StraitRVing Posted August 3, 2020 Report Share Posted August 3, 2020 Howdy everyone. At the end of October I will be headed from the Houston Texas area to the Mobile Alabama area. I have heard for year that I-10, I-20, and parts of US-190 through Eastern Texas and much of Louisiana are in bad shape. Does anyone have an update on that? Suggested routes? Does not need to be the quickest or shortest route either. I am retired so I have the ability to take my time. Thank you. Richard "Doc" Quote Richard "Doc" Strait, USN Retired 2017 Coachmen Leprechaun 319MB Point of Contact for the Military, Veterans, and Gold Star Families BOF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GR "Scott" Cundiff Posted August 3, 2020 Report Share Posted August 3, 2020 (edited) I10 is very rough a you come into Texas from LA - also construction and congestion. Just be ready. Some people complain about the long Atchafalaya bridge just west of Baton Rouge. The seams in the roadway set up a rhythm that is just wrong for certain wheelbases. Also, traffic can back up going over the MIssissippi bridge on I12 at Baton Rouge. I20 is pretty bad at Shreveport. Lots of potholes. I thought the rest of the drive was okay except for Monroe which was a repeat of potholes. Either way is generally fine, but you might need to slow down in the rougher sections. I also tried taking Hwy 84 from Natchez to Alexandria to Leesville. I was going to stay on the state highway over into Jasper, TX. Just as I was getting ready to make the turn at Leesville I noticed a sign warning me of low clearance on the bridge crossing into Texas. Wouldn't have fit! Detoured down to DeRidder to continue west. Cost me about 30 miles. Some people talk about crossing LA on 190 which parallels I10 - haven't tried that one one yet. Edited August 3, 2020 by GR "Scott" Cundiff Quote Our "Here and There" Blog 2005 Safari Cheetah Motorhome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StraitRVing Posted August 5, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2020 On 8/3/2020 at 10:04 AM, GR "Scott" Cundiff said: I10 is very rough a you come into Texas from LA - also construction and congestion. Just be ready. Some people complain about the long Atchafalaya bridge just west of Baton Rouge. The seams in the roadway set up a rhythm that is just wrong for certain wheelbases. Also, traffic can back up going over the MIssissippi bridge on I12 at Baton Rouge. I20 is pretty bad at Shreveport. Lots of potholes. I thought the rest of the drive was okay except for Monroe which was a repeat of potholes. Either way is generally fine, but you might need to slow down in the rougher sections. I also tried taking Hwy 84 from Natchez to Alexandria to Leesville. I was going to stay on the state highway over into Jasper, TX. Just as I was getting ready to make the turn at Leesville I noticed a sign warning me of low clearance on the bridge crossing into Texas. Wouldn't have fit! Detoured down to DeRidder to continue west. Cost me about 30 miles. Some people talk about crossing LA on 190 which parallels I10 - haven't tried that one one yet. Thank you very much for the information "Scott." Quote Richard "Doc" Strait, USN Retired 2017 Coachmen Leprechaun 319MB Point of Contact for the Military, Veterans, and Gold Star Families BOF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToddF Posted August 6, 2020 Report Share Posted August 6, 2020 It was the worst part of our 7,000 mile trip last year. Feels like a roller coaster ride. Not sure of alternate routes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat & Pete Posted August 6, 2020 Report Share Posted August 6, 2020 A few years ago we took 190 from Tx to Baton Rouge , en route to Gulfport . It was a nice alternative with a short distance of 'roughish in spots' road . Generally enjoyable . The worst traffic was going around Baton Rouge to get to I12 . In short , we'd do it again . Quote Goes around , comes around . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
folivier Posted August 6, 2020 Report Share Posted August 6, 2020 Living in Louisiana and driving our bad roads and traveling our country I can safely say that Louisiana does not have a monopoly on bad roads. We've found major roads and interstates in almost every state that are as bad or worse that any roads in Louisiana. Quote Back on the road again in a 2011 Roadtrek 210P 2011 Tahoe 4x4, 2006 Lexus GX470, 2018 Ranger XP1000, 2013 RZR 570LEhttp://finallynewellin.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat & Pete Posted August 6, 2020 Report Share Posted August 6, 2020 From our 10 years on the road , I'd have to say the same^ . Quote Goes around , comes around . