Trip from Central, LA to Gardere, LA

Drive Time

32m

Distance

18.6 mi

30 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 29m ★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 38m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 34m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 31m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Central, LA, LA

Central, LA

Jesus Alfonso

Trip Overview

The drive from Central, LA to Gardere, LA covers 18.6 miles and takes about 32m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Joor Road, Oak Villa, Oak Villa Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.84 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

9.3 miles from Central, LA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 16m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 32m drive with frequent turns across 18.6 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Joor Road is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Central, LA to Gardere, LA is easy. At 32m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Central, LA to Gardere, LA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Joor Road Unavailable Refreshing
Oak Villa Unavailable Refreshing
Oak Villa Boulevard Unavailable Refreshing
Florida Boulevard Unavailable Refreshing
US 61 South Unavailable Refreshing
Airline Highway Unavailable Refreshing
Old Hammond Highway Unavailable Refreshing
Drusilla Lane Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: Joor Road — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Central, LA and Gardere, LA.

1

Start on Hooper Road

1.1 mi · 2 min · Hooper Road
2

Turn left onto Joor Road

5.2 mi · 7 min · Joor Road
3

Continue on Oak Villa

0.9 mi · 1 min · Oak Villa
4

Continue on Oak Villa Boulevard

1.2 mi · 2 min · Oak Villa Boulevard
5

Turn right onto Florida Boulevard

0.6 mi · 53 sec · Florida Boulevard
6

Take the ramp slight right toward US 61 South: New Orleans

0.2 mi · 29 sec · US 61 South: New Orleans
7

Merge slight left onto Airline Highway

1.7 mi · 2 min · Airline Highway
8

Take the exit slight right

243 ft · 7 sec
9

Turn straight onto Old Hammond Highway

0.2 mi · 22 sec · Old Hammond Highway
10

Turn left onto Drusilla Lane

1.0 mi · 1 min · Drusilla Lane
11

Turn right onto Jefferson Highway

0.4 mi · 49 sec · Jefferson Highway
12

Turn left onto Essen Lane

1.9 mi · 3 min · Essen Lane
13

Continue on Staring Lane

2.0 mi · 3 min · Staring Lane
14

Turn left onto Highland Road

0.3 mi · 35 sec · Highland Road
15

Turn right onto Gardere Lane

1.9 mi · 4 min · Gardere Lane
16

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

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 9.3 miles from Central, LA, or about 16m into the drive.

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 18.6 miles or 32m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 9.3 miles or 16m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 27m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Gardere, LA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Central, 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 Central, LA

This is one driving day of about 18.6 miles and 32m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Central, LA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 9.3 mi from Central, LA · 16m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Baton Rouge, LA

9 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.

Pacing Suggestions

Baton Rouge, LA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 18.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Baton Rouge, LA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 9.3 miles from Central, LA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Gardere, LA

The final approach into Gardere, LA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Gardere, LA.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.84 one way

$5.69 round trip

$3.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 7 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.26 $3.12 $6.24
premium $4.61 $3.38 $6.75
diesel $5.64 $4.13 $8.26

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$3

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$28–$53

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 6.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 5.6 0 $1.95 $0.89
Efficient EV 4.7 0 $1.63 $0.74
EV Truck/SUV 7.4 0 $2.60 $1.19

Gas CO2

7 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (71% 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 data refreshed 20 hours ago

Origin

Central, LA

Late night in Central on Monday

Local time

1:39 AM

CDT

Current temp

88°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Gardere, LA

Late night in Gardere on Monday

Local time

1:39 AM

CDT

Current temp

67°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

21 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

32m 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 Central, LA to Gardere, LA covers 18.6 miles and takes about 32m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Joor Road, Oak Villa, Oak Villa Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 9.3 miles from Central, LA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.84 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.
The drive from Central, LA to Gardere, LA is easy. At 32m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Central, LA to Gardere, LA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Central, LA to Gardere, LA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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