I-10 through Louisiana, Alabama

[Red Wolf]

We and friends will be traveling to Florida from Texas this year, towing a 5th wheel and travel trailer respectively. I remember I-10 being horribly bumpy through Louisiana and parts of Alabama.

Anyone have any experience towing that stretch in recent years?

My last time towing on it was 2007 with an empty medium U-haul trailer - the jouncing was so bad the trailer hitch bolt came undone, and I ended up with a U-haul careening on the emergency chains behind me.

[Guapotims]

Alabama has smooooth sailing. You must be thinking about further east in Florida. It was bouncy at one time, but now they have done most (if not all) the repairs. East of New Orleans used to be pretty bad too, but last time I was there it seemed better than in years past. Just my $0.02 Hope it helps

[dcheatwood]

I live in north LA and have warned folks about i-10 but recently someone posted here that it had been redone. Maybe someone from Lafayette, lake Charles or baton rouge will check in here. Enjoy your trip.

[drhuggybear]

We came through I-10 from Houston to Orlando and back over the Christmas holidays. Now we weren't pulling our camper but the roads in Lousiana have improved quite a bit. Not perfectly smooth but certainly not the THUMP THUMP THUMP for 2 - 3 hours like it has been historically.

[dannyabear]

I-10 from Lafayette to BR is pretty good shape. Avoid BR during morning and afternoon rush, in BR you will want to take I-12 to near the La/Ms line where it reconnects with I-10; I12 has 3 or 4 construction zones where they are widening the highway. There is a terrible patch about 1/2 mile long when you merge back onto I-10, it is concrete and doesn't look bad but it will buck you and everything in your camper, take it slow there. I-10 in Ms is all good, Alabama good til mobile, I haven't been further in a few years

[2ags81]

We bought our TT in Louisiana in August 2014 and towed it back home traveling westbound on I-10. We hit a stretch of terrible road surface. I can't remember if it was east of Lafayette or west of Lafayette, but I definitely remember that it was on the westbound side somewhere between Lake Charles and the Atchafalaya Swamp Freeway (west of baton Rouge). I was not towing on the way (eastbound) as I was going to pick-up the TT, so maybe I just didn't notice any roughness on the eastbound side. It must have gone on for at least 10-miles. Up and down, plip-ity-plop and very rough. So bad, that my wife and I decided that we would not go back that way anytime soon out of fear that we would damage the TT. You can Google this topic and find recent stories of RV breakdowns due to this stretch of I-10.

[dannyabear]

Originally Posted by 2ags81

We bought our TT in Louisiana in August 2014 and towed it back home traveling westbound on I-10. We hit a stretch of terrible road surface. I can't remember if it was east of Lafayette or west of Lafayette, but I definitely remember that it was on the westbound side somewhere between Lake Charles and the Atchafalaya Swamp Freeway (west of baton Rouge). I was not towing on the way (eastbound) as I was going to pick-up the TT, so maybe I just didn't notice any roughness on the eastbound side. It must have gone on for at least 10-miles. Up and down, plip-ity-plop and very rough. So bad, that my wife and I decided that we would not go back that way anytime soon out of fear that we would damage the TT. You can Google this topic and find recent stories of RV breakdowns due to this stretch of I-10.

That bad section is westbound only, imediately after you get off of the 18 mile long bridge, it last for about a mile. I Go over it frequently to get to Cajun Palms in Henderson. Never saw anyone broke down or heard about anyone breaking down because of it.

[Big Paul]

Just after you pass Slidell going East it is very rough for about 1/2 mile then a few along until you get to Mississippi. Also you may want to go I 12 from Baton Rouge to Slidell, La. their is some spots that are rough bouncing from Laffayette to the Basin Bridge after the bridge headed on East is not to bad until you get to the rough spot at Slidell. Alabama is good as it gets on a interstate on I 10.

