:14 AM
Before I-49 was completed through central Louisiana, was US 71 or LA 1 considered the better route from Shreveport to Alexandria? They parallel each other a few miles apart. Also, if you were going from Alexandria to, say, Baton Rouge, was it better to take LA 1 all the way or the US 71-US 190 routing?
Seemingly, most of the pre-I-49 traffic traveled from Shreveport / Bossier via LA-1 to Alexandria. In Alexandria, the Baton Rouge and parts east traffic took US-71 to US-190.
It still is closer to Baton Rouge to dump I-49 in Alexandria and follow US-71. I generally go ahead and take I-49 to Opelousas then take US-190 to Baton Rouge, but I rarely to never take I-10 unless I am going to Lafayette or Crowley as a stop.
Got stuck taking the I-10 bridge in Baton Rouge westbound today due to an accident on the bridge involving a car, a motorcycle, and the right guardrail. Some judicious rerouting knocked 20 minutes off the wait. Sure is a clusterf*ck to get ambulances and police through a 5 mile backlog of traffic due to 3 lanes pretty well stopped and no shoulders to speak of either side of the carriageway. Took US-190 to Opelousas, then I-49/US-71/I-49 back home from there, stopping at the Blind Tiger in Shreveport for some shrimp, catfish, and the best bread pudding I've been able to find anywhere.
Quote from: MikieTimT on December 23, 2021, 11:25:44 PM
Quote from: bwana39 on December 20, 2021, 05:47:51 PM
Quote from: bugo on December 15, 2018, 05:44:14 AM
Before I-49 was completed through central Louisiana, was US 71 or LA 1 considered the better route from Shreveport to Alexandria? They parallel each other a few miles apart. Also, if you were going from Alexandria to, say, Baton Rouge, was it better to take LA 1 all the way or the US 71-US 190 routing?
Seemingly, most of the pre-I-49 traffic traveled from Shreveport / Bossier via LA-1 to Alexandria. In Alexandria, the Baton Rouge and parts east traffic took US-71 to US-190.
It still is closer to Baton Rouge to dump I-49 in Alexandria and follow US-71. I generally go ahead and take I-49 to Opelousas then take US-190 to Baton Rouge, but I rarely to never take I-10 unless I am going to Lafayette or Crowley as a stop.
Got stuck taking the I-10 bridge in Baton Rouge westbound today due to an accident on the bridge involving a car, a motorcycle, and the right guardrail. Some judicious rerouting knocked 20 minutes off the wait. Sure is a clusterf*ck to get ambulances and police through a 5 mile backlog of traffic due to 3 lanes pretty well stopped and no shoulders to speak of either side of the carriageway. Took US-190 to Opelousas, then I-49/US-71/I-49 back home from there, stopping at the Blind Tiger in Shreveport for some shrimp, catfish, and the best bread pudding I've been able to find anywhere.
Good info. There's a place at Grand Coteau between Opelousas and Lafayette that had some great boudin a decade ago.
Quote from: cjk374 on December 15, 2018, 09:06:54 AM
I have driven all of US 71 in Louisiana, but I only have LA 1 from the 3-states marker to Natchitoches. There are many more stores/services on US 71 than what I have seen so far on LA 1. Because of that, I would say that US 71 was the better choice.
You had to look hard to find the three states marker LOL.
You do go through Coushatta on US-71 but other than that after you leave Shreveport or Bossier City, there are a few ratty stores at the major intersections on both of them. I think the sole benefit of US-71 is that US-71 DOES NOT go through Natchitoches.