Louisiana Highway 93 (LA 93) is a state highway located in southern Louisiana. It runs 23.427 miles (37.702 km) in a southwest to northeast direction from US 90 in Scott to LA 31 in Arnaudville.

Louisiana Highway 93 marker
Louisiana Highway 93
Map
LA 93 in red and LA 93-1 in blue
Route information
Maintained by Louisiana DOTD
Length23.427 mi[1] (37.702 km)
Existed1955 renumbering–present
Tourist
routes
Major junctions
South end US 90 in Scott
Major intersections
North end LA 31 in Arnaudville
Location
CountryUnited States
StateLouisiana
ParishesLafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin
Highway system
  • Louisiana State Highway System
LA 92 LA 94

The majority of the route travels north–south, connecting the small city of Scott with the twin towns of Sunset and Grand Coteau. It then follows an east–west path between Grand Coteau and Arnaudville, located on Bayou Teche. The north–south directional banners are generally absent from the highway's signage over this latter portion. Over the course of its route, LA 93 crosses two Interstate Highways and two U.S. Highways: I-10 and US 90 in Scott and the concurrent I-49/US 167 in Grand Coteau.

LA 93 was designated in the 1955 Louisiana Highway renumbering, replacing three shorter former routes: State Route 538, State Route 161, and State Route 245. Prior to 2015, LA 93 was slightly longer on its southern end, as it once followed Ridge Road east of LA 342 to a junction with US 167. This portion of the route was returned to local control as part of the state highway department's recently adopted Road Transfer program. In the future, the entire route south of Scott is planned to be deleted from the state highway system. Part of this was realized in 2021, when most of LA 93 between US 90 in Scott and LA 342 in Lafayette, was transferred to local jurisdictions, truncating the highway to its southern current terminus. The remaining state-owned section, which extends 1.819 miles (2.927 km) north of LA 342, was redesignated as LA 93-1.

Route description

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Scott to Sunset

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LA 93 begins at the intersection of US 90 and Apollo Road in Scott, on the northwest side of town. LA 93 heads north, through a roundabout onto St. Mary Street, and immediately enters a diamond interchange with I-10 at exit 97. I-10 parallels the route of US 90 through the region, connection with Lafayette to the east and Lake Charles to the west.[2][3][4][5]

North of Scott, LA 93 enters more rural surroundings as it passes through areas known as Ossun and Vatican. Between the two communities is a junction with LA 98 (West Gloria Switch Road), which leads eastward into Carencro. Just north of Vatican, LA 93 crosses from Lafayette Parish into St. Landry Parish. Shortly afterward, the highway passes through the village of Cankton, where it is known locally as Main Street.[2][4][6][7]

Sunset to Arnaudville

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Just north of Cankton, LA 93 curves to the northeast at a junction with LA 356 and proceeds into the town of Sunset, gaining the local name of Sunset Strip. The route turns east briefly onto Napoleon Avenue and runs concurrent with LA 182. Within a short distance, LA 93 turns northeast again onto Duffy Avenue, an undivided four-lane highway with a center turning lane. It then crosses into the adjacent town of Grand Coteau and passes through a diamond interchange with the concurrent I-49/US 167 at exit 11. The interstate provides another connection to Lafayette as well as the city of Opelousas. Now traveling along Martin Luther King Drive, LA 93 returns to two-lane capacity and makes a sharp turn to the southeast through Grand Coteau.[2][4][7]

Heading eastward from the small town, LA 93 crosses Bayou Fusilier into St. Martin Parish. The highway then parallels the bayou (and the parish line) for about three miles (4.8 km) before reaching its terminus at a T-intersection with LA 31 in Arnaudville. From this junction, LA 31 heads north on Faculty Street into the town and south on Neblet Street along Bayou Teche toward Breaux Bridge.[2][4][8]

Route classification and data

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LA 93 is classified by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (La DOTD) as an urban minor arterial from the southern terminus to LA 98 and as a rural major collector for the remainder of the route.[9] Daily traffic volume in 2013 peaked at 15,800 vehicles in Scott and 11,300 in Sunset with most of the route averaging less than 5,000 vehicles.[9] The posted speed limit is 55 mph (90 km/h) in rural areas but is reduced as low as 30 or 35 mph (50 or 55 km/h) through town.[2]

The portion of LA 93 between Grand Coteau and Arnaudville is part of the Zydeco Cajun Prairie Byway in the state-designated system of tourist routes known as the Louisiana Scenic Byways.[10]

