Origin
Plaquemine, LA
Late night in Plaquemine on Tuesday
Local time
4:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
85°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Plaquemine, LA to Central, 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
43m
Distance
27.9 mi
45 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Plaquemine, LA
Wikimedia Commons
Central, LA
Jesus Alfonso
Trip Overview
This straightforward 27.9-mile drive from Plaquemine to Central, Louisiana, should take you about 43 minutes to complete. With a modest fuel cost estimate of $4, it's an easy day trip that won't break the bank. The route predominantly utilizes Highway 1, Hooper Road, and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Freeway, making it a highway-focused journey. Given its short distance and duration, no overnight stay is necessary. This trip is entirely within the Southeast region of Louisiana, offering a quick connection between two local points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Highway 1 | 11.3 mi | 17m |
| Hooper Road | 7 mi | 11m |
| Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Freeway | 5.7 mi | 7m |
| Horace Wilkinson Bridge | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Harding Boulevard | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Plaquemine Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Church Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Highway 1
— 11.3 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Plaquemine, LA and Central, LA.
1
Start on Plaquemine Street
444 ft
·
24 sec
·
Plaquemine Street
2
Turn left onto LA 1
277 ft
·
7 sec
·
Church Street
3
Continue on LA 1
11 mi
·
17 min
·
Highway 1
4
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
Toward I 10 East: Baton Rouge
5
Merge onto I 10
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Horace Wilkinson Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 155B
Toward I 110 North: Downtown, Metro Airport
7
Merge onto I 110
5.7 mi
·
7 min
·
Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Freeway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
Exit 6
Toward LA 408: Southern University, Metro Airport
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
443 ft
·
10 sec
Toward LA 408 East: Harding Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn straight onto LA 408
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Harding Boulevard
11
Continue on LA 408
7.0 mi
·
11 min
·
Hooper Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Arrive at destination
LA 408
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 11.9 and 19.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
11.9 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
I 10 / Horace Wilkinson Bridge
Merge onto I 10 / Horace Wilkinson Bridge
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
13.2 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward I 110 North: Downtown, Metro Airport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 155B
Toward I 110 North: Downtown, Metro Airport
5
13.8 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
I 110 / Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Freeway
Merge onto I 110 / Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
19.4 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward LA 408: Southern University, Metro Airport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 6
Toward LA 408: Southern University, Metro Airpo...
7
19.9 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Keep slight right at fork toward LA 408 East: Harding Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward LA 408 East: Harding Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.21 one way
$8.43 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $4.63 | $9.25 |
| premium | $4.56 | $5.01 | $10.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.16 | $12.32 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.93 | $1.34 |
| Efficient EV | 7 | 0 | $2.44 | $1.12 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.91 | $1.79 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Central, LA
Late night in Central on Tuesday
Local time
4:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
86°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
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
43m 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?
Expect a highway-focused drive for 61% of your journey. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 11.3 miles on Highway 1. While much of the drive will be on main roads, it's designed for efficient travel rather than scenic exploration. You'll likely experience a steady pace as you navigate between these two Louisiana communities, with the landscape primarily characterized by the infrastructure of the main thoroughfares.
61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.3 mi on Highway 1.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Highway 1 and Hooper Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 11.9 miles in near I 10 / Horace Wilkinson Bridge.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 7 decision points packed into just 27.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 11.9 miles (I 10 / Horace Wilkinson Bridge): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.8 miles (I 110 / Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Plaquemine, LA to Central, LA, road signs begin pointing toward Airport along the way.
Airport
13.2 mi in
|
~20m
About the Cities
Starting in Plaquemine, LA
Full guide →Plaquemine is the seat of Iberville Parish in the River Parishes area of Louisiana.
Arriving in Central, LA
Full guide →Central is a region in Louisiana. This area is also known as Cenla or the Crossroads.
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 43m. Total distance: 27.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.3 miles on Highway 1. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 4 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.
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 Central, LA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 11.9 miles (I 10 / Horace Wilkinson Bridge): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.8 miles (I 110 / Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Central, 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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