Origin
Lafayette, LA
Late night in Lafayette on Saturday
Local time
3:52 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lafayette, LA to Central, LA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 28m
Distance
69.3 mi
112 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 21m
★
6 AM
1h 28m
8 AM
1h 42m
10 AM
1h 33m
12 PM
1h 31m
3 PM
1h 33m
5 PM
1h 41m
8 PM
1h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Central, LA
Jesus Alfonso
Trip Overview
The drive from Lafayette, LA to Central, LA covers 69.3 miles and takes about 1h 28m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 10, Hooper Road, Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 51.7 miles on I 10. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.47 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 28m. Total distance: 69.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 28m highway drive covering 69.3 miles, with most of the trip on I 10 and Hooper Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 51.7 miles on I 10.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 10 is the longest continuous segment at about 51.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and Hooper Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3 miles in near I 10.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 69.3 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3 miles (I 10): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 54.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 55.2 miles (I 110 / Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 10
Merge onto I 10
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
54.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m 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
55.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m 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
60.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m 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
61.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m 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
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 Lafayette, LA to Central, LA, road signs begin pointing toward Airport along the way.
Airport
54.7 mi in
|
~1h 5m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 10 | 51.7 mi | 58m |
| Hooper Road | 7 mi | 11m |
| Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Freeway | 5.7 mi | 7m |
| Northeast Evangeline Thruway | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Harding Boulevard | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Rue Jefferson | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Jefferson Boulevard | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Rue Vermilion Ouest | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 10
— 51.7 mi, about 58m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lafayette, LA and Central, LA.
1
Start on Rue Vermilion Ouest
335 ft
·
22 sec
·
Rue Vermilion Ouest
2
Turn left onto Rue Jefferson
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Rue Jefferson
3
Continue on Jefferson Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Jefferson Boulevard
4
Turn left onto US 90; LA 182
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Northeast Evangeline Thruway
5
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 10 East: Baton Rouge
6
Merge onto I 10
52 mi
·
58 min
·
I 10
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 155B
Toward I 110 North: Downtown, Metro Airport
8
Merge onto I 110
5.7 mi
·
7 min
·
Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Freeway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
Exit 6
Toward LA 408: Southern University, Metro Airport
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
443 ft
·
10 sec
Toward LA 408 East: Harding Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn straight onto LA 408
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Harding Boulevard
12
Continue on LA 408
7.0 mi
·
11 min
·
Hooper Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Arrive at destination
LA 408
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 34.7 mi from Lafayette, LA · 42m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
35 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 34.7 miles from Lafayette, LA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Central, LA
The final approach into Central, LA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.47 one way
$20.93 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $11.49 | $22.98 |
| premium | $4.56 | $12.44 | $24.88 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.30 | $30.60 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.13
Northeast Evangeline Thruway
(1.9 mi)
$0.13
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$0
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.8 | 0 | $7.28 | $3.33 |
| Efficient EV | 17.3 | 0 | $6.06 | $2.77 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.7 | 0 | $9.70 | $4.44 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Destination
Central, LA
Late night in Central on Saturday
Local time
3:52 AM
CDT
Current temp
83°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
22 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
1h 28m 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 Lafayette, LA to Central, LA covers 69.3 miles and takes about 1h 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 10, Hooper Road, Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 34.7 miles from Lafayette, LA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.47 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 69.3 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 3 miles (I 10): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 54.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 55.2 miles (I 110 / Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Lafayette, LA to Central, LA, road signs begin pointing toward Airport along the way.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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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