Louisiana Highway 18

State highway in Louisiana, United States

Louisiana Highway 18

Route information
Maintained by Louisiana DOTD
Length| 79.7 mi[1] (128.3 km)
Existed| 1955 renumbering–present
Major junctions
West end|  LA 1 / LA 3089 in Donaldsonville
Major intersections|  LA 20 in North Vacherie

LA 3213 in Wallace
LA 640 in Edgard
I-310 in Luling
US 90 in Bridge City
LA 45 in Marrero

LA 3017 in Harvey
East end|
US 90 Bus. / Future I-49 / LA 23 in Gretna
Location
Country| United States
State| Louisiana
Parishes| Ascension, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Charles, Jefferson
Highway system

* Louisiana State Highway System

* Interstate
* US
* State
* Scenic

| ←  LA 17| | →  LA 19

|
|

Louisiana Highway 18 (LA 18) is a state highway that serves Ascension, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Charles, and Jefferson Parishes. Called the Great River Road, it runs from west to east, parallel to the west bank of the Mississippi River, running from Donaldsonville to Gretna. It spans a total of 79.7 miles (128.3 km).[1] In the more rural parts of LA 18's span, it is commonly referred to as River Road, but it becomes 4th Street once it enters Westwego.

## Route description

[edit]

LA 18 begins as an undivided, two lane road in downtown Donaldsonville as Bayou Road, which runs parallel to the Mississippi River. It intersects with the Sunshine Bridge (LA 70) east of Donaldsonville, the Veterans Memorial Bridge (LA 3213) in Wallace, and Interstate 310 near Luling as it continues downriver. At Bridge City, LA 18 leaves the river and briefly merges with U.S. Highway 90 northbound, then turns east along Seven Oaks Blvd. while U.S. 90 crosses the Mississippi River via the Huey P. Long Bridge. LA 18 meets and briefly cojoins the alternate river road, LA 541. When LA 18 enters Westwego, LA 18 becomes 4th Street but still continues parallel to the river. In Gretna, LA 18 turns south, away from the river: first onto Huey P. Long Avenue for one block, then east along 5th Street to Lafayette Street. LA 18 then goes south and ends at the intersection of Lafayette St. and the Westbank Expressway.

## History

[edit]

Between the junction with LA 52 in Luling and Huey P. Long Avenue in downtown Gretna, LA 18 is largely the original routing of U.S. Highway 90 (also LA 2 before the 1955 renumbering) and before that, the Old Spanish Trail highway. (One notable exception is that LA 18 is routed along Louisiana Street rather than the parallel Sala Avenue through Westwego's historic district.)

## Major intersections

[edit]

Parish| Location| mi[1]| km| Destinations| Notes

|
|
|
|
|

Ascension| Donaldsonville| 0.0| 0.0|  LA 1 (West 10th Street) – Thibodaux, Plaquemine

LA 3089 east (Marchand Drive)| Western terminus;
Western terminus of LA 3089
​| 3.1| 5.0|  LA 3120| Northwestern terminus of LA 3120
St. James| ​| 8.3| 13.4|  LA 70 – Donaldsonville, Sorrento| LA 70 passes overhead via Sunshine Bridge across Mississippi River; indirect access via frontage road
Lagan| 20.4| 32.8|  LA 3219| Northern terminus of LA 3219
North Vacherie| 26.5| 42.6|
LA 20 west – Thibodaux| Eastern terminus of LA 20
St. John the Baptist| Wallace| 30.9| 49.7|

