Origin
Lafayette, LA
Morning in Lafayette on Saturday
Local time
10:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lafayette, LA to Donaldsonville, LA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 45m
Distance
85.2 mi
137 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 38m
★
6 AM
1h 46m
8 AM
2h 2m
10 AM
1h 51m
12 PM
1h 50m
3 PM
1h 52m
5 PM
2h 1m
8 PM
1h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Donaldsonville, LA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Lafayette, LA to Donaldsonville, LA covers 85.2 miles and takes about 1h 45m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 10, Highway 1, Highway 1 South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 49.8 miles on I 10. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.87 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.
Midpoint
42.6 miles from Lafayette, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 51m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 45m. Total distance: 85.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 45m highway drive covering 85.2 miles, with most of the trip on I 10 and Highway 1. The longest continuous stretch is about 49.8 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 14 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 49.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and Highway 1. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Rue Jefferson.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 45m 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 (Rue Jefferson): Navigation decision point; at 3 miles (I 10): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 52.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Rue Jefferson
Turn left onto Rue Jefferson
Navigation decision point
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.
8
52.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Take the exit toward LA 1: Port Allen, Plaquemine
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 153
Toward LA 1: Port Allen, Plaquemine
6
53 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward LA 1 South: Plaquemine
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward LA 1 South: Plaquemine
5
53.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward LA 1 South: Plaquemine
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward LA 1 South: Plaquemine
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 Donaldsonville, LA, road signs begin pointing toward Plaquemine along the way.
Plaquemine
52.8 mi in
|
~1h 2m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 10 | 49.8 mi | 56m |
| Highway 1 | 18.5 mi | 21m |
| Highway 1 South | 10.4 mi | 15m |
| Northeast Evangeline Thruway | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Eden Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| West 10th Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Rue Jefferson | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Jefferson Boulevard | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 10
— 49.8 mi, about 56m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lafayette, LA and Donaldsonville, 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
50 mi
·
56 min
·
I 10
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 153
Toward LA 1: Port Allen, Plaquemine
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Toward LA 1 South: Plaquemine
9
Keep slight left at fork
1.1 mi
·
1 min
Toward LA 1 South: Plaquemine
10
Continue on LA 1
10 mi
·
15 min
·
Highway 1 South
11
Turn slight right onto LA 1
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Eden Street
12
Continue on LA 1
19 mi
·
21 min
·
Highway 1
13
Continue on LA 1
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West 10th Street
14
Arrive at destination
LA 1
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 42.6 miles from Lafayette, LA, or about 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 49.8 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 19 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 42.6 miles or 51m 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 31m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Donaldsonville, LA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lafayette, LA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Lafayette, LA
This is one driving day of about 85.2 miles and 1h 45m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Lafayette, LA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 10 for about 49.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 42.6 mi from Lafayette, LA · 51m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
43 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 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 42.6 miles from Lafayette, LA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Donaldsonville, LA
The final approach into Donaldsonville, 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
$12.87 one way
$25.73 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
30 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $14.13 | $28.25 |
| premium | $4.56 | $15.29 | $30.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $18.81 | $37.62 |
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.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Tolls
$0
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 29.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 25.6 | 0 | $8.95 | $4.09 |
| Efficient EV | 21.3 | 0 | $7.46 | $3.41 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 34.1 | 0 | $11.93 | $5.45 |
Gas CO2
30 kg
EV CO2
10 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
Donaldsonville, LA
Morning in Donaldsonville on Saturday
Local time
10:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°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
1 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
1h 45m 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 Donaldsonville, LA covers 85.2 miles and takes about 1h 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 10, Highway 1, Highway 1 South. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 42.6 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 $12.87 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 1h 45m 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 (Rue Jefferson): Navigation decision point; at 3 miles (I 10): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 52.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Lafayette, LA to Donaldsonville, LA, road signs begin pointing toward Plaquemine 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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