Traveling I-10 West

I-10 in west LA was terrible in '89. I'm surprised that they still haven't fixed it in 28 years. I just drove thru I-20 in Shreveport and the road was bad. Seems like I-10 is not an option so I-40 might be the route back east.

From Jacksonville to New Orleans you'll find a nice almost traffic-free ride. After that I don't know.

This spring we had to travel east from TX to MS. We took 190 which runs about 20 miles north of Baton Rouge and then dropped down to I-12. Never got onto I-10. Easy drive except a lot of traffic on 61 down to I-12. Overall a much better experience than I-10. You could reverse that and do the same going west.

Hey Thanks for information will use it to plan our route..

Whatever you do, NEVER EVER EVER take I-49/Hwy 90 down south from Baton Rouge through Lafayette.

Straight through what looks like Louisiana's iteration of a mash-up of Atlanta with the south side of Chicago, the "highway" runs right through town with stoplights every few feet, with the BIGGEST potholes this side of New Orleans. Some are a foot deep.

I had my trailer door break open driving through Lafayette, swinging back and forth like crazy. I didn't stop to close it. Lafayette is NOT the town to stop in for ANY reason. There is a giant Racetrac gas station right on the highway. Don't stop there. Locals call it a "crack station."

I'm still appalled that a major highway goes through such an area...which wouldn't be so bad if the road wasn't so God-awful or even paved properly...but I've been on Jeep trails in Colorado that weren't NEARLY as bad as this section of I-49/Hwy 90.

I've heard many a story of bent steel rims going down this section of road.

Avoid it.

Ditto I-12 to avoid NOLA. The real bad (rough) stretch of I-10 is right around Sulphur, LA west of Lake Charles. I don't take I-210 around Lake Charles, but I admit the I-10 bridge over the Calcasieu River is old, narrow and steep. Before you get to the TX state line the interstate goes to 3 lanes and is pretty good. Then there is currently construction just as you enter TX in Orange, making the highway rough with narrow lanes. Traversing Houston is always an experience. Bad traffic during rush hour, which is starts early and ends late, especially on holiday weekends. Outside of rush hour, you move faster, but people in cars zip around and make crazy lane changes. You might consider looping around I-610 to the north, but watch the lane changes needed to maintain your route and know that the traffic won't really be much better. The least stressful way is Sam Houston Tollway looping around to the north. More expensive, more miles, but less stressful.

Good luck and safe travels!

+1

I-10 through Louisiana is one of the WORST roads in the country.

Unless you just WANT to go through NewOlreans, I suggest you hit 12 and go north of NO. I-10 will make a south turn just above Slidell and 12 will take you above the lake and across (west) to just south of Baton Rouge where it becomes I-10 again.
On the other hand, if you want traffic and the excitement of N O itself, stay on 10. Been both ways and will take 12 anytime.

Generally agree with Issac-1 but see no reason to avoid the I-10 bridge in Lake Charles. There is a very rough section between the Atchafalaya Basin bridge and Lafayette. Any way you cross Louisiana there will be some rough road.

Have to agree that Houston is a nightmare. Couldn't believe the massive freeways and traffic trying to get around the city from the southeast on a Sunday morning in early May this year.