U.S. 190 eastbound travels Landry Street out of Opelousas (pop. 22,860) to the junction with Interstate 49 & U.S. 167 (Exit 19). U.S. 167 follows Interstate 49 for the first 23 miles of the freeway between Lafayette (pop. 110,257) and Nuba. The federal highway splits with Interstate 49 four miles to the north. Photo taken 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 however to extend the Interstate southward to New Iberia (pop. 32,673), Morgan City (pop. 12,703), and New Orleans (pop. 484,674). Photo taken 10/13/03.
A left-hand turn takes motorists onto Interstate 49 & U.S. 167 northbound for the trek to Alexandria. The interchange between the three highways comprises a six-ramp partial cloverleaf. Photo taken 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 (pop. 8,145) and Woodworth (pop. 1,080) before merging back onto Interstate 49 at Exit 80. Photo taken 10/13/03.
The eastern terminus of Louisiana 742 at Port Barre (pop. 2,287). The 5.13-mile state highway parallels U.S. 190 to the south between Louisiana 31, Boscoville, and Port Barre. Photo taken 11/15/03.
Just beyond the Louisiana 742 junction is the 0.3-mile overlap with Louisiana 103 through Port Barre. Louisiana 103 loops around Opelousas from Leonville (pop. 1,007) and junction Louisiana 31 to Port Barre, Washington (pop. 1,082), and U.S. 190 near Lawtell. The highway tallies 39.91 miles. Photo taken 11/15/03.
15 miles east of Opelousas and junction Interstate 49 & U.S. 167 is the southern terminus of U.S. 71. A trumpet interchange provides for the movements between the two federal highways. U.S. 71 is an alternative to Interstate 49 for traffic between Baton Rouge and the Alexandria-Pineville metropolitan area. The federal highway is shown on some maps as once having traveled with U.S. 190 and 61 east into New Orleans itself. This routing appears to have been for convenience purposes for motorists driving during the infancy of the U.S. Highway system, and thus did not last long (if at all). Photo taken 11/15/03.
The first of three Krotz Springs area 3000-series state highways encountered on U.S. 190 eastbound is that of Louisiana 3174 (Main Street). There is not much to Louisiana 3174, just 0.88 miles of pavement along Main Street between U.S. 190 and Louisiana 3173 (8th Street). Depicted here is a junction shield for the western end of the highway. Photo taken 11/15/03.
U.S. 190 enters the community of Krotz Springs (pop. 1,219) 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.3 Photo taken 11/15/03.
The junction of Louisiana 3173 and U.S. 190 eastbound in Krotz Springs. The state highway tallies 1.39 miles along Florida Street, 8th Avenue, and Main Street (overtaking Louisiana 3174 in the process) between U.S. 190 and nearby Louisiana 105 (Levee Road). Photo taken 11/15/03.
A folded cloverleaf interchange provides the ramps between U.S. 190 and Louisiana 105 (Levee Road). Louisiana 105 straddles the western banks of the Atchafalaya River for 38.85 miles. Photo taken 11/15/03.
Junction Louisiana 105 shield posted at the end of the U.S. 190 eastbound off-ramp to Levee Road. Louisiana 105 connects Krotz Springs with Melville (pop. 1,376) 11 miles to the north. Southward the state highway travels to the Greater Krotz Springs Port and a recycling plant (where the highway concludes). Photo taken 10/13/03.
U.S. 190 eastbound shield assembly posted at the beginning of the Atchafalaya Bridge. The federal 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. Photo taken 10/13/03.
Views of the Atchafalaya River Bridge superstructure from the eastbound lanes of U.S. 190. The bridge is featured on the 2003 Louisiana Official State Map. The Atchafalaya River composes the parish line between Saint Landry and Pointe Coupee Parishes. Parallelling the bridge to the south is 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 allow them to travel at 25 mph across the span now.2 First three photos taken taken 11/15/03; right-hand photo taken 10/13/03.
Like the Interstate 10 Atchafalaya Swamp Freeway to the south, U.S. 190 (Acadiana Trail) also travels a lengthy viaduct. On U.S. 190 four travel lanes travel a vintage roadway with a yellow pained median barrier. The bridge can be found between Louisiana 475 and the community of
Lottie. Photo taken 11/15/03.
East of Tobert is the junction with Louisiana 1 on U.S. 190 eastbound. The state highway straddles the False River between U.S. 190 and the community of New Roads (pop. 4,996). Photo taken 11/15/03.
Louisiana 1 is the longest state highway in the state, traveling 436.20 miles between the Arkansas, Texas, and Louisiana tri-corner to Grand Isle (pop. 1,541) on the Gulf of Mexico. The highway connects the Baton Rouge area with Marksville (pop. 5,537) and Alexandria (pop. 46,342) to the northwest. The state highway overlaps with U.S. 190 for 14.5 miles between the pictured intersection and the Mississippi River Bridge at Port Allen (pop. 5,278). Photo taken 11/15/03.
The Union Pacific Railroad trestle climbs above the U.S. 190 travel lanes below. The trestle begins before Louisiana 1 departs the U.S. 190 overlap. Photo taken 10/13/03.
4.50 miles to the north of Interstate 10 (Exit 153), Louisiana 1 departs U.S. 190 eastbound. The state highway bee lines southward through Port Allen to Alexander Avenue and Interstate 10 at the west end of the Horace Wilkinson Bridge. Photo taken 10/13/03.
U.S. 190 crosses high above the Mississippi River over the Mississippi River Bridge between Port Allen and the capital city of Baton Rouge. The combination bridge carries four narrow travel lanes and a single track of railroad. Pictured here are eastbound images covering the span between Louisiana 1 and U.S. 61 & 190 Business. The span opened to traffic on August 10, 1940.1 Photos taken 10/13/03.
