Louisiana State Route 72

State Route 72
Route information
Length:	33.00 mi (53.11 km)
Existed:	1921 – 1955
Major junctions
South end:	Begin state maintenance in Mansura
	SR 5 in Hessmer
North end:	US 165 / SR 14 in Alexandria
Highway system
Louisiana Highway System Interstate US State

Louisiana State Route 72 (LA 72) was one of the 98 original state highways that were established in 1921. It ran in an south to north direction for 33.00 miles (53.11 km), spanning from Mansura to Alexandria, meeting LA 5 multiple times.

Route description

Beginning at Alexandria, through Echo, Hessmer to Mansura. - 1924 Louisiana Legislative Route Description

From the south, LA 72 began as a city street in Mansura, turning west towards Hessmer. In Hessmer, LA 72 met LA 5 for a short distance, with LA 5 going south to Bunkie and north to Marksville. LA 72 split from LA 5 after a short distance, choosing to meet LA 5 again near the parish line.

In Rapides Parish, LA 5/72 met LA 72-D twice, with LA 72-D taking the older alignment along the levee. LA 5/72 then ended in Alexandria at an intersection with US 165/LA 14.

Auxiliary routes of LA 72

• LA 72-D in Echo Community, serving as the former route of LA 72.

Major intersections

Parish	Location	mi	km	Destinations	Notes
Avoyelles	Mansura	0.0	0.0	Begin state maintenance	Southern terminus
	Hessmer	4.5	7.2	SR 5 south – Bunkie	Begin LA 5 concurrency
		4.8	7.7	SR 5 north – Marksville	End LA 5 concurrency
		12.4	20.0	SR 5 south – Marksville	Begin LA 5 concurrency
Rapides		15.8	25.4	SR 72-D north
		23.4	37.7	SR 72-D south
	Alexandria	33.0	53.1	US 165 / SR 14 – Pineville	Northern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

• Louisiana Maps from 1955
• Google Earth