Shreveport to Melville is 196.7 miles and takes about 3h 51m via Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $30 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Louisiana, moving from the Southeast region to another part of the Southeast. It's a fairly direct route, mostly on main roads, making it a straightforward option if you need to get from point A to point B efficiently. You'll cover a good chunk of distance in under four hours, so it’s definitely doable in a single day.
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
98.3 miles from Shreveport, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 45m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
152.2 mi
2h 35m
Southwest Main Street
19.8 mi
29m
West Railroad Avenue
8.1 mi
14m
State Route 10
3.7 mi
6m
Highway 115 West
3.6 mi
6m
Lafleur Street
2.3 mi
4m
Macarthur Street
1.9 mi
3m
North Common Street
1.4 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
— 152.2 mi, about 2h 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Shreveport, LA and Melville, 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
152 mi·2 hr 35 min·Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi·38 sec
Toward LA 115: Bunkie
11
Turn left onto LA 115
1.2 mi·2 min·Macarthur Street
12
Continue on LA 115
3.6 mi·6 min·Highway 115 West
13
Continue on LA 115
0.7 mi·1 min·Macarthur Street
14
At end of road, turn left onto LA 115
0.2 mi·18 sec·South Lexington Avenue
15
Turn right onto LA 115
0.2 mi·25 sec·Church Street
16
Turn right onto US 71; LA 29
20 mi·29 min·Southwest Main Street
17
Turn left onto LA 10
3.7 mi·6 min·State Route 10
18
Continue on LA 10
8.1 mi·14 min·West Railroad Avenue
19
Continue on LA 10
2.3 mi·4 min·Lafleur Street
20
Turn left onto Gum Street
363 ft·17 sec·Gum Street
21
Turn right onto Church Street
0.1 mi·27 sec·Church Street
22
Arrive at destination
Church Street
Trip Plan
Given this is a 1-day trip with a duration of under 4 hours, you have flexibility with your departure time. Leaving in the morning should give you plenty of time to reach Melville without feeling rushed. The fuel cost is estimated at $30, so ensure your tank is full before you leave Shreveport. While there's only one designated stop, you'll want to be mindful of the 152.2-mile stretch on the Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway – plan a break before or after this segment if needed. Keep an eye out for changes in speed limits as you transition from the highway to the surface roads in the latter half of your drive.
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 98.3 miles from Shreveport, LA, or about 1h 45m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 152.2 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 43 miles or 48m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 98.3 miles or 1h 45m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 53m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Melville, 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 196.7 miles and 3h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 43 miles from Shreveport, 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 Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway for about 152.2 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 162.3 — 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
4
156.4 mi into trip|~2h 45m in
Take the exit toward LA 115: Bunkie
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward LA 115: Bunkie
5
162.3 mi into trip|~2h 55m in|LA 115 / South Lexington Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto LA 115 / South Lexington Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$29.71 one way
$59.41 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg69 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$32.61
$65.22
premium
$4.56
$35.31
$70.61
diesel
$5.61
$43.43
$86.86
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 68.8 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
0
$20.65
$9.44
Efficient EV
49.2
0
$17.21
$7.87
EV Truck/SUV
78.7
0
$27.54
$12.59
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 15, 2026
Origin
Shreveport, LA
Morning
in Shreveport on Sunday
Local time
9:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Melville, LA
Morning
in Melville on Sunday
Local time
9:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 51m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Cane River Creole National Historical Park
National Historical Park
The Cane River region is home to a unique culture; the Creoles. Generations of the same families of workers, enslaved and tenant, and owners lived on these lands for over 200 years. The park tells the...
4 mi from route
~11 min detour
Free
near mile 81.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is primarily surface roads, with about 25% of the drive on highways. You'll spend the longest stretch, 152.2 miles, on the Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. After that, expect to transition to more local streets like Southwest Main Street and West Railroad Avenue for the remainder of your trip. With a highway share of only 4 out of 10, you'll notice fewer long, uninterrupted highway segments and more varied driving conditions as you approach your destination.
Only 4% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 152.2 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 3h 51m drive. You will face about 12 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.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 152.2 miles on Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 3 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.
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 — Cane River Creole National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.9 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 Melville, LA, but most travelers stay overnight.