U.S. 190 becomes the Airline Highway upon entering the Baton Rouge metropolitan area (pop. 602,894). A pair of railroad crossings are encountered on the highway between the Mississippi River Bridge and the junction with U.S. 61 & 190 Business (Scenic Highway). A partial cloverleaf interchange composes the meeting of U.S. 61 and the Business Route tandem with the Airline Highway. Photo taken 10/13/03.
U.S. 61 & 190 (Airline Highway) are considered U.S. 61 & 190 Bypass according to the shield assembly posted just after the Scenic Highway interchange. However according to US-Highways.com, the eight-mile Bypass designation was removed by 1963. Photo taken 10/13/03.
U.S. 190 eastbound at the loop ramp to U.S. 61 (Scenic Highway) northbound. Scenic Highway travels northward two miles to the Scotlandville neighborhood of the city and the northern terminus of Interstate 110. U.S. 61 provides the main highway between Baton Rouge and Natchez, Mississippi. However motorists are advised to take Interstate 110 from the upcoming interchange for Natchez over U.S. 61 here. Photo taken 10/13/03.
The interchange of U.S. 61/190 with Interstate 110 is a mammoth four-level symmetrical stack. The nature of the ramps aid in traffic movements of the many lumbering trucks moving to/from the industrial areas near the Mississippi River. This guide sign is posted for Interstate 110 bound traffic on U.S. 61 south/U.S. 190 east. The right-hand guide sign refers to the Louisiana 19 and 67 connections with the Baker (pop. 13,793) and Zachary (pop. 11,275) communities via U.S. 61/190 east and Interstate 110 north. Guide signage is also posted for Metro Airport and Saint Francisville via Interstate 110 north. Top photo taken 08/12/02; bottom photo taken 10/13/03
Traffic to Interstate 110 ascends into the symmetrical stack interchange from the Airline Highway eastbound. U.S. 61 & 190 follow a two-mile freeway between Scenic Highway and Louisiana 67 (Plank Road). Interstate 110 travels 5.5 miles south through downtown to Interstate
10 and three miles north to U.S. 61 (Scenic Highway) at Scotlandville. Photo taken 10/13/03.
A collector/distributor roadway serves the Louisiana 67 (Plank Road) cloverleaf interchange just east of the Interstate 110 stack interchange. Pictured here is the 0.25-mile overhead for the Plank Road off-ramp. Photo taken 10/13/03.
The ramp to Louisiana 67 travels underneath the Interstate 110 off-ramps to U.S. 61 south & 190 east. Louisiana 67 (Plank Road) travels through the northern suburbs of Zachary and Baker on the 27-mile drive to Clinton (pop. 1,998) and junction Louisiana 10. Photo taken 10/13/03.
Interstate 55 shield and guide sign on U.S. 190 eastbound at the southbound ramp for the freeway near Hammond (pop. 17,369). The next southbound interchange of Interstate 55 is the cloverleaf with Interstate 12. Photo taken 06/26/01.
Eastbound U.S. 190 at the diamond interchange with Fairway Drive. Fairway Drive constitutes a residential roadway through neighborhoods of north Mandeville (pop. 10,489). The city itself is apart of the New Orleans metropolitan area even though the city is 30 miles to the south
via the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway and Interstate 10. Photo taken 07/22/01.
Split of U.S. 190 east with the Causeway Boulevard south. Louisiana 22 sees its westbound beginning at this interchange, straddling the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain to Madisonville and Ponchatoula (pop. 5,180). Another access ramp is situated to the west, taking Louisiana 22 eastbound traffic directly onto the causeway independent of U.S. 190. The causeway northbound also has a direct ramp to westbound Louisiana 22. Guide signage on the northbound ramp replaces Pontchatoula with Madisonville (pop. 677). Photo taken 07/22/01.
U.S. 190 (Gause Boulevard) approaches the diamond interchange with Interstate 10 in the city of Slidell. U.S. 190 travels a busy four-lane divided highway from U.S. 11 (Front Street) to Interstate 10 and Louisiana 1090 (Military Road). Photo taken 06/10/06.
U.S. 190 (Gause Boulevard) passes underneath Interstate 10 between the east and westbound on-ramps. Interstate 10 proceeds north of Gause Boulevard to the interchange with Interstate 12 west and Interstate 59 north. Interstate 59 heads north to Hattiesburg as Interstate 10 resumes an eastern course to Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Photo taken 06/10/06.
Eastbound at the Interstate 10 eastbound ramp to Interstates 12 & 59. U.S. 190 (Gause Boulevard) continues ahead through a busy shopping area on the 1.75 mile drive to junction Louisiana 1090 (Military Road). At Military Road, U.S. 190 turns south to its merge with U.S. 190 Business (Shortcut Highway). Photo taken 06/10/06.
The eastern terminus of U.S. 190 at U.S. 90 to the east of Slidell (pop. 25,695). The guide signage points to Gulfport and New Orleans. However, U.S. 90 passes through Pearlington (pop. 1,684) and Bay Saint Louis (pop. 8,209) before reaching the Mississippi resort town.
Note that there is no end U.S. 190 shield posted. Photo taken 11/06/99.
A revisit to the area post-Katrina reveals no U.S. 90 shields or guide sign at U.S. 190's eastern terminus. Additionally the wayside park that lied at the northeastern corner of the intersection was destroyed by the 2005-hurricane. Photo taken 12/10/07/
Sources:
"The Old Bridge." The Advocate (Baton Rouge), January 18, 2004.
