This 200.2-mile drive from Ball to Houma, Louisiana, will take approximately 3 hours and 15 minutes, making it a manageable one-day trip. You'll primarily travel on Monroe Highway and US 165 North before transitioning to the Pineville Expressway. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $31, this route offers a straightforward journey through the Southeast region. The drive is characterized by frequent turns, suggesting a local, less highway-intensive experience. Plan for a single stop along the way to break up the journey.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
99.2 miles from Ball, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 49m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 90
87.8 mi
1h 37m
Martin Luther King, Jr Highway
76 mi
1h 17m
Veterans Memorial Expressway
10.6 mi
11m
West Main Street
7 mi
11m
Monroe Highway
4.2 mi
6m
Pineville Expressway
4.2 mi
5m
Northwest Evangeline Thruway
2.2 mi
3m
North Morgan Avenue
1.6 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
US 90
— 87.8 mi, about 1h 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ball, LA and Houma, LA.
1
Start on US 165; LA 1204
192 ft·8 sec·Monroe Highway
2
Continue on US 165; LA 1204
4.1 mi·6 min·Monroe Highway
3
Turn left
0.3 mi·35 sec
Toward US 165 North: Monroe
4
Merge onto US 167
4.2 mi·5 min·Pineville Expressway
5
Keep slight left at fork onto US 167
0.8 mi·1 min·US 167
Toward I 49 South, US 167 South: Opelousas
6
Merge onto I 49; US 167; US 71 BYP
76 mi·1 hr 17 min·Martin Luther King, Jr Highway
7
Continue on I 49; US 167
8.8 mi·9 min·Veterans Memorial Expressway
8
Continue on I 49; LA 182
2.2 mi·3 min·Northwest Evangeline Thruway
9
Continue on US 90; LA 182
6.1 mi·8 min·US 90; LA 182
10
Turn right onto North Morgan Avenue
1.6 mi·2 min·North Morgan Avenue
11
Turn left onto LA 3073
1.5 mi·2 min·Ambassador Caffery Parkway
12
Turn right onto East Fairfield Drive
0.1 mi·20 sec·East Fairfield Drive
13
Turn left onto St Etienne Road
1.0 mi·4 min·St Etienne Road
14
At end of road, turn left onto LA 92-1
0.6 mi·52 sec·Young Street
15
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90; LA 92-1
0.5 mi·31 sec·Veterans Memorial Expressway
16
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90
0.2 mi·12 sec·Veterans Memorial Expressway
17
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90
0.2 mi·11 sec·Veterans Memorial Expressway
18
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90
0.2 mi·14 sec·Veterans Memorial Expressway
19
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90
0.8 mi·53 sec·Veterans Memorial Expressway
20
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90
82 mi·1 hr 28 min·US 90
21
Take the exit
0.4 mi·49 sec
22
Keep slight right at fork
394 ft·9 sec
23
Turn straight onto LA 24
7.0 mi·11 min·West Main Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
24
Turn right onto LA 312
198 ft·10 sec·Lafayette Street
25
Turn left onto School Street
0.3 mi·1 min·School Street
26
Arrive at destination
School Street
Trip Plan
For this 200.2-mile trip, leaving in the morning will give you ample time to reach Houma by afternoon. Since it's a one-day drive and estimated to take just over 3 hours, you can afford to be flexible with your timing. With only one recommended stop, consider making it a mid-point break to stretch your legs. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially as you navigate the numerous turns; knowing your estimated $31 fuel cost can help you budget for this. A practical tip for this turn-heavy route is to ensure your GPS or navigation app is set to avoid highways to best follow the recommended path.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 99.2 miles from Ball, LA, or about 1h 49m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 87.8 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 44 miles or 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 99.2 miles or 1h 49m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Houma, LA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ball, LA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Ball, LA
This is one driving day of about 198.4 miles and 3h 49m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Ball, LA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 90 for about 87.8 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 20
5 decision points cluster between mile 4.2 and 108 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
4.2 mi into trip|~7m in
Turn left toward US 165 North: Monroe
Navigation decision point
Toward US 165 North: Monroe
6
8.6 mi into trip|~13m in|US 167
Keep slight left at fork onto US 167 toward I 49 South, US 167 South: Opelousas
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 49 South, US 167 South: Opelousas
5
106.6 mi into trip|~2h 3m in|LA 92-1 / Young Street
At end of road, turn left onto LA 92-1 / Young Street
Navigation decision point
5
107.8 mi into trip|~2h 5m in|US 90 / Veterans Memorial Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90 / Veterans Memorial Expressway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
108 mi into trip|~2h 5m in|US 90 / Veterans Memorial Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90 / Veterans Memorial Expressway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$29.96 one way
$59.93 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg69 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$32.89
$65.78
premium
$4.56
$35.61
$71.22
diesel
$5.61
$43.80
$87.61
Estimated Tolls: $0.15
Northwest Evangeline Thruway
(2.2 mi)$0.15
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Tolls
$0
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 69.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
59.5
0
$20.83
$9.52
Efficient EV
49.6
0
$17.36
$7.94
EV Truck/SUV
79.4
0
$27.78
$12.70
Gas CO2
69 kg
EV CO2
23 kg (67% 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 20, 2026
Origin
Ball, LA
Late night
in Ball on Tuesday
Local time
4:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Houma, LA
Late night
in Houma on Tuesday
Local time
4:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°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
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
3h 49m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, with zero highway miles indicated. This means you'll be navigating more surface streets and intersections than open interstates. While there isn't a "longest stretch" specified, the "turn-heavy" profile suggests a journey punctuated by frequent changes in direction. You'll likely experience a consistent pace as you move through various towns and communities within Louisiana, rather than long stretches of uninterrupted highway driving.
53% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 87.8 mi on US 90.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.2 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 198.4 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 8.6 miles (US 167): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 106.6 miles (LA 92-1 / Young Street): Navigation decision point.
Houma is a small city (about 33,000 people in 2019, not including suburbs) in south central Louisiana. It is the seat and largest city in Terrebonne Parish, and the center of the Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux Metropolitan Statistical Area. The region in total is home to a little over 200,000.
Bayou Terrebonne runs through the town roughly east to west between Main Street and Park Avenue, with the Intracostal Waterway running north to south.
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 49m. Total distance: 198.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 87.8 miles on US 90. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.15 in tolls one way, starting with Northwest Evangeline Thruway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Houma, LA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 4.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 8.6 miles (US 167): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 106.6 miles (LA 92-1 / Young Street): Navigation decision point.
Possible but tiring. At 3.8 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.7 hours — manageable with a long break at Houma, LA, but most travelers stay overnight.
