Origin
Poydras, LA
Evening in Poydras on Wednesday
Local time
7:59 PM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Poydras, LA to Monroe, LA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
4h 58m
Distance
315.4 mi
508 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$48
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 45m
★
6 AM
4h 58m
8 AM
5h 25m
10 AM
5h 8m
12 PM
5h 5m
3 PM
5h 9m
5 PM
5h 24m
8 PM
4h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Monroe, LA
Perry Z
Trip Overview
The drive from Poydras, LA to Monroe, LA covers 315.4 miles and takes about 4h 58m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Bayou Road, East Saint Bernard Highway, Saint Claude Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $47.63 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
157.7 miles from Poydras, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 29m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 58m drive with frequent turns across 315.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Bayou 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 4h 58m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Poydras, LA to Monroe, LA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Bayou Road | — | — |
| East Saint Bernard Highway | — | — |
| Saint Claude Avenue | — | — |
| Elysian Fields Avenue | — | — |
| Humanity Street | — | — |
| I 610 West | — | — |
| Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Freeway | — | — |
| Martin Luther King | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Bayou Road
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Poydras, LA and Monroe, LA.
1
Start on Kingbird Boulevard
522 ft
·
25 sec
·
Kingbird Boulevard
2
At the end of the road, turn right onto Bayou Road
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Bayou Road
3
Continue on East Saint Bernard Highway
9.9 mi
·
18 min
·
East Saint Bernard Highway
4
Continue on Saint Claude Avenue
3.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Saint Claude Avenue
5
Turn right onto Elysian Fields Avenue
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Elysian Fields Avenue
6
Turn left onto Humanity Street
138 ft
·
6 sec
·
Humanity Street
7
Take the ramp straight toward I 610 West: Baton Rouge
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
I 610 West: Baton Rouge
8
Merge slight left
3.6 mi
·
4 min
9
Merge slight right
75 mi
·
1 hr 25 min
10
Keep slight right to continue on Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Freeway
6.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Freeway
11
Continue on Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Freeway
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Freeway
12
Keep slight right to continue on US 61 North: Natchez
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
US 61 North: Natchez
13
Continue on Scenic Highway
3.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Scenic Highway
14
Continue on Samuels Road
76 mi
·
1 hr 28 min
·
Samuels Road
15
Turn left
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
16
Continue on John R Junkin Drive
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
John R Junkin Drive
17
Continue on Natchez-Vidalia Bridge
11 mi
·
12 min
·
Natchez-Vidalia Bridge
18
Continue on E. E. Wallace Boulevard North
63 mi
·
1 hr 12 min
·
E. E. Wallace Boulevard North
19
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
20
Merge slight left
20 mi
·
22 min
21
Take the exit slight right toward US 165 BUS, LA 15: Civic Center
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
US 165 BUS, LA 15: Civic Center
22
Keep slight right
305 ft
·
7 sec
23
Turn straight onto Lea Joyner Memorial Expressway
0.5 mi
·
46 sec
·
Lea Joyner Memorial Expressway
24
Continue on North 6th Street
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
North 6th Street
25
Turn left onto Louisville Avenue
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Louisville Avenue
26
Turn left
46 ft
·
5 sec
27
Turn right
39 ft
·
3 sec
28
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 157.7 miles from Poydras, LA, or about 2h 29m 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 69 miles or 1h 5m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 157.7 miles or 2h 29m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Monroe, LA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Poydras, 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 Poydras, LA
This is one driving day of about 315.4 miles and 4h 58m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 69 miles from Poydras, 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 157.7 mi from Poydras, LA · 2h 29m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
158 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 69 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 157.7 miles from Poydras, LA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Monroe, LA
The final approach into Monroe, 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 Monroe, 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
$47.63 one way
$95.27 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
110 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $52.29 | $104.58 |
| premium | $4.56 | $56.61 | $113.22 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $69.64 | $139.27 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$48
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$73–$98
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 110.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $33 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 94.6 | 1 | $33.12 | $15.14 |
| Efficient EV | 78.9 | 0 | $27.60 | $12.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 126.2 | 1 | $44.16 | $20.19 |
Gas CO2
110 kg
EV CO2
37 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Monroe, LA
Evening in Monroe on Wednesday
Local time
7:59 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°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
18 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
4h 58m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Poydras, LA to Monroe, LA covers 315.4 miles and takes about 4h 58m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Bayou Road, East Saint Bernard Highway, Saint Claude Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 157.7 miles from Poydras, LA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $47.63 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 4h 58m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Poydras, LA to Monroe, LA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Poydras, LA to Monroe, LA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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