LA 3213 north to I-10 – Gramercy

LA 3213 south – Donaldsonville| Interchange;
LA 3213 passes overhead via Gramercy Bridge over Mississippi River
​| 33.9| 54.6|  LA 639| Northern terminus of LA 639;
Unsigned junction
Edgard| 38.9| 62.6|
LA 640 north| West end of LA 640 concurrency;
Until 2013, LA 640 crossed Mississippi River via Reserve-Edgard Ferry to LA 44 and LA 53
39.1| 62.9|
LA 640 south| East end of LA 640 concurrency
St. Charles| Killona| 46.1| 74.2|  LA 3141 (Mary Plantation Road)| Northern terminus of LA 3141
Taft| 48.2| 77.6|  LA 3142| Northern terminus of LA 3142;
Unsigned junction
Hahnville| 51.8| 83.4|  LA 3160 (Home Place)| Northeastern terminus of LA 3160
Luling| 55.1| 88.7|
I-310 north – New Orleans

I-310 south to US 90 – Boutte| Interchange;
I-310 passes overhead via Luling Bridge across Mississippi River
55.8| 89.8|  LA 52 (Paul Maillard Road) – Boutte| Northern terminus of LA 52
57.3| 92.2|  LA 3060 (Barton Avenue)| Northern terminus of LA 3060
Jefferson| ​| 69.7| 112.2|  LA 541 (River Road) – Bridge City| Western terminus of LA 541
​| 70.1| 112.8|
US 90 west – Boutte| West end of U.S. 90 concurrency
Bridge City| 71.0| 114.3|
US 90 east – New Orleans| East end of U.S. 90 concurrency;
At Huey P. Long Bridge across Mississippi River
Westwego| 72.3| 116.4|  LA 541 (River Road)| West end of LA 541 concurrency
72.8| 117.2|  LA 541 (River Road)| East end of LA 541 concurrency
73.3| 118.0|
LA 18 Spur (Louisiana Street)| Northern terminus of LA 18 Spur
Marrero| 76.3| 122.8|

LA 45 south (Barataria Boulevard) to US 90 Bus. (West Bank Expressway)| Northern terminus of LA 45;
Junction includes incorrect signage
76.6| 123.3|  LA 560-2 (Barataria Boulevard)| Southern terminus of LA 560-2
Harvey| 77.6| 124.9|  LA 3018 (Destrehan Avenue)| Northern terminus of LA 3018;
Unsigned junction
77.6| 124.9|  LA 541 (Destrehan Avenue)| Eastern terminus of LA 541
77.7| 125.0| Bridge over Harvey Canal
77.8| 125.2|  LA 3017 (Peters Road, Bark Street)| Northern terminus of LA 3017
Gretna| 79.2| 127.5|  LA 466 (5th Street)| Western terminus of LA 466;
Unsigned junction
79.7| 128.3|
US 90 Bus. (West Bank Expressway) – New Orleans
LA 23 (Lafayette Street, West Bank Expressway) – Belle Chasse| Southern terminus;
Partially unsigned junction
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

*       Concurrency terminus
*       Incomplete access

## Louisiana Highway 18 Spur

[edit]

Louisiana Highway 18 Spur

Location| Westwego
Length| 0.62 mi[1] (1,000 m)
Existed| 1960s–present

In Westwego, LA 18 turns from Louisiana Street onto 4th Street. LA 18 Spur continues southward for 0.6 miles (0.97 km)[1] on Louisiana Street until it meets the Westbank Expressway (U.S. 90 Business).

The entire highway is in Westwego, Jefferson Parish.

mi[1]| km| Destinations| Notes

|
|
|

0.00| 0.00|  LA 18 (Louisiana Street, 4th Street)| Northern terminus
0.62| 1.00|
US 90 Bus. (West Bank Expressway) – New Orleans| Southern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f Microsoft; Nokia. "Map of LA 18 and Auxiliary Route(s)" (Map). Bing Maps. Microsoft. Retrieved November 5, 2012.

## External links

[edit]

KML file (edit • help)

Template:Attached KML/Louisiana Highway 18

KML is from Wikidata

* La DOTD State, District, and Parish Maps
* District 02
* District 61
* District 62
* Ascension Parish
* St. James Parish
* St. John the Baptist Parish
* St. Charles Parish
* Jefferson Parish (North Section)