Interstate 55 in Louisiana

Interstate 55
Route information
Maintained by Louisiana DOTD
Length:	65.81 mi[1] (105.91 km)
Existed:	1957 (designated); 1960 (signed); 1979 (completed) – present
Major junctions
South end:	I‑10 in LaPlace
	US 51 north of LaPlace US 51 south of Hammond I‑12 in Hammond US 190 in Hammond
North end:	I-55 at the Mississippi state line north of Kentwood
Location
Parishes:	St. John the Baptist, Tangipahoa
Highway system
Interstate Highway System Main Auxiliary Suffixed Business Louisiana Highway System Interstate US State ← LA 54 LA 55 →

Interstate 55 (I-55) is an Interstate Highway that spans a total of 65.81 miles (105.91 km) in a north–south direction in the U.S. state of Louisiana.^[1][2] It is located in the southeastern portion of the state and parallels the older U.S. Highway 51 (US 51) corridor from the national southern terminus at I-10 in LaPlace to the Mississippi state line north of Kentwood. Along the way it passes through the city of Hammond, where it intersects two of the state's major east–west routes, I-12 and US 190. It also serves the smaller city of Ponchatoula, as well as the towns of Amite City and Kentwood.

I-55 is a major route connecting the New Orleans metropolitan area with Jackson, Mississippi and ultimately Chicago, Illinois. New Orleans is located 21 miles (34 km) east of LaPlace on I-10. The southernmost 23 miles (37 km) of I-55, passing between Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas, are elevated as part of the Manchac Swamp Bridge, one of the longest bridges in the world.

History

In April 2010, Reader's Digest listed I-55 in Louisiana as the one of the seven worst roads in America.^[3] Originally constructed in the mid-1960s using concrete, the roadway had deteriorated to the point where rehabilitation was needed in 1989-90, but problems remained.

In 2010-11, Louisiana rubblized most of the concrete on the interstate from Ponchatoula to the Mississippi state line and replaced it with asphalt.^[4][5]

Exit list

Parish	Location	mi[2]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
St. John the Baptist	LaPlace	0.0	0.0		I‑10 east – New Orleans	Southern terminus; northbound entrance and southbound exit; Exit 210 on I-10
		0.2	0.3	South end of Manchac Swamp Bridge
		0.8– 1.0	1.3– 1.6	1	US 51 to I‑10 – Baton Rouge, LaPlace	South end of US 51 concurrency; northbound entrance and southbound exit
	Ruddock	7.6– 8.2	12.2– 13.2	7	Ruddock
St. John the Baptist–Tangipahoa line	Galva–Akers line	14.4– 15.2	23.2– 24.5	Bridge over Pass Manchac
Tangipahoa	Manchac	15.3– 15.9	24.6– 25.6	15	Manchac
		23.0	37.0	North end of Manchac Swamp Bridge
		23.1	37.2	22	Frontage Road	Northbound entrance and southbound exit
		23.5– 24.0	37.8– 38.6	23	US 51 Bus. – Ponchatoula	Southern terminus of US 51 Business
	Ponchatoula	25.9– 26.5	41.7– 42.6	26	LA 22 – Ponchatoula, Springfield
	Hammond	28.4– 28.9	45.7– 46.5	28	US 51 north – Hammond	North end of US 51 concurrency
		29.3– 29.8	47.2– 48.0	29A–B	I‑12 – Slidell, Baton Rouge	Signed as Exits 29A to Slidell and 29B to Baton Rouge; Exit 38A–B on I-12
		31.2– 31.4	50.2– 50.5	31	US 190 – Albany, Hammond
		32.2– 32.7	51.8– 52.6	32	LA 3234 (University Avenue) / Wardline Road	Western terminus of LA 3234
	Tickfaw	36.3– 36.7	58.4– 59.1	36	LA 442 – Tickfaw
	Independence	40.9– 41.3	65.8– 66.5	40	LA 40 – Independence
	Amite City	46.9– 47.3	75.5– 76.1	46	LA 16 – Montpelier, Amite City
		50.6– 51.1	81.4– 82.2	50	LA 1048 – Arcola, Roseland
		53.7– 54.1	86.4– 87.1	53	LA 10 – Greensburg, Fluker
		56.9– 57.4	91.6– 92.4	57	LA 440 – Tangipahoa
	Kentwood	61.4– 61.8	98.8– 99.5	61	LA 38 – Liverpool, Kentwood
		66.2	106.5		I-55 north – Jackson	Northern terminus; continuation into Mississippi
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access

References

Route map: Bing / Google

1. Staff (October 31, 2002). "Table 1: Main Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System Of Interstate and Defense Highways as of October 31, 2002". Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
2. Google (June 11, 2013). "Overview Map of I-55" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
3. Crouch, Michelle (April 2010). "The 7 Worst Roads in America". Reader's Digest 173 (1056). Retrieved 2013-01-24.
4. Landers, Kirk (July–August 2011). "Saved by Asphalt: The Rubblization of Louisiana's I-55" (Flash). HMAT (Hot Mix Asphalt Technology) 16 (4): 24–29. Retrieved 2013-01-24.
5. Landers, Kirk (July–August 2012). "Warm Mix Fixes I-55" (Flash). Asphalt Pavement 17 (4): 20–31. Retrieved 2013-01-24.