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Route information | ||||
Maintained by Louisiana DOTD | ||||
Length | 79.7 mi [1] (128.3 km) | |||
Existed | 1955 renumbering–present | |||
Major junctions | ||||
West end | ![]() ![]() | |||
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Contents![]() | ||||
East end | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | |||
Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | Louisiana | |||
Parishes | Ascension, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Charles, Jefferson | |||
Highway system | ||||
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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.
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.
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.)
Parish | Location | mi [1] | km | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ascension | Donaldsonville | 0.0 | 0.0 | ![]() ![]() ![]() | Western terminus; Western terminus of LA 3089 |
| 3.1 | 5.0 | ![]() | Northwestern terminus of LA 3120 | |
St. James | | 8.3 | 13.4 | ![]() | LA 70 passes overhead via Sunshine Bridge across Mississippi River; indirect access via frontage road |
Lagan | 20.4 | 32.8 | ![]() | Northern terminus of LA 3219 | |
North Vacherie | 26.5 | 42.6 | ![]() ![]() | Eastern terminus of LA 20 | |
St. John the Baptist | Wallace | 30.9 | 49.7 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Interchange; LA 3213 passes overhead via Gramercy Bridge over Mississippi River |
| 33.9 | 54.6 | ![]() | Northern terminus of LA 639; Unsigned junction | |
Edgard | 38.9 | 62.6 | ![]() ![]() | 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 | ![]() ![]() | East end of LA 640 concurrency | ||
St. Charles | Killona | 46.1 | 74.2 | ![]() | Northern terminus of LA 3141 |
Taft | 48.2 | 77.6 | ![]() | Northern terminus of LA 3142; Unsigned junction | |
Hahnville | 51.8 | 83.4 | ![]() | Northeastern terminus of LA 3160 | |
Luling | 55.1 | 88.7 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Interchange; I-310 passes overhead via Luling Bridge across Mississippi River | |
55.8 | 89.8 | ![]() | Northern terminus of LA 52 | ||
57.3 | 92.2 | ![]() | Northern terminus of LA 3060 | ||
Jefferson | | 69.7 | 112.2 | ![]() | Western terminus of LA 541 |
| 70.1 | 112.8 | ![]() ![]() | West end of U.S. 90 concurrency | |
Bridge City | 71.0 | 114.3 | ![]() ![]() | East end of U.S. 90 concurrency; At Huey P. Long Bridge across Mississippi River | |
Westwego | 72.3 | 116.4 | ![]() | West end of LA 541 concurrency | |
72.8 | 117.2 | ![]() | East end of LA 541 concurrency | ||
73.3 | 118.0 | ![]() ![]() | Northern terminus of LA 18 Spur | ||
Marrero | 76.3 | 122.8 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Northern terminus of LA 45; Junction includes incorrect signage | |
76.6 | 123.3 | ![]() | Southern terminus of LA 560-2 | ||
Harvey | 77.6 | 124.9 | ![]() | Northern terminus of LA 3018; Unsigned junction | |
77.6 | 124.9 | ![]() | Eastern terminus of LA 541 | ||
77.7 | 125.0 | Bridge over Harvey Canal | |||
77.8 | 125.2 | ![]() | Northern terminus of LA 3017 | ||
Gretna | 79.2 | 127.5 | ![]() | Western terminus of LA 466; Unsigned junction | |
79.7 | 128.3 | ![]() ![]() ![]() | Southern terminus; Partially unsigned junction | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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Location | Westwego |
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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 | ![]() | Northern terminus | ||
0.62 | 1.00 | ![]() ![]() | Southern terminus | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi |
Jefferson Parish is a parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 440,781. Its parish seat is Gretna, its largest community is Metairie, and its largest incorporated city is Kenner. Jefferson Parish is included in the Greater New Orleans area.
U.S. Highway 90 Business is a business route of U.S. Highway 90 located in and near New Orleans, Louisiana. It runs 14.25 miles (22.93 km) in a general east–west direction from US 90 in Avondale to a junction with Interstate 10 (I-10) and US 90 in the New Orleans Central Business District.
Louisiana Highway 1 (LA 1) is a state highway in Louisiana. At 431.88 miles (695.04 km), it is the longest numbered highway of any class in Louisiana. It runs diagonally across the state, connecting the oil and gas fields near the island of Grand Isle with the northwest corner of the state, north of Shreveport.
Louisiana Highway 23 is a north–south state highway in Louisiana that serves Plaquemines and Jefferson Parishes. It spans 74.0 miles (119.1 km) in roughly a southeast to northwest direction. It is known locally as Belle Chasse Highway and Lafayette Street.
U.S. Highway 90 (US 90), one of the major east–west U.S. Highways in the Southern United States, runs through southern Louisiana for 297.6 miles (478.9 km), serving Lake Charles, Lafayette, New Iberia, Morgan City, and New Orleans. Much of it west of Lafayette and east of New Orleans has been supplanted by Interstate 10 (I-10) for all but local traffic, but the section between Lafayette and New Orleans runs a good deal south of I-10.
Louisiana Highway 45 (LA 45) is a state highway located in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. It runs 22.08 miles (35.53 km) in a north–south direction from a dead end at Bayou Barataria in Lafitte to a junction with LA 18 in Marrero.
Louisiana Highway 22 (LA 22) is a state highway located in southeastern Louisiana. It runs 71.15 miles (114.50 km) in a general east–west direction from the junction of LA 75 and LA 942 in Darrow to U.S. Highway 190 (US 190) in Mandeville.
The Crescent City Connection Division (CCCD) is an agency within the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. The purpose of the CCCD is to plan, construct, operate, maintain and police all Mississippi River crossings in Jefferson, Orleans, and St. Bernard Parishes. Prior to the 1989, the CCCD was known as the Mississippi River Bridge Authority (MRBA) and had control of only the Greater New Orleans Bridge (now the Crescent City Connection). The Crescent City Connection Bridge is the fifth busiest bridge in the nation. More than 33 million vehicles traverse the structure annually.
Louisiana Highway 48 is a state highway in Louisiana that serves St. Charles and Jefferson Parishes. It runs from west to east, parallel to the east bank of the Mississippi River, from Norco to Jefferson. It spans a total of 20.9 miles (33.6 km). Throughout its run, LA 48 is known as Apple Street, River Road, 3rd Street, Reverend Richard Wilson Drive, and Jefferson Highway.
Louisiana Highway 3127 is a state highway in Louisiana that serves Ascension, St. James, St. John the Baptist, and St. Charles Parishes. It spans 42.1 miles (67.8 km) in a northwest to southeast direction. It parallels LA 18 along the west bank of the Mississippi River, providing a much shorter inland bypass of the River Road. It is bannered in all four cardinal directions depending upon the part of the route.
Louisiana Highway 308 is a state highway in Louisiana that serves Ascension, Assumption, and Lafourche Parishes. It spans 82.5 miles (132.8 km), following the east bank of Bayou Lafourche from Donaldsonville to Golden Meadow. It parallels LA 1 during its entire route, as LA 1 follows the west bank of the bayou.
Louisiana Highway 44 is a state highway in Louisiana that serves Ascension, St. James, and St. John the Baptist Parishes. It runs from west to east, parallel to the east bank of the Mississippi River, from Prairieville to LaPlace. It spans a total of 50.1 miles (80.6 km). Throughout its run, LA 44 is known as North/South Burnside Avenue, River Road, West/East Jefferson Highway, West 5th Street, and Main Street.