| Louisiana Highway 10 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by Louisiana DOTD | ||||
| Length: | 250.03 mi (402.38 km) | |||
| Existed: | 1955 renumbering – present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end: | US 171 south of Leesville | |||
| US 165 in Oakdale US 167 / LA 29 in Ville Platte I-49 in Washington US 71 near Palmetto LA 1 in Morganza US 61 in St. Francisville LA 37 / LA 43 in Greensburg I-55 / US 51 near Tangipahoa LA 16 / LA 25 in Franklinton LA 21 in Bogalusa |
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| East end: | MS 26 at the state line | |||
| Location | ||||
| Parishes: | Vernon, Allen, Evangeline, St. Landry, Pointe Coupee, West Feliciana, East Feliciana, St. Helena, Tangipahoa, Washington | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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Louisiana Highway 10 (LA 10) is a state highway in south-central Louisiana. It runs from west to east for 250.03 miles (402.38 km).[1] The western terminus is at the intersection of U.S. Route 171 in Pickering, Louisiana in Vernon Parish near Fort Polk and the eastern terminus is in Bogalusa at Pearl River and the Louisiana line. LA 10 is a predominantly rural road traversing west to east all but the western 30 miles (48 km) of the Central Louisiana, north central Acadiana, and Florida Parishes portion of the state.
Once a major route across Louisiana LA 10 was forced, by political progression as well as nature, to lose prominence in the 20th century. As population areas grew in the north and south the east-west highway traffic was diverted to those areas, rail was the standard form of modern transportation, and LA 10 was by-passed as a major route.
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Highway numbers in Louisiana first appeared in 1921, per Act 21 of the 1921 Special Session of the Louisiana Legislature. Routes 1 through 98 were defined that year. These first 98 routes remained consistent throughout the pre-1955 period. The lowest numbered routes seem to have followed major auto trails. The numbers of many highways were changed during the 1955 Legislative session but this did not affect the original 98 roads. With Burr Ferry, in Vernon Parish at the Texas line, La 10 was a major east/west transportation route through central Louisiana long before 1921. By 1928 a plan by then Governor Huey P. Long to pave many roads[2] only included a section of LA 10 from the Mississippi River through Clinton but not the western part and the reason in not known except portions of LA 10 are not complete and one reason is supported in history. This section of LA 10 runs through the "West Atchafalaya River drainage area", known as the Atchafalaya Basin[3] and the Morganza Spillway drainage area,[4] that is part of the Lower Mississippi River's, Mississippi River drainage area.[5] This area has been subjected to several Great floods that severely affected south central Louisiana. The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 decimated many parts of Louisiana, including roads, as the Atchafalaya and Mississippi rivers flooded an area up to 60 miles wide and up to 30 feet deep. After the flood a major push was on to rebuild levees and find a way to help the 700,000 homeless.[6] General highway construction and repair was not as high on the priority list as the more major highways, and LA 10, a non-elevated highway through this section, has never seemed to be as important as it had once been.
Due to the inconsistency of a complete clear routing of LA 10 the route is broken into three sections.
LA 10 can not be easily traveled the entire length.[7] Although it is a scenic by-way, there are areas where the road is not clearly marked, has sections that are graveled, and due to unclear markings appear to disappear in areas. Maps show LA 10 into Melville and then intersecting and running concurrent with LA 77, several miles east, with no connection in between.[8]
Beginning at the western terminus, a junction with U.S. Route 171, as a two lane undivided road, the highway passes through a part of Fort Polk beginning in the community of Sandy Hill, at a junction of LA 467. A short distance past the commercial truck entrance of gate-4, where the road turns sharply south, a scenic road begins that passes through pine forests that were once clear cut during the lumber boom that ended in the mid-1930s. There is a roadside marker commemorating the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in replanting depleted forests in the area.
Leaving Fort Polk travelers are greeted by the Kisatchie National Forest's Vernon Ranger District sign in the community of Johnsonville. From this point to a junction with Parish road 750 (Bailey road), where the road curves sharply back east, there are several marked nesting areas of the Red-cockaded Woodpecker that can be seen from the road. Continuing through rural Vernon Parish LA 10 passes through the community of Marlow and Cravens intersecting with LA 399 called the Fullerton road. The community of Fullerton that includes the old mill site and Fullerton Park (and pond), was placed on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Louisiana.[9] The area from Fort Polk to east of Cravens was the site of a major campaign of the Louisiana Maneuvers.
In Pitkin, La 10 intersects and runs east a few miles with LA 113. LA 113 splits off north towards Glenmora and U.S. Route 165, that runs north to Alexandria. LA 10 continues eastward, passing through the old sawmill community of Dido, enters northern Allen Parish, and passes through Elizabeth. Elizebeth is the site of the Elizebeth Hospital Building listed on the NRHP.[10] In Elizebeth LA 10 intersects and runs briefly concurrent with LA 112 for about a mile and LA 112 turns north while La 10 continues east. The north east section of the West Bay Wildlife Management Area, a 56,000 acre privately owned area managed by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries,[11] boarders and crosses LA 10 in sections[12] from Elizebeth to just west of Oakdale. A part of the highway in Oakdale is named for the late mayor of that city, George B. Mowad, a physician and real estate developer.
