Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 26m
Distance
71.4 mi
115 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Old Jefferson, LA
Wikimedia Commons
This straightforward 71.4-mile drive from Old Jefferson, LA, to New Orleans, LA, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 26 minutes. You'll primarily be on interstate highways, making it a quick and efficient journey. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $11, which is quite budget-friendly. Given that both locations are within the Southeast region and the drive is relatively short, it offers a convenient way to travel between these two points without needing an overnight stay. The focus is on getting you to your destination efficiently.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 10 | 63.8 mi | 1h 12m |
| Pontchartrain Expressway | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| Barringer Foreman Road | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Barringer Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Highland Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Tulane Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Old Perkins Road East | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Claiborne Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Old Jefferson, LA and New Orleans, LA.
Start on Associate Drive
Turn left onto Chairman Avenue
Turn right onto President Drive
Turn left onto Barringer Road
Continue on Barringer Foreman Road
Continue on Old Perkins Road East
Turn right onto LA 42
Turn left
Merge onto I 10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
Take the exit
Turn left onto South Claiborne Avenue
Turn right onto Tulane Avenue
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
36 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 35.7 miles from Old Jefferson, LA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 10 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 63.8 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 2.5 and 70.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto LA 42 / Highland Road
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left toward I 10 East: New Orleans
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10 / Pontchartrain Expressway toward New Orleans, Business District
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Poydras Street, Superdome
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$10.78 one way
$21.57 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $11.84 | $23.67 |
| premium | $4.56 | $12.82 | $25.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.76 | $31.53 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 25 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 | 21.4 | 0 | $7.50 | $3.43 |
| Efficient EV | 17.9 | 0 | $6.25 | $2.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.6 | 0 | $10.00 | $4.57 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Old Jefferson on Sunday
Local time
10:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Morning in New Orleans on Sunday
Local time
10:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Mostly Clear
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.
Expect a highway-focused experience on this route, with 94% of the drive utilizing high-speed roads like I-10 and the Pontchartrain Causeway. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 63.8 miles on I-10, meaning much of your journey will be on this main artery. While the profile suggests a primarily highway drive, there are brief segments on local roads like Barringer Foreman Road, offering slight variations. This character means you'll spend most of your time in the fast lane, covering ground quickly.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and Pontchartrain Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.5 miles in near LA 42 / Highland Road.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 71.4 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.5 miles (LA 42 / Highland Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 66.5 miles (I 10 / Pontchartrain Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Old Jefferson, LA to New Orleans, LA, road signs begin pointing toward Business District along the way.
Business District
Way down yonder in New Orleans (French: La Nouvelle-Orléans), you'll find the roots of jazz and a blossoming culture that is unlike anything else on Earth. Here, the laid-back atmosphere of the riverfront South has mixed with French sophistication, Spanish style, and African-American energy to create something greater than the sum of its parts. "NOLA" is the largest city in Louisiana and one of the top tourist destinations in the United States. "Laissez les bons temps rouler" is what they say here in the Big Easy, and you too can "let the good times roll" with a cool stroll down Bourbon Street, a hot Dixieland band, and even hotter Creole cuisine. Mardi Gras may be the city's calling card, but that's just one day out of the hot and muggy year in New Orleans. Go ahead, take a riverboat down the Mississippi, munch on some beignets, and watch the Saints go marchin' in.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 26m. Total distance: 71.4 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 (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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