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Trip from Monroe, LA to Pine Prairie, LA

Last recalculated Apr 15, 2026

Drive Time

2h 44m

Distance

136.3 mi

219 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$21

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 32 min
4 AM
2h 34m ★
6 AM
2h 45m
8 AM
3h 6m
10 AM
2h 52m
12 PM
2h 50m
3 PM
2h 53m
5 PM
3h 5m
8 PM
2h 38m

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

Downtown Monroe, LA, LA

Monroe, LA

Perry Z

Downtown Pine Prairie, LA, LA

Pine Prairie, LA

Roger Ce

Trip Overview

The drive from Monroe, LA to Pine Prairie, LA covers 136.3 miles and takes about 2h 44m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Louisville Avenue, North 5th Street, Lea Joyner Memorial Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.58 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

1 planned break

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

Midpoint

68.1 miles from Monroe, LA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 22m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 44m drive with frequent turns across 136.3 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Louisville Avenue 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 Monroe, LA to Pine Prairie, LA is easy. At 2h 44m 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 Monroe, LA to Pine Prairie, LA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Louisville Avenue
North 5th Street
Lea Joyner Memorial Expressway
US 165
US 165 South
Martin Luther King Jr Drive
US 165 North
Pineville Expressway

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Louisville Avenue — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Monroe, LA and Pine Prairie, LA.

1

Start on the route

39 ft · 8 sec · the route
2

Turn left

46 ft · 5 sec
3

Turn right onto Louisville Avenue

266 ft · 9 sec · Louisville Avenue
4

Turn right onto North 5th Street

0.2 mi · 19 sec · North 5th Street
5

Continue on North 5th Street

459 ft · 8 sec · North 5th Street
6

Continue on Lea Joyner Memorial Expressway

0.7 mi · 1 min · Lea Joyner Memorial Expressway
7

Take the ramp left

0.2 mi · 23 sec
8

Merge slight left

1.0 mi · 1 min
9

Take the exit slight right toward US 165: Bastrop, Columbia

0.2 mi · 29 sec · US 165: Bastrop, Columbia
10

Keep slight right to continue on US 165 South: Columbia

0.2 mi · 29 sec · US 165 South: Columbia
11

Merge slight left onto Martin Luther King Jr Drive

89 mi · 1 hr 43 min · Martin Luther King Jr Drive
12

Turn left onto US 165 North: Monroe

0.3 mi · 36 sec · US 165 North: Monroe
13

Merge slight left onto Pineville Expressway

4.2 mi · 5 min · Pineville Expressway
14

Keep slight left to continue on I 49 South, US 167 South: Opelousas

0.8 mi · 1 min · I 49 South, US 167 South: Opelousas
15

Merge slight left onto Martin Luther King, Jr Highway

23 mi · 23 min · Martin Luther King, Jr Highway
16

Take the exit slight right toward US 167: Meeker, Turkey Creek

0.4 mi · 45 sec · US 167: Meeker, Turkey Creek
17

Turn right

17 mi · 24 min
18

Turn left onto Elm Street

13 ft · 1 sec · Elm Street
19

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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 68.1 miles from Monroe, LA, or about 1h 22m 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 30 miles or 36m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 68.1 miles or 1h 22m 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 14m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Monroe, 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 Monroe, LA

This is one driving day of about 136.3 miles and 2h 44m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 30 miles from Monroe, 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.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 68.1 mi from Monroe, LA · 1h 22m into the drive

suburb town of Alexandria, located in Rapides Parish just north of Pineville, Louisiana, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Ball, LA

68 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

West Monroe, LA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 30 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Ball, LA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 68.1 miles from Monroe, LA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Pine Prairie, LA

The final approach into Pine Prairie, 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 Pine Prairie, 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

$20.58 one way

$41.17 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 48 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.21 $22.60 $45.19
premium $4.56 $24.46 $48.93
diesel $5.61 $30.09 $60.19

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$21

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$46–$71

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 47.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 40.9 0 $14.31 $6.54
Efficient EV 34.1 0 $11.93 $5.45
EV Truck/SUV 54.5 0 $19.08 $8.72

Gas CO2

48 kg

EV CO2

16 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

Monroe, LA

Evening in Monroe on Wednesday

Local time

5:54 PM

CDT

Current temp

57°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Pine Prairie, LA

Evening in Pine Prairie on Wednesday

Local time

5:54 PM

CDT

Current temp

58°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 warmer at arrival

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

Road read

2h 44m 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 Monroe, LA to Pine Prairie, LA covers 136.3 miles and takes about 2h 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Louisville Avenue, North 5th Street, Lea Joyner Memorial Expressway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 68.1 miles from Monroe, LA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $20.58 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
The drive from Monroe, LA to Pine Prairie, LA is easy. At 2h 44m 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 Monroe, LA to Pine Prairie, LA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Monroe, LA to Pine Prairie, LA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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