History

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In the original Louisiana Highway system in use between 1921 and 1955, LA 93 was part of three shorter routes: State Route 538 from the southern terminus to Scott;[11] State Route 161 to Sunset;[11][12] and State Route 245 to Arnaudville.[12][13] All three routes originated from various acts of the Louisiana Legislature between 1926 and 1930.[14][15] These highway segments were joined under the single designation of LA 93 when the Louisiana Department of Highways renumbered the state highway system in 1955.[16]

La 93—From a junction with La-US 167 southwest of Lafayette through or near Scott, Vatican, Sunset and Grand Coteau to a junction with La 31 at or near Arnaudville.

— 1955 legislative route description[16]

As the above description indicates, the southern terminus of LA 93 was originally a junction with US 167 southwest of Lafayette. It was located at the modern intersection of Johnston Street and Ridge Road, which is now within the Lafayette city limits. The portion of Ridge Road between US 167 and LA 342 had been a small part of State Route 176 prior to the 1955 renumbering.[11] It became part of LA 93 until being transferred to local control in 2015 as part of La DOTD's Road Transfer program. As of 2018, the portion of LA 93 from US 90 to Dulles Drive is under agreement to be removed from the state highway system and transferred to local control.[17] In the future, the remainder of LA 93 between the roundabout and US 90 in Scott is to be similarly removed from the state highway system.[18] The current southern terminus is located at a roundabout that was constructed in 2003, replacing a standard four-way intersection. It is believed to be the first modern roundabout built in the state of Louisiana and has since been followed by several more within Lafayette Parish.[19]

Since the 1955 renumbering, most changes to LA 93 have involved the smoothing of various zigzags along the route, a typical feature of the rural farm roads the highway was originally aligned with. Several right-angle turns were eliminated between Scott and Cankton prior to 1958.[11][20] At the same time, a short section of highway was constructed in Sunset, reducing the number of right-angle turns heading into town from five to one.[12][21] The original alignment followed Churchill Street, MacArthur Drive, Anna Street, and Landry Street to Napoleon Avenue.

The most significant realignment occurred in Scott, where LA 93 was moved from its original path along St. Mary Street onto Apollo Road. This road had been constructed in 1981 as a truck route officially designated as LA 3168 and co-signed as LA 93 Truck.[22][23] Sometime afterward, St. Mary Street was transferred to local control, and the signage for LA 93 was removed from the route. However, Apollo Road continued to be signed as LA 93 Truck and LA 3168 until new signage identifying the route solely as mainline LA 93 was installed in 2013 in connection with another roundabout project at the junction of Apollo Road and St. Mary Street.[2][24] In 2021, most of LA 93 south of US 90 was retired from the state highway system, with the small remainder becoming auxiliary route LA 93-1.[5]

Future

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La DOTD is currently engaged in a program that aims to transfer about 5,000 miles (8,000 km) of state-owned roadways to local governments over the next several years.[25] Under this plan of "right-sizing" the state highway system, the portion of LA 93 south of US 90 in Scott was deleted as it no longer met a significant interurban travel function.[5]

Major intersections

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ParishLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
LafayetteScott0.0000.000 
 
US 90 west (Cameron Street) – Duson
Southern terminus
0.749–
1.125
1.205–
1.811
  I-10 – Lafayette, Lake CharlesExit 97 on I-10
Ossun2.9984.825  LA 723 (Wyman Road)
4.5977.398  LA 98 (West Gloria Switch Road) – Carencro, RayneRoundabout
St. Landry6.66310.723  LA 761Eastern terminus of LA 761; 0.3 miles (0.48 km) south of Cankton
10.17716.378  LA 356 – Bristol, BoscoEastern terminus of LA 356
Sunset13.97522.491 
 
LA 182 north (Napoleon Avenue)
Southern end of LA 182 concurrency
14.14522.764  LA 178 (Pershing Highway)Eastern terminus of LA 178
14.67523.617 
 
LA 182 south (Napoleon Avenue)
Northern end of LA 182 concurrency
Grand Coteau15.181–
15.370
24.431–
24.736
   I-49 / US 167 – Opelousas, LafayetteExit 11 on I-49/US 167
15.91225.608  LA 760-1 (Church Street)Southern terminus of LA 760-1
16.47726.517  LA 760-2 (Bellemin Street)Northern terminus of LA 760-2
St. MartinArnaudville23.42737.702  LA 31 (Neblet Street, Faculty Street) – Breaux Bridge, Krotz SpringsNorthern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Auxiliary route

