Origin
Alexandria, LA
Late night in Alexandria on Tuesday
Local time
4:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
87°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Alexandria, LA to Carencro, LA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 26m
Distance
81.5 mi
131 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 20m
★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 40m
10 AM
1h 32m
12 PM
1h 30m
3 PM
1h 32m
5 PM
1h 40m
8 PM
1h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Alexandria, LA
Wikimedia Commons
Carencro, LA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Alexandria, LA to Carencro, LA is 81.5 miles and takes about 1h 26m via Martin Luther King, Jr Highway, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Southeast region, specifically within Louisiana, making it a straightforward local journey. Expect a route that involves frequent turns rather than long stretches of highway. With a duration under 1.5 hours and a low fuel cost, this trip is easily manageable for a single day.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Martin Luther King, Jr Highway | 76.4 mi | 1h 17m |
| North University Avenue | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| Veterans Memorial Expressway | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| Murray Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Thorn Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Martin Luther King, Jr Highway
— 76.4 mi, about 1h 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alexandria, LA and Carencro, LA.
1
Start on Murray Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Murray Street
2
Turn left onto Thorn Road
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Thorn Road
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
4
Merge onto I 49; US 71 BYP
76 mi
·
1 hr 17 min
·
Martin Luther King, Jr Highway
5
Continue on I 49; US 167
0.7 mi
·
43 sec
·
Veterans Memorial Expressway
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward LA 182
7
Turn slight right onto LA 182
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
North University Avenue
8
Arrive at destination
LA 182
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
41 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 18 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 40.8 miles from Alexandria, LA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Martin Luther King, Jr Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 76.4 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 77.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Thorn Road
Turn left onto Thorn Road
Navigation decision point
3
0.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
3
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 49; US 71 BYP / Martin Luther King, Jr Highway
Merge onto I 49; US 71 BYP / Martin Luther King, Jr Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
77.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 21m in
Take the exit toward LA 182
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward LA 182
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.31 one way
$24.62 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
29 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $13.51 | $27.02 |
| premium | $4.56 | $14.63 | $29.26 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $17.99 | $35.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 28.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 24.5 | 0 | $8.56 | $3.91 |
| Efficient EV | 20.4 | 0 | $7.13 | $3.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 32.6 | 0 | $11.41 | $5.22 |
Gas CO2
29 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (66% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Carencro, LA
Late night in Carencro on Tuesday
Local time
4:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
85°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
2 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 26m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route features a high percentage of local roads, with only a portion on the Veterans Memorial Expressway. The drive is characterized as 'turn-heavy,' meaning you'll navigate numerous intersections and changes in direction. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 76.4 miles on Martin Luther King, Jr Highway. This suggests that while there are some longer segments on this main road, the overall journey involves frequent adjustments and local driving.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 76.4 mi on Martin Luther King, Jr Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near Thorn Road.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Alexandria, LA to Carencro, LA is easy. At 1h 26m with 1% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (Thorn Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (I 49; US 71 BYP / Martin Luther King, Jr Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining.
About the Cities
Starting in Alexandria, LA
Full guide →Founded 1818
Alexandria is a historic city, rich in Louisiana history. Civil War historic sites along with easy access to numerous historic locations and Kisatchie National Forest sites make it a city ideal for history enthusiasts and sportsmen.
Top landmarks
- • Arna Wendell Bontemps House — historic house in Louisiana, United States
- • Bolton High School — high school in Alexandria, Rapides Parish, Louisiana
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 26m. Total distance: 81.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (1%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 76.4 miles on Martin Luther King, Jr Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 6 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (Thorn Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (I 49; US 71 BYP / Martin Luther King, Jr Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Carencro, LA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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