Interstate 55 in Louisiana

Interstate 55 (I-55) is a part of the Interstate Highway System that spans 964.25 miles (1,551.81 km) from LaPlace, Louisiana, to Chicago, Illinois. Within the state of Louisiana, the highway travels 66 miles (106 km) from the national southern terminus at I-10 in LaPlace to the Mississippi state line north of Kentwood.

This article is about the section of Interstate 55 in Louisiana. For the entire route, see Interstate 55.

Interstate 55

I-55 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by Louisiana DOTD
Length66.086 mi (106.355 km)
Existed1960–present
Tourist
routes
  • Louisiana Scenic Byway:
  • Southern Swamps Byway
NHSEntire route
Major junctions
South end I-10 in LaPlace
Major intersections
North end I-55 at Mississippi state line north of Kentwood
Location
CountryUnited States
StateLouisiana
ParishesSt. John the Baptist, Tangipahoa
Highway system
  • Main
  • Auxiliary
  • Suffixed
  • Business
  • Future
  • Louisiana State Highway System
  • Interstate
  • US
  • State
  • Scenic
← LA 54→ LA 55

The route is located in the southeastern portion of Louisiana and parallels the older U.S. Highway 51 (US 51) corridor. While passing through the city of Hammond, I-55 intersects two of the state's major east–west routes, I-12 and US 190. It also serves the smaller city of Ponchatoula, as well as the towns of Amite City and Kentwood.

I-55 is a major highway through the New Orleans metropolitan area, the city being located 20 miles (32 km) east of the junction between I-10 and I-55. It also serves as an important hurricane evacuation route for the region. I-55 was opened in several stages beginning in 1960 with a bypass of Ponchatoula and Hammond. The southern 23 miles (37 km) of I-55, consisting of a twin-span viaduct through the Manchac swamp, was completed in 1979 and is one of the longest bridges in the world.

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