Traveling from Alexandria to Jonesboro covers 72.2 miles through the heart of Louisiana. You should plan for a drive time of approximately 1 hour and 32 minutes, making this a straightforward day trip that does not require an overnight stay. Since the route is entirely local, you can expect to navigate via 4th Street, Winn Street, and Foisy Avenue rather than major interstates. With a fuel budget of about $10, it is an affordable journey for a quick excursion. Both your starting point and destination are located within the Southeast region, ensuring a consistent local atmosphere throughout the trip.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
36.1 miles from Alexandria, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 45m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Pineville Expressway
47.4 mi
58m
West Court Street
21.7 mi
27m
Old Winnfield Road
1 mi
1m
South Hudson Avenue
1 mi
1m
4th Street
0.3 mi
<1m
US 167 Bus
0.2 mi
<1m
Chatham Highway
0.2 mi
<1m
Winn Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Pineville Expressway
— 47.4 mi, about 58m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alexandria, LA and Jonesboro, LA.
1
Start on Murray Street
159 ft·14 sec·Murray Street
2
Turn left onto 4th Street
0.3 mi·46 sec·4th Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto LA 1
0.2 mi·18 sec·Winn Street
4
Turn left onto LA 1
520 ft·27 sec·Foisy Avenue
5
At end of road, turn left onto US 167 Bus; LA 1; LA 28 Bus
269 ft·4 sec·Casson Street
6
Take the ramp onto US 167 Bus; LA 28 Bus
0.2 mi·27 sec·US 167 Bus; LA 28 Bus
7
Merge onto US 167; LA 28
47 mi·58 min·Pineville Expressway
8
Continue on US 84; US 167; LA 34
22 mi·27 min·West Court Street
9
Continue on US 167
1.0 mi·1 min·South Hudson Avenue
10
Continue on US 167
1.0 mi·1 min·Old Winnfield Road
11
Turn left onto LA 4
0.1 mi·13 sec·East Main Street
12
Continue on LA 4
0.2 mi·17 sec·Chatham Highway
13
Turn right onto Allen Avenue
109 ft·2 sec·Allen Avenue
14
Arrive at destination
Allen Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the short 1 hour and 32 minute duration, you have total flexibility regarding your departure time. Since the entire trip is local with no planned stops, try to fuel up before you leave Alexandria to keep your $10 travel budget on track. Be mindful that because the route relies on local streets like Foisy Avenue and Winn Street, traffic patterns may vary compared to major highways. Use the lack of designated stops to your advantage by planning your own breaks whenever you feel the need to stretch your legs. A helpful tip for this specific drive is to keep your navigation app handy, as the frequent turns on local roads can be easy to miss if you aren't paying close attention to street signage.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 36.1 miles from Alexandria, LA, or about 45m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 47.4 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 16 miles or 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 36.1 miles or 45m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 17m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Jonesboro, LA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Alexandria, LA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Alexandria, LA
This is one driving day of about 72.2 miles and 1h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 16 miles from Alexandria, LA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Pineville Expressway for about 47.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 72.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|4th Street
Turn left onto 4th Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|LA 1 / Winn Street
At end of road, turn right onto LA 1 / Winn Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|LA 1 / Foisy Avenue
Turn left onto LA 1 / Foisy Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|US 167 Bus; LA 1; LA 28 Bus / Casson Street
At end of road, turn left onto US 167 Bus; LA 1; LA 28 Bus / Casson Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
4
72.2 mi into trip|~1h 32m in|Allen Avenue
Turn right onto Allen Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.90 one way
$21.81 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg25 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$11.97
$23.94
premium
$4.56
$12.96
$25.92
diesel
$5.61
$15.94
$31.88
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$11
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$36–$61
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
21.7
0
$7.58
$3.47
Efficient EV
18.1
0
$6.32
$2.89
EV Truck/SUV
28.9
0
$10.11
$4.62
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (68% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026
Origin
Alexandria, LA
Late night
in Alexandria on Sunday
Local time
5:05 AM
CDT
Current temp
85°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Jonesboro, LA
Late night
in Jonesboro on Sunday
Local time
5:05 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
8 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 32m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Cane River Creole National Historical Park
National Historical Park
The Cane River region is home to a unique culture; the Creoles. Generations of the same families of workers, enslaved and tenant, and owners lived on these lands for over 200 years. The park tells the...
25 mi from route
~64 min detour
Free
near mile 29.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous highway cruise, as this route features zero percent highway travel. You will navigate through local roads throughout the entire 72.2-mile journey, requiring your full attention behind the wheel. Because there are no long, uninterrupted stretches—with the longest segment on 4th Street being 0 miles—you should prepare for frequent adjustments and turns. This unique profile gives the drive a deliberate, hands-on feel that differs significantly from a high-speed interstate commute. Navigating these local streets requires a relaxed pace, allowing you to experience the transit between these two Louisiana towns firsthand.
66% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 47.4 mi on Pineville Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pineville Expressway and West Court Street. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 4th Street.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Alexandria, LA to Jonesboro, LA is easy. At 1h 32m with 66% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (4th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (LA 1 / Winn Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (LA 1 / Foisy Avenue): Navigation decision point.
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.
The longest stretch is about 47.4 miles on Pineville Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start (4th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (LA 1 / Winn Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (LA 1 / Foisy Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Cane River Creole National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Jonesboro, LA before heading back.