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2gypsies Posted August 6, 2020 Report Share Posted August 6, 2020 (edited) We always enjoyed Hwy 190 in Louisiana. We'd stop in Eunice for some fine Cajun music at the music store on Saturdays and have attended their radio show with wonderful Cajun music. Very friendly folks! We don't drive interstates unless there's no other way to get from A to B. You have to remember that Louisiana/eastern Texas is built on a swamp so the land shifts making roads difficult to maintain. Edited August 6, 2020 by 2gypsies Quote Full-timed for 16 YearsTraveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Motorhome and 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Second Chance Posted August 6, 2020 Report Share Posted August 6, 2020 On 8/3/2020 at 10:04 AM, GR "Scott" Cundiff said: I10 is very rough a you come into Texas from LA - also construction and congestion. Just be ready. Some people complain about the long Atchafalaya bridge just west of Baton Rouge. The seams in the roadway set up a rhythm that is just wrong for certain wheelbases. Also, traffic can back up going over the MIssissippi bridge on I12 at Baton Rouge. I20 is pretty bad at Shreveport. Lots of potholes. I thought the rest of the drive was okay except for Monroe which was a repeat of potholes. Either way is generally fine, but you might need to slow down in the rougher sections. I also tried taking Hwy 84 from Natchez to Alexandria to Leesville. I was going to stay on the state highway over into Jasper, TX. Just as I was getting ready to make the turn at Leesville I noticed a sign warning me of low clearance on the bridge crossing into Texas. Wouldn't have fit! Detoured down to DeRidder to continue west. Cost me about 30 miles. Some people talk about crossing LA on 190 which parallels I10 - haven't tried that one one yet. I'll concur with Scott. The two stretched mentioned are pretty bad. We've done the I-20 route through Shreveport as recently as this spring. "Potholes" and "rough" aren't strong enough words. Rob Quote 2012 F350 CC LB DRW 6.7 2020 Solitude 310GK-R, MORryde IS, disc brakes, solar, DP windows Full-time since 8/2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StraitRVing Posted August 7, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2020 Thank you everyone for the feedback. Best regards, Richard "Doc" Quote Richard "Doc" Strait, USN Retired 2017 Coachmen Leprechaun 319MB Point of Contact for the Military, Veterans, and Gold Star Families BOF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill w/bus Posted August 10, 2020 Report Share Posted August 10, 2020 Sympathy for having to deal with Houston traffic. We usually come across Galveston Island then the ferry to the Bolivar Peninsula. Push easy until forced into I 10. Then turn south towards Port Arthur and cross to Louisiana onLA 82. Follow to Abbeville. Then east on LA 14 to US 90, or I 49. When US ,90 gets to New Orleans then jump on I 10 to cross over to Mississippi. I like US 90 across the state and into Alabama until Mobile. I know it's longer but the scenery is interesting and you have chance to stop. That is almost some day run. Long day but doable.. We could easily make that a two week trip. Stop on the beach not far from the ferry landing. That's two days. Then Beaumont for the museum of the oil industry. Then the Parish park and campground in Sulpher, right on the Intracoastal waterway for $12/night. Then Abbeville for Betty's RV park. Then Biloxi for the beach. We stay at the Elks and walk across the road to the beach. Enjoy, Bill T Quote Bill & Lynn Baxter MCI102A3 Conversion, Detroit Diesel S50 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2gypsies Posted August 10, 2020 Report Share Posted August 10, 2020 45 minutes ago, Bill w/bus said: Sympathy for having to deal with Houston traffic. We usually come across Galveston Island then the ferry to the Bolivar Peninsula. Push easy until forced into I 10. Then turn south towards Port Arthur and cross to Louisiana onLA 82. Follow to Abbeville. Then east on LA 14 to US 90, or I 49. When US ,90 gets to New Orleans then jump on I 10 to cross over to Mississippi. I like US 90 across the state and into Alabama until Mobile. I know it's longer but the scenery is interesting and you have chance to stop. That is almost some day run. Long day but doable.. We could easily make that a two week trip. Stop on the beach not far from the ferry landing. That's two days. Then Beaumont for the museum of the oil industry. Then the Parish park and campground in Sulpher, right on the Intracoastal waterway for $12/night. Then Abbeville for Betty's RV park. Then Biloxi for the beach. We stay at the Elks and walk across the road to the beach. Enjoy, Bill T I totally agree with your route. The ferry is fun! Quote Full-timed for 16 YearsTraveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Motorhome and 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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