Louisiana Highway 45

Infobox LA Highway
type=LA
route=45
length_mi=24.09
length_round=2
length_ref=
formed=1955 renumbering
dir1=South
from=Begin state maintenance in Lafitte
junction=
dir2=North
to=
previous_type=LA
previous_route=44
next_type=LA
next_route=46

Louisiana Highway 45 (LA 45) is a state highway in Louisiana that serves Jefferson Parish. It spans 24.09 miles in a south to north direction. It begins in the south as Jean Lafitte Boulevard in Lafitte and ends in the north as Barataria Boulevard in Marrero.

Route description

From the south, LA 45 begins at a point along Bayou Barataria in Lafitte. It follows the east bank of Bayou Barataria, eventually passing through the town of Jean Lafitte and intersecting LA 302. Shortly thereafter, Bayou Barataria and LA 45 turn eastward. At a junction with LA 303 and LA 3134, LA 45 turns northward again and passes over the Intracoastal Canal. Shortly thereafter, it becomes Barataria Boulevard. It loops eastward and back westward again through Crown Point and intersects LA 301, LA 560-4, LA 3134. Turning back northward, the highway enters the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. Turning eastward again, it also passes through Estelle before widening to four lanes west of Ames Boulevard. In Marrero, the highway crosses LA 3134 for the fourth time. At Lapalco Boulevard, the route widens to six lanes. It intersects with the Business US 90 (West Bank Expressway) and narrows back to four lanes. Finally, it meets LA 560-3 before ending at Louisiana Highway 18 (4th Street/Barataria Boulevard).

LA 45 is an undivided two-lane road from Lafitte to west of Ames Boulevard in Marrero. The route widens to a four-lane divided highway from just west of Ames Boulevard to just south of Lapalco Boulevard, then to a six-lane divided highway from just south of Lapalco Boulevard to Belle Terre Road before narrowing slightly to a five-lane divided roadway (three southbound, two northbound) from Belle Terre Road to Patriot Street/August Avenue. It expands once more to six lanes from Patriot Street/August Avenue to BUS US 90 (West Bank Expressway) before narrowing to four lanes from BUS US 90 to LA 18 (4th Street).

Junction list

References

* [http://www.dotd.louisiana.gov/planning/maps_classification/Statewide_FunClass2002.pdf/ LADOTD map of Numbered Highways in Louisiana]
* [http://www.southeastroads.com/la_state_highways.html Louisiana State Highway Log]
* [http://earth.google.com/ Google Earth]