Connecting Shreveport to Alexandria, this 126.2-mile journey is an straightforward trip through the heart of Southeast Louisiana. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 50 minutes behind the wheel, making it an ideal candidate for a single-day excursion. You won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay, as the distance is easily manageable in one go. Budget approximately $19 for fuel to complete the transit between these two cities. Navigating this route involves a mix of surface streets like Jack Wells Boulevard, Airport Drive, and North Common Street, providing a direct path for your travel plans.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
62.9 miles from Shreveport, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 9m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
120.3 mi
2h 3m
North Common Street
1.4 mi
2m
Allen Avenue
0.8 mi
1m
River Parkway
0.5 mi
1m
Jackson Street
0.4 mi
1m
Caddo Street
0.3 mi
<1m
Airport Drive
0.3 mi
<1m
Thorn Road
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
— 120.3 mi, about 2h 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Shreveport, LA and Alexandria, LA.
1
Start on River Parkway
0.5 mi·1 min·River Parkway
2
Turn left onto Jack Wells Boulevard
0.1 mi·31 sec·Jack Wells Boulevard
3
Turn left onto Airport Drive
0.3 mi·39 sec·Airport Drive
4
Turn right onto North Common Street
1.4 mi·2 min·North Common Street
5
Turn right onto LA 173
0.3 mi·36 sec·Caddo Street
6
Continue on LA 173
0.1 mi·23 sec·Ford Street
7
Turn left onto Allen Avenue
0.8 mi·1 min·Allen Avenue
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward I 49 South: Alexandria
9
Continue on I 49
120 mi·2 hr 3 min·Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
10
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward Elliott Street, Downtown Alexandria
11
Continue on Thorn Road
0.2 mi·29 sec·Thorn Road
12
Turn left onto US 165 BUS
0.4 mi·1 min·Jackson Street
13
Turn right onto 4th Street
0.1 mi·22 sec·4th Street
14
Turn left onto Murray Street
159 ft·6 sec·Murray Street
15
Arrive at destination
Murray Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short 1 hour and 50-minute trip, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time. With no mandatory stops built into the itinerary, you can easily drive the full distance without needing to plan for extended breaks. Keep in mind that the turn-heavy nature of the route means your navigation system will be your best friend, so ensure your device is mounted and ready before you pull away. Given the $19 fuel estimate, filling up your tank in Shreveport before you head out is a simple way to avoid searching for stations along the local roads. Enjoy the freedom of a direct, one-day drive that gets you to your destination without unnecessary complications.
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 62.9 miles from Shreveport, LA, or about 1h 9m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 120.3 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 28 miles or 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 62.9 miles or 1h 9m 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 50m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Alexandria, LA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Shreveport, 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 Shreveport, LA
This is one driving day of about 125.7 miles and 2h 15m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 miles from Shreveport, LA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway for about 120.3 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 125.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.7 mi into trip|~1m in|Airport Drive
Turn left onto Airport Drive
Navigation decision point
4
2.3 mi into trip|~5m in|LA 173 / Caddo Street
Turn right onto LA 173 / Caddo Street
Navigation decision point
5
3.5 mi into trip|~7m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 49 South: Alexandria
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 49 South: Alexandria
5
124.5 mi into trip|~2h 12m in
Take the exit toward Elliott Street, Downtown Alexandria
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Elliott Street, Downtown Alexandria
5
125.7 mi into trip|~2h 15m in|Murray Street
Turn left onto Murray Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.98 one way
$37.97 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg44 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$20.84
$41.68
premium
$4.56
$22.56
$45.12
diesel
$5.61
$27.75
$55.51
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 44 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
37.7
0
$13.20
$6.03
Efficient EV
31.4
0
$11.00
$5.03
EV Truck/SUV
50.3
0
$17.60
$8.04
Gas CO2
44 kg
EV CO2
15 kg (66% 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 14, 2026
Origin
Shreveport, LA
Morning
in Shreveport on Sunday
Local time
6:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Partly Cloudy
S 10 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Alexandria, LA
Morning
in Alexandria on Sunday
Local time
6:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
85°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
18 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
2h 15m on the road
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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. Since this route utilizes 0% highway travel, your focus will be on navigating local roads and intersections throughout the entire 126.2-mile distance. The experience is characterized by frequent changes in direction as you transition between local thoroughfares, requiring more active attention than a standard highway trek. Because there are no long, uninterrupted highway stretches, the road maintains a consistent, localized pace from start to finish. You should anticipate a drive that feels more like a regional connector than a high-speed transit route.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 120.3 mi on Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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 around 0.7 miles in near Airport Drive.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 15m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (Airport Drive): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (LA 173 / Caddo Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Shreveport is the largest city in Northern Louisiana, part of the twin city metro of Shreveport-Bossier City, and is considered the principal city in the three-state region known as the "Ark-La-Tex." It has about 188,000 residents (2019), and is in the area of the state designated as the Sportsman's Paradise. Many lakes and rivers are in the area and offer recreational activities. The surrounding area is also a contrast from points in southern Louisiana, in that the landscape is marked by rolling hills and pine forests, being an extension of the Texas region known as the Piney Woods.
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 120.3 miles on Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (Airport Drive): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (LA 173 / Caddo Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Alexandria, LA before heading back.
