U.S. 190 East - Opelousas to Baton Rouge

U.S. 190 eastbound leaves the city of Opelousas and enters a six-ramp parclo interchange with Interstate 49 & U.S. 167 (Exit 19). U.S. 167 follows Interstate 49 for the first 23 miles of the freeway between Lafayette and Nuba. The US highway splits with Interstate 49 four miles to the north.

10/13/03

Traffic to Interstate 49 & U.S. 167 southbound departs U.S. 190 eastbound. Interstate 49 currently ends at Interstate 10 within the Lafayette city limits. Plans are underway to extend the Interstate southward to New Iberia, Morgan City, and New Orleans.

10/13/03

A left turn takes motorists onto Interstate 49 & U.S. 167 northbound for the trek to Alexandria.

11/15/03

U.S. 190 eastbound at the northbound on-ramp to Interstate 49 & U.S. 167. Both highways travel to Alexandria but along separate paths. Interstate 49 sees a more direct route to the city in 59 miles. U.S. 167 curves northwest to Ville Platte and Turkey Creek before merging back onto Interstate 49 at Exit 80.

10/13/03

U.S. 190 continues east from Opelousas to Port Barre and LA 742. The 5.1 mile state highway parallels U.S. 190 to the south between LA 31, Boscoville, and Port Barre.

11/15/03

Just beyond the LA 742 junction and across Bayou Teche is the 0.3 mile overlap with LA 103 through Port Barre. LA 103 loops around Opelousas from Leonville and LA 31 to Port Barre, Washington, and U.S. 190 near Lawtell. The highway totals 39.9 miles.

11/15/03

U.S. 190 travels 15 miles east of Opelousas and I-49 & U.S. 167 to a trumpet interchange with the south end of U.S. 71.
U.S. 71 provides an alternative to Interstate 49 for traffic between Baton Rouge and the Alexandria-Pineville metropolitan area. The US highway historically combined with U.S. 190 east to the capital city.

11/15/03

The first of three Krotz Springs area state highways connecting with U.S. 190 is LA 3174 along Main Street. LA 3174 is a 0.88 mile link between U.S. 190 and LA 3173 (9th Avenue).

11/15/03

U.S. 190 enters the community of Krotz Springs near the Atchafalaya River. The town derives its name from Charles W. Krotz, a local businessman that discovered artesian water in the area. The mineral water was bottled and sold and thus Krotz Springs was created.¹

11/15/03

LA 3173 travels Florida Street west from 8th Avenue to end at U.S. 190 in Krotz Springs. The state highway zigzags town on a combination of 8th Avenue south from LA 3178, Main Street west to LA 3174, 9th Avenue and 2nd Street east to LA 105 (Levee Road).

11/15/03

A folded diamond interchange joins U.S. 190 and LA 105 (Levee Road) a the foot of the Atchafalaya River bridge. LA 105 straddles the western banks of the Atchafalaya River for 38.85 miles.

11/15/03

Following the LA 105 off-ramp from U.S. 190 east to Levee Road. LA 105 connects Krotz Springs with Melville, 11 miles to the north. Southward the state highway travels to the Greater Krotz Springs Port.

10/13/03

U.S. 190 eastbound shield assembly posted at the beginning of the Atchafalaya Bridge. The US highway is known as the Acadiana Trail between Baton Rouge and Beaumont, Texas. The trail was originally used by animals and native Americans as a primitive path that connected streams and early water routes.¹

11/15/03

Spanning the Atchafalaya River, which separates St. Landry and Pointe Coupee Parishes, U.S. 190 separates into a pair of two lane bridges opened in 1973. The crossing was featured on the cover of the 2003 Louisiana Official State Map.

10/13/03

11/15/03

Paralleling the U.S. 190 bridge to the south is a 1,920-foot steel-truss bridge carrying the Union Pacific Railroad. The railroad span saw a $10 million overhaul project completed by 2000. Trains originally had to slow to 10 mph when crossing the bridge but improvements allowed them to travel at 25 mph across the span now.²

10/13/03

Like the Interstate 10 Atchafalaya Swamp Freeway to the south, U.S. 190 (Acadiana Trail) also travels a lengthy viaduct over the Morganza Floodway. Four lanes travel a 1945 viaduct from the east banks of the Atchafalaya River at LA 975 to a levee west of Lottie.