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Louisiana Highway 93-1
LocationLafayetteScott
Length1.819 mi[1] (2.927 km)
Existed2021–present

Louisiana Highway 93-1 (LA 93-1) is a 1.819-mile (2.927 km) long auxiliary route of LA 93. When most of LA 93 between LA 342 in Lafayette and US 90 in Scott was decommissioned and transferred to local jurisdiction in 2021, the remaining state-owned highway became LA 93-1. The entire route runs in a north–south direction along Rue de Belier, from a roundabout with the eastern terminus of LA 342 (Ridge Road), to a point immediately south of Dulles Drive in Scott.[1] This was done under the La DOTD's Road Transfer Program to streamline the state highway system by retiring and transferring various non-essential state highways to local jurisdictions. The entirety of LA 93-1 is slated to be retired to local authority in the future, with the northern section undergoing a transition as of 2022.[5][25]

Major intersections

The entire route is in Lafayette Parish.

Locationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
Lafayette0.000–
0.049
0.000–
0.079
 
 
LA 342 west (Ridge Road)
Southern terminus of LA 93-1; eastern terminus of LA 342; roundabout
Scott1.8192.927Rue de Belier to US 90Northern terminus; road continues as Rue de Belier; former LA 93 north
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (2021). LADOTD Bing Maps Tool (Map). Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Overview Map of LA 93" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
  3. ^ Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, Office of Multimodal Planning (February 2012). Lafayette Parish (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, Office of Multimodal Planning (February 2012). District 03: Official Control Section Map, Construction and Maintenance (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (2022). Route system map of Lafayette Parish (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  6. ^ Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, Office of Multimodal Planning (February 2012). St. Landry Parish (West Section) (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
  7. ^ a b Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, Office of Multimodal Planning (February 2012). St. Landry Parish (East Section) (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
  8. ^ Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, Office of Multimodal Planning (February 2012). St. Martin Parish (Northwest Section) (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
  9. ^ a b "La DOTD GIS". Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. 2013. Archived from the original on October 16, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  10. ^ "Zydeco Cajun Prairie Byway". Louisiana Scenic Byways. 2016. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  11. ^ a b c d Louisiana Department of Highways, Traffic and Planning Section (1953). Lafayette Parish (Map) (January 1, 1955 ed.). Scale not given. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Highways.
  12. ^ a b c Louisiana Department of Highways, Traffic and Planning Section (1953). St. Landry Parish (Map) (January 1, 1955 ed.). Scale not given. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Highways.
  13. ^ Louisiana Department of Highways, Traffic and Planning Section (1950). St. Martin Parish (Map) (January 1, 1955 ed.). Scale not given. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Highways.
  14. ^ "Act No. 294, House Bill No. 791". State-Times. Baton Rouge. July 31, 1928. pp. 8B–12B.
  15. ^ "Act No. 15, House Bill No. 6". State-Times. Baton Rouge. October 13, 1930. pp. 1B–10B.
  16. ^ a b "Act No. 40, House Bill No. 311". State-Times. Baton Rouge. June 18, 1955. p. 3B.
  17. ^ http://wwwsp.dotd.la.gov/Inside_LaDOTD/Divisions/Multimodal/Road_Transfer/District%2003/Lafayette_2018_RS.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  18. ^ Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, Office of Multimodal Planning (March 2, 2017). Right-Size the State Highway System: Lafayette Parish (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  19. ^ Burgess, Richard (May 9, 2011). "Roundabout Numbers Climb". Upper Lafayette Economic Development Foundation. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
  20. ^ Louisiana Department of Highways, Traffic and Planning Section (1953). Lafayette Parish (Map) (January 1, 1958 ed.). Scale not given. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Highways.
  21. ^ Louisiana Department of Highways, Traffic and Planning Section (1953). St. Landry Parish (Map) (January 1, 1958 ed.). Scale not given. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Highways.
  22. ^ Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development—Office of Highways (1979). Louisiana 1979–1980 (Map). Scale not given. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development.
  23. ^ Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (1981). Louisiana (Map). Scale not given. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development.
  24. ^ Burgess, Richard (July 4, 2013). "Scott Mayor Purvis Morrison Touts 'Gateway' Into Parish". Upper Lafayette Economic Development Foundation. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
  25. ^ a b "Right-Sizing the State Highway System" (PDF). Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. April 2013. p. 3. Retrieved July 25, 2013.
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