[2ags81]

Cedar Creek RV Owners Club • View topic - How rough is I-10 in Louisiana

[whj77372]

I was the one that posted regarding the road construction on IH 10 thru Louisiana, it is mostly completed and very good and a lot more three lanes from the Texas line thru Lake Charles. I would also suggest IH 12 from Baton Rouge until it joints back with IH 10. From Lafayette to Baton Rouge on the elevated it can be bumpy and trucks have a 60 MPH speed limit on that section of IH 10. Good Luck

[gtony2]

In Slidell Getting off I-12 to I-10 the bumps on the exit to enter I-10 are terrible!!!!



gtony2

[mheintz2]

I am on I-10 every day around Lafayette and travel frequently to Beaumont to the west and New Orleans to the east. OK, first, skip New Orleans (unless you really want to see the city) and take I-12 to Baton Rouge to connect back to I-10. But, as others have noted, avoid Baton Rouge between 7-9 AM and 3-6 PM. It is horrible. Yes, the Atchafalaya Basin area can also be bad, so look for warnings on signs and news reports and if it is closed (happens frequently) detour to US 190. It is four-laned all the way to I-49 which will connect you back to I-10 and 49 is a good highway, too. Going west from Lafayette, I-10 is not too bad and the stretch from Welsh to Lake Charles has been redone. There is construction in the Lake Charles area and the bridge is getting ready to come down, but it is doable. Beaumont is another traffic nightmare, just like Baton Rouge, so avoid it during rush hours and remember their afternoon rush starts earlier, since the refineries switch shifts at 3 PM.

If you are looking for parks along the way with easy access to I-10, there is an excellent KOA in Scott on the west side of Lafayette. It's got restaurants within walking distance, including two really good Cajun places, as well as fast food. There is also a "resort" park in Henderson just off the Basin bridge east of Lafayette, Cajun Palms, but it is a little pricey. In Beaumont, we like Gulf Coast RV. Nice level sites.

Hope that helps.

[mheintz2]

Yikes, sorry made it sound like the Lake Charles bridge is falling down! It is going to be replaced and not sure when construction will really begin.

[acadianbob]

And I would say be alert. We have seen a horrible accident and body bags on virtually every crossing of I-10; in bright sunshine! I'm serious; no exaggeration.

[Tiggerdad]

Originally Posted by dannyabear

I-10 from Lafayette to BR is pretty good shape. Avoid BR during morning and afternoon rush, in BR you will want to take I-12 to near the La/Ms line where it reconnects with I-10; I12 has 3 or 4 construction zones where they are widening the highway. There is a terrible patch about 1/2 mile long when you merge back onto I-10, it is concrete and doesn't look bad but it will buck you and everything in your camper, take it slow there. I-10 in Ms is all good, Alabama good til mobile, I haven't been further in a few years

Lived in B.R. for 30 years and now back in Texas and have traveled that road many times. I find that about 5 miles west of the Basin both ways is very rough when towing but not near as noticeable by vehicle. West of Lake Charles from mile marker 26 to 23 will shake anything up that is towing and lane changes will not help. Drop to 35-40 MPH will smooth things out some but not completely.

[Red Wolf]

Thanks for the info, everyone!

[Rstrahan]

LA highways have a bad practice of doing slab construction instead of continuous pour construction. In the Basin, between the bridges and Lafayaette, it is just rough (thump, thump, for miles). Watch the right turn on the east side of the Baton Rouge bridge to merge onto the interstate, nasty. I agree about the construction on 12, narrow lanes and lots of cops.

[Zoo1392]

We where coming back from California passing through Huston East using I-10/I_12 this past November. The roads through Louisiana have to be the worst roads in the US bar none. When you get to the end of I-12 there will be a sign warning of a sharp curve where I-12 merges back into I-10 what ever you do hit your flashers slow down to about 25 and hold on...
Bent spindle and broken glass in the rig..I don't think they have fixed the roads since Katrina.

[gspencer4]

The roads were bad before Katrina and are still that way. Just plan on going slower. There's lots of traffic. Be careful.