11/15/03

Three miles east of Torbert is the U.S. 190 junction with LA 1 north. LA 1 straddles the False River between U.S. 190 and the community of New Roads.

11/15/03

LA 1 is the longest route in the state, traveling 436.2 miles between the Arkansas, Texas, and Louisiana tri-corner to Grand Isle on the Gulf of Mexico. The highway connects the Baton Rouge area with Marksville and Alexandria to the northwest. Eastward, LA 1 combines with U.S. 190 for 14.5 miles to the Mississippi River Bridge near Port Allen.

11/15/03

U.S. 190 east & LA 1 south approach their split at the Mississippi River Bridge. The Union Pacific Railroad trestle climbs above the separated travel lanes of U.S. 190 ahead of the LA 1 southward turn to Port Allen.

10/13/03

4.50 miles to the north of Interstate 10 (Horace Wilkinson Bridge), LA 1 departs U.S. 190 eastbound. The state highway bee lines south to Alexander Avenue through Port Allen and follows the Mississippi River from there to Brusly.

10/13/03

A folded diamond interchange joins LA 1 with U.S. 190 at the foot of the Huey P. Long Bridge. LA 987-1 connects the northbound to westbound ramp with LA 986 below the bridge near Poplar Grove. Pictured here is a U.S. 190 reassurance marker posted after the on-ramp from LA 1.

01/05/09

U.S. 190 crosses high above the Mississippi River over the Huey P. Long Bridge between West Baton Rouge Parish and the capital city of Baton Rouge. The combination bridge carries four narrow travel lanes and a single track of railroad. The span opened to traffic on August 10, 1940.³

01/05/09

U.S. 190 enters East Baton Rouge Parish midway across the Mississippi River. A parish line sign lies along eastbound as the bridge touches down south of Scott Bluffs.

01/05/09

A Canadian National Railway line passes above U.S. 190 (Airline Highway) as the roadway separates to accommodate the descending railroad portion of the Huey P. Long Bridge.

01/05/09

U.S. 190 crosses a railroad at-grade and then enters the city limits of Baton Rouge at Sanchez Street. The four lane divided highway upgrades to a freeway beyond the next left turn.

01/05/09

A condensed cloverleaf interchange joins U.S. 190 (Airline Highway) with U.S. 61 Business & 190 Business (Scenic Highway) south and U.S. 61 (Scenic Highway) north. The business route tandem lead to downtown Baton Rouge along the Mississippi River waterfront.

01/05/09

U.S. 61 southbound combines with U.S. 190 east 6.6 miles along Airline Highway from Scenic Highway to Florida Boulevard in eastern Baton Rouge. The original designation for the arterial route was U.S. 61 Bypass & 190 Bypass. Those banners were dropped by 1963⁴, yet a set of shields retaining them still remained ahead of the loop ramp from Scenic Highway southbound.

01/05/09

U.S. 190 eastbound at the loop ramp to U.S. 61 (Scenic Highway) northbound. U.S. 61 is the main highway between Baton Rouge and Natchez, Mississippi. Motorists are advised to take Interstate 110 from the succeeding interchange from U.S. 190 for Natchez over U.S. 61 here.

01/05/09

U.S. 61/190 Bypass shield assembly preceding the entrance ramp from Scenic Highway northbound.

01/05/09

A four-level interchange joins Airline Highway freeway with Interstate 110. I-110 is an 8.9 mile long route joining north Baton Rouge with the state capitol and Interstate 10 at the base of the Horace Wilkinson Bridge.

01/05/09

Traffic to Interstate 110 departs in unison onto flyover ramps from Airline Highway eastbound.

10/13/03

A collector distributor roadway departs U.S. 61/190 east for LA 67 (Plank Road) near Zion City.

10/13/03