Community Forums

Geechee · 04-06-2006, 11:14 AM

Has anyone experience with traveling on I-10 through Mississippi and Louisiana in the last month or so? We will be heading west the 1st of May and after a stop at Ft. Walton, Fla. plan to use I-10 to reach LA. Last year we went via I-40 and this will also be my first time on I-10 west of Lafayette. I checked the Louisiana web site and they don't show any problems. However, a similar search failed to locate the same type info for Mississippi.

Geechee · 04-06-2006, 11:14 AM

Has anyone experience with traveling on I-10 through Mississippi and Louisiana in the last month or so? We will be heading west the 1st of May and after a stop at Ft. Walton, Fla. plan to use I-10 to reach LA. Last year we went via I-40 and this will also be my first time on I-10 west of Lafayette. I checked the Louisiana web site and they don't show any problems. However, a similar search failed to locate the same type info for Mississippi.

powerboatr · 04-07-2006, 03:46 AM

I know in Florida they are still repairing the pcoal bay bridge, one bridge for both east and west traffic, SLOW DOWN
still probably best bet vice crossing over into gulf breeze.
as fro LA and MI, not sure the condition of I-12 which bypasses new orleans, but i would look into it and save your self the hassle of going down through N.O and back up

rebelsbeach · 04-07-2006, 04:08 AM

Geeche, I have emailed "ed gray" a fellow irv2 moderator here,as he is from that area of the US. I asked him to come on board this topic and offer you his findings....
Hang in there a little longer and you should have a definitive answer as to road conditions.

Geechee · 04-07-2006, 05:22 AM

Thanks powerboatr & rabelsbeasch, we still have sometime before departure so I will keep checking this thread.

edgray · 04-07-2006, 06:16 AM

Hi there, Geeche: As a native of Savannah, I appreciate your screen name. How did you wind up a sandlapper? As requested by our fearless leader

Bob, here is my take on the current conditions along I-10 westbound.

From the Alabama-Mississippi line, the road quality deteriorates as you go further west. In Mississippi, the debris falling off trucks and trailers hauling (STILL) Katrina misery is constantly being picked up, and bagged trash is all along the shoulders waiting to be PU. Traffic in the Biloxi-Gulfport area of I-10 can be heavy. We make our last-nite- out stop at Gulf Pines CG in Milton,Fl (east of Pensacola), because I understand all the Ms. CG are pretty much full, and the State Parks along the Gulf are CLOSED.

When you enter Louisianna, the road conditions get worse IF you stay on I-10 and dip down thru NOLA. Unless you are determined to see lots of devastation in New Orleans, AVOID AT ALL COSTS taking I-10 into the city. The repaired bridge crossing Lake Ponchartrain is often reduced to one lane and the speed limit has just been lowered to 45 mph, due to speed-induced damage to the temporary panels which are the road surface. It took us 1:50 minutes to get across the 5 mile span on a Thursday afternoon two weeks ago. Once over that bridge, I-10W on "land" is so wavy you will need to tighten your seat belt, and reduce speed, just to stay in your lane. INSTEAD, just after the La. Welcome center, take I-12 West to Baton Rouge (which is heavily congested) to rejoin I-10W and get across the River(the mighty one). The road is pretty good to Lafy., but it is a speed controlled elevated roadway across the swamps. West of Lafy. and on through Lake Charles to Texas line is much improved, having been resurfaced, but there might be still a few short stretches of rough surface.

If your destination out west is more northerly, you could opt to pick up I-55N from I-12W and go up to I-20W just below Jackson, Ms. to get to Texas. That route will eliminate the BR parking lot, and the swamps.

If I can help in any further, pls reply with a more specific destination.

and remember, "this advice is worth exactly what you paid for it"

ED

Geechee · 04-07-2006, 04:30 PM

Thanks edgray,
I come by the Geechee honestly. I am a born and breed low country native. My grand uncle on my mother's side spoke Guallah fluently. Wish I had taken the time to learn. We are planning visits in Ft. Walton and San Antonio for sure on the way to Los Angeles. After LA we plan on visiting central and northern California. Next it's up north to Oregon, and Washington. Then we plan to head back eastward via Idaho, Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota. We really don't have a set itinerary other than four stops (Ft. Walton, San Antonio, Los Angeles and Minneapolis) to visit family. We have no time schedule to keep and just want to see as much as we can. Hopefully, after this trip we will have covered all but two or three of the lower 48 in the MH. Over the previous three years we have visited 38 states and 4 Canadian provinces, some more than once. Thanks for your feedback

edgray · 04-07-2006, 05:47 PM

You are welcome, Geeche! Since Ft. Walton will bring you so far south, I suspect I-10 is the only logical route to San Antonio. But, do your self a favor, and use I-12 to bypass NOLA.
Once you get to Houston, go straight thru on I-10, because any of the loops around are just too far out of the way. I-10 west of the city has a lot of construction. The Houston traffic is notorious, and you don't want to be westbound from downtown after 3:00pm. Enjoy your trip, it sounds wonderful! ED

moosewatcher · 05-05-2006, 04:19 PM

We came across from southern Texas to Key West the last of April. We took I-10 to I-12 to I-10 then down I-95 to Key West. The stretch from Beaumont Texas to Mobile, AL is rough as normal, gas is available, but CG sites are not available. They are all taken with adjusters or contractors. That stretch was two full days of driving. We stayed in a Wal Mart in Gulf Port overnight and then continued on to FL. Take it slow and move along.

Geechee · 05-07-2006, 12:33 PM

Hello Moosewatcher, We also found the trip across Miss & La to be O.K.. The worst part of I-10 was west of Lafayette. Actually as I type this message we are in a RV park in Columbus, TX.