I-10 or I-20, which is better? (Tallulah, Lake Providence: safer, food, gas)

[Chris19]

Either it will be heading to Natchez via Hattiesburg and going through McComb or a little north or going to Baton Rouge and heading up to Natchez via US 61. After Natchez, I plan to head up to Rayville and over on I-20 to around the Tyler, TX area.

I am comfortable with taking I-20, but still wondering what the stretch between Rayville, LA and Natchez, LA is like and whether it is a decent route. I normally drive the speed limit and may sometimes going up to five over, although I tend to be more cautious about my speed when out of state (going the speed limit or one or two mph under) and use