Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 41m
Distance
87.3 mi
140 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Monroe, LA
Perry Z
Ball, LA
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Monroe, LA to Ball, LA covers 87.3 miles and takes about 1h 41m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Martin Luther King Jr Drive, I 20, Lea Joyner Memorial Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 84.6 miles on Martin Luther King Jr Drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.79 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
43.6 miles from Monroe, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 51m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Martin Luther King Jr Drive | 84.6 mi | 1h 37m |
| I 20 | 1 mi | 1m |
| Lea Joyner Memorial Expressway | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| North 5th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Louisville Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Monroe Highway | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Monroe, LA and Ball, LA.
Start on this road
Turn left
Turn right onto US 80; LA 15
Turn right onto US 165 Business; LA 15
Continue on US 165 Business; LA 15
Continue on US 165 Business; LA 15
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 20
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto US 165
Continue on US 165; LA 1204
Arrive at destination
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.
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 19 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43.6 miles or 51m 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 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ball, LA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Monroe, LA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Monroe, LA
This is one driving day of about 87.3 miles and 1h 41m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
44 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.
A short stop after about 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 43.6 miles from Monroe, 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 Drive if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 84.6 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 2.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto US 80; LA 15 / Louisville Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto US 165 Business; LA 15 / North 5th Street
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward US 165: Bastrop, Columbia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward US 165 South: Columbia
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Regular Gas
$12.79 one way
$25.58 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.13 | $14.20 | $28.40 |
| premium | $4.49 | $15.42 | $30.84 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $19.24 | $38.49 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 26.2 | 0 | $9.17 | $4.19 |
| Efficient EV | 21.8 | 0 | $7.64 | $3.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 34.9 | 0 | $12.22 | $5.59 |
Gas CO2
31 kg
EV CO2
10 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Monroe on Friday
Local time
1:17 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Afternoon in Ball on Friday
Local time
1:17 PM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Mostly Clear
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
87.3 mi in 1h 41m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 41m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; near the start (US 80; LA 15 / Louisville Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 165 Business; LA 15 / North 5th Street): Navigation decision point.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
200 ft
Total Descent
117 ft
Highest Point
202 ft
~74.8 mi in
Elevation Range
134 ft
Founded 1785
Monroe is the third-largest city in Northern Louisiana, largest city in Northeast Louisiana, and the parish seat of Ouachita Parish. It is also home to the University of Louisiana at Monroe and their sports team, the ULM Warhawks. Founded as Fort Miro, it took on the name of Monroe after the paddle-wheeler James Monroe that came to town in the early 19th century, and, by extrapolation, the former president James Monroe. An interesting bit of trivia is that Monroe was once the headquarters of Delta Airlines, which got its start as the crop dusting operation Delta Dusters in nearby Tallulah. Slathered down with highly religious views and the effects of years of racial inequality, Monroe can have a rather gritty appearance imbued with a fragrant aroma from its paper mill, but, well, take heart, Wikivoyage traveler.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 41m. Total distance: 87.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (2%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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