In Oakdale, LA 10 intersects U.S. Route 165 and continues eastward entering Evangeline Parish. LA 10 passes through the community of Beaver where it intersects with LA 106 which actually heads east as La 10 turns southeast then east again. Just north of Reddell and Barber Spur, 5 miles north of Mamou, Louisiana, LA 10 intersects with LA 13 and continues east passing through the community of Vidrine. LA 10 intersects first with north LA 103 then south LA 103, just west of Ville Platte, merges with U.S. Route 167, runs through the center of town intersecting with LA 29, and a few miles east of town enters St Landry Parish. The section of LA 10 west of US 167 is called the Oakdale Road and east of US 167 is called the Opelousas Road. LA 10 splits with U.S. 167 just west of Interstate 49 turning north and merging with north LA 182 through Nuba into Washington where it intersects with LA 103 again. Through town LA 10 is called S. Main Street.
LA 10/LA182 continues though Washington, intersects and runs parallel with I-49 a short ways, splits just south and west of Beggs, continuing east and north through St. Landry Parish. LA 10 also intersects U.S. Route 71, a few miles west of Palmetto near Lebeau, running concurrent and south a short ways before splitting and continuing eastward. From this point LA 10 begins the journey across the Lower Mississippi drainage area administered under authority of the Mississippi River Commission known as the Atchafalaya Basin. At Melville LA 10 intersects and runs briefly concurrent with LA 105 north through town. LA 105 is known as Levee road then crosses the Atchafalaya River into Pointe Coupee Parish, via the Melville Ferry operated by the LaDOTD, and into the Morganza Spillway drainage area.[14][15]
After crossing the river LA 10 intersects with La 973. At this intersection an La-10 spur continues east while LA 10 merges north with La 417. A short distance and LA 417 begins as a 4-lane highway and LA 10 turns east again and is also called Laio Road. Another short distance east by southeast and LA 10 (Laio rd.) and La-10 spur join continuing east. East of levee road (and protected by the levee) LA 10 intersects, and runs concurrent with, north LA 77. LA 10 begins to run north and east parallel with Levee Rd. LA 10 merges with LA 1 south in Morganza, also the western terminus of LA 77, and jointly runs through New Roads before splitting in the city limits.
LA 10 then crosses the Mississippi River via the John James Audubon Bridge) and enters into West Feliciana Parish where it heads due north into St. Francisville and intersects and runs concurrent a short distance with LA 3057 (named Jackson street through town) then intersects US 61 north of town. There is a little known ferry that services Angola, called Angola Ferry, that is accessed from LA 3190 (east of Letsville) off LA 418 (primarily used by employee's) but most traffic to Angola from the south uses the bridge.
LA 10 passes through the community of Elm Park, intersects with LA 965 (to the south), LA 421 (to the north), enters East Feliciana Parish and travels through Jackson. LA 10 runs concurrent briefly with LA 951, intersects LA 19, then LA 963, and runs through Clinton. In Clinton LA 10 intersects LA 67. West of Darlington LA 10 enters St. Helena Parish and intersects with LA 38 (in Coleman Town), and with LA 448, before passing through Darlington. LA 10 continues to run east through Greensburg where it intersects with LA 43. Also in Greensburg, Louisiana|Greensburg]] is an LA 10 Spur, which connects LA 10 with LA 43. Continuing east LA 10 enters Tangipahoa Parish then intersects Interstate 55. After crossing I-55 LA 10 also shortly merges with U.S. Route 51 and turns due south, though the highways split just north of Roseland and LA 10 turns east again. LA 10 intersects and runs concurrent briefly with LA 1054 and continues through Wilmer, Louisiana. LA 10 enters Washington Parish and intersects LA 450 then passes through Stoney Point, Louisiana. Continuing east LA 10 intersects with LA 440 then intersects with and runs briefly concurrent with LA 16/25. LA 10 splits with these highways and continues through Franklinton also passing through the community of Sheridan. LA 10 continues through Bogalusa where it intersects with LA 21 before becoming Mississippi Highway 26, at Pearl River, on the Louisiana/Mississippi state line and the eastern terminus.
As a Louisiana highway the primary police agency is the Louisiana State Police. Outside cities and towns the Sheriff's department of each parish are secondary with matters concerning the highway. Court jurisdiction is allocated to the appropriate court and subject to the District Attorney over that section of the road. Inside cities and established municipalities the court of that jurisdiction is the authority. If a State Trooper issues a speeding ticket, which is a citation and summons to appear in court, on a Louisiana highway, but inside a corporate city limits, the jurisdiction would fall under City Court. Outside any other court jurisdiction, the state court would be the court of jurisdiction.
| Parish | Location | Mile | Junction | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vernon Parish | Pickering | 0.00 | US 171 | Western terminus |
| Allen Parish | Oakdale | 34.58 | US 165 | Interchange |
| Evangeline Parish | near Ville Platte | LA 13| | Interchange | |
| Evangeline Parish | in Ville Platte | US 167 / LA 29 | Interchange | |
| St. Landry Parish | Washington | I-49 | Interchange | |
| Pointe Coupee Parish | Morganza | LA 1 | Interchange | |
| West Feliciana Parish | St. Francisville | US 61 | Interchange | |
| East Feliciana Parish | Clinton | LA 67 | Interchange | |
| St. Helena Parish | Greensburg | LA 43 | Interchange | |
| Tangipahoa Parish | Tangipahoa | I-55 / US 51 | Interchange | |
| Washington Parish | Bogalussa | LA 21 | Eastern Termius |
Rand McNally Motor Carriers' Road Atlas/Louisiana