Louisiana Highway 29

From the south, LA 29 begins at a junction with LA 13 just north of the Eunice city limits in extreme western St. Landry Parish. It heads northeast as an undivided two-lane highway, and the surroundings quickly change from residential to rural farmland. After crossing into Evangeline Parish, LA 29 turns due east through the village of Chataignier and overlaps LA 95 along Vine Street. LA 29 resumes its northward course when LA 95 turns off to the south onto St. Julien Road. LA 1165 laterals off of the highway with signs directing motorists toward the nearby city of Opelousas. Passing near an area known as Point Blue, LA 29 has a brief concurrency with LA 104, which travels between Mamou to the west and Opelousas to the east.[2][3][4][5]

LA 29 enters the city limits of Ville Platte, the parish seat, just north of LA 1161 (Pine Point Road). The route follows South Chataignier Street to a junction with US 167/LA 10 at the edge of the business section. US 167 and LA 10 follow the one-way pair of Main and LaSalle Streets through town. LA 29 jogs eastward onto East Main Street for two blocks, overlapping the above highways, and thus becomes a divided four-lane highway briefly. Southbound LA 29 traffic follows East LaSalle and North Chataignier Streets during this stretch.[2][4][5]

LA 29 heads out of Ville Platte after turning north onto Tate Cove Road. Just beyond the city limits, the route zigzags onto a parallel road running east of Tate Cove and crosses back into St. Landry Parish about five miles (8.0 km) later. Immediately across the parish line, LA 29 passes through a diamond interchange with I-49 at exit 40, connecting with Opelousas and Alexandria. The highway turns northwest at a T-intersection with LA 182 near Whiteville and proceeds into Avoyelles Parish.[2][3][4][5]

LA 29 parallels the interstate northward for a few miles before entering the city of Bunkie. During this stretch, the highway crosses the serpentine Bayou Boeuf several times and intersects LA 106, a connection to I-49. Upon entering Bunkie, LA 29 follows Pershing Avenue to the center of town and a junction with US 71 (Southwest Main Street). LA 29 turns northwest to follow US 71 for three blocks before turning northeast briefly onto East Church Street and across the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) tracks concurrent with LA 115. The combined route then branches eastward onto Evergreen Street and passes the local hospital and high school complexes on the way out of Bunkie. After LA 115 departs to the north toward Hessmer and Marksville, LA 29 continues through the small town of Evergreen.[2][6][7]

The highway assumes a winding path along several bayous for the remainder of its journey. Traveling along Front Street through the town of Cottonport, LA 29 takes on the character of a scenic route as it hugs a sharp bend in Bayou Rouge. Beginning at Cottonport Avenue, the route also overlaps LA 107, another connection to Marksville as well as nearby Mansura. After branching eastward from LA 107, LA 29 proceeds into the incorporated community of Long Bridge and reaches its northern terminus at a junction with LA 114 west of Moreauville. LA 114 provides connections to LA 1, the main highway through the area.[2][6][7]

LA 29 has several different classifications over the course of its route, as determined by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (La DOTD). Most of the route between Eunice and Bunkie is classified as a rural major collector, with the remainder diminishing in importance from a rural minor arterial to a rural minor collector. The short concurrency with US 167/LA 10 in Ville Platte is classified as an urban principal arterial.[8] Daily traffic volume in 2013 peaked at 17,100 vehicles in Ville Platte and 8,400 in Bunkie. Most of the route averaged less than 5,000 vehicles per day, with a low of 880 reported south of Bunkie.[8] The posted speed limit is generally 55 mph (90 km/h), reduced as low as 30 or 35 mph (50 or 55 km/h) within the two cities.[2]

Three portions of LA 29 are included in state-designated system of tourist routes known as the Louisiana Scenic Byways. The first two are short sections south of Chataignier and Bunkie that are part of the Zydeco Cajun Prairie Byway and Northup Trail, respectively.[9][10] The third extends from Bunkie to the northern terminus near Moreauville and is part of the Louisiana Colonial Trails byway.[11]