Origin
Cade, LA
Evening in Cade on Thursday
Local time
6:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cade, LA to Lafayette, LA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
18m
Distance
12.5 mi
20 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 17m
★
6 AM
0h 19m
8 AM
0h 22m
10 AM
0h 20m
12 PM
0h 20m
3 PM
0h 20m
5 PM
0h 22m
8 PM
0h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cade, LA
Miguel Cuenca
Trip Overview
This quick 12.5-mile drive from Cade to Lafayette, Louisiana, should only take you about 18 minutes, making it perfect for a single-day trip. With a minimal fuel cost of around $2, this route is an economical choice. You'll primarily navigate using the Old Spanish Trail Highway North, Southwest Evangeline Thruway, and Southeast Evangeline Thruway. Given its short distance and straightforward nature, this journey is ideal for a casual excursion within the Southeast region of Louisiana.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 18m. Total distance: 12.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (11%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for this short 12.5-mile trip. Only about 11% of this route involves highway driving, meaning you'll be on local roads for most of the journey. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 2.7 miles on the Old Spanish Trail Highway North. This drive offers a feel for local Louisiana roads, with frequent turns and intersections rather than long, open stretches.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Old Spanish Trail Highway North is the longest continuous segment at about 2.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 0.1 miles in near LA 92-1 / Smede Highway.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 18m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (LA 92-1 / Smede Highway): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (LA 182 / Old Spanish Trail Highway North): Navigation decision point; at 5.5 miles (US 90; LA 182 / Southwest Evangeline Thruway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
LA 92-1 / Smede Highway
Turn right onto LA 92-1 / Smede Highway
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
LA 182 / Old Spanish Trail Highway North
Turn left onto LA 182 / Old Spanish Trail Highway North
Navigation decision point
4
5.5 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
US 90; LA 182 / Southwest Evangeline Thruway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90; LA 182 / Southwest Evangeline Thruway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
3
10.5 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
East University Avenue
Turn left onto East University Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
12.5 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
Rue Vermilion Ouest
Turn left onto Rue Vermilion Ouest
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Old Spanish Trail Highway North | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| Southwest Evangeline Thruway | 2.5 mi | 2m |
| Southeast Evangeline Thruway | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| East University Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| LA 182 | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| East Main Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Southwest Frontage Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Rue Jefferson | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Old Spanish Trail Highway North
— 2.7 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cade, LA and Lafayette, LA.
1
Start on R Babineaux Road
526 ft
·
25 sec
·
R Babineaux Road
2
Turn right onto LA 92-1
107 ft
·
8 sec
·
Smede Highway
3
Turn left onto LA 182
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Old Spanish Trail Highway North
4
Continue on LA 182
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
5
Continue on LA 182
0.5 mi
·
40 sec
·
Southwest Frontage Road
6
Take the ramp onto LA 182
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
LA 182
7
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90; LA 182
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Southwest Evangeline Thruway
8
Continue on US 90; LA 182
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Southeast Evangeline Thruway
9
Turn left onto East University Avenue
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
East University Avenue
10
Turn right onto Johnston Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Johnston Street
11
Turn left onto Rue Jefferson
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
Rue Jefferson
12
Turn left onto Rue Vermilion Ouest
335 ft
·
16 sec
·
Rue Vermilion Ouest
13
Arrive at destination
Rue Vermilion Ouest
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.89 one way
$3.78 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $2.07 | $4.14 |
| premium | $4.56 | $2.24 | $4.49 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.76 | $5.52 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.35
Southwest Evangeline Thruway
(2.5 mi)
$0.18
Southeast Evangeline Thruway
(2.5 mi)
$0.17
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Tolls
$0
Total
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.31 | $0.60 |
| Efficient EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.09 | $0.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5 | 0 | $1.75 | $0.80 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Lafayette, LA
Evening in Lafayette on Thursday
Local time
6:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
61°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
18m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Cade, LA to Lafayette, LA covers 12.5 miles and takes about 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Old Spanish Trail Highway North, Southwest Evangeline Thruway, Southeast Evangeline Thruway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 6.3 miles from Cade, LA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.89 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a straightforward 18m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (LA 92-1 / Smede Highway): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (LA 182 / Old Spanish Trail Highway North): Navigation decision point; at 5.5 miles (US 90; LA 182 / Southwest Evangeline Thruway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Cade, LA to Lafayette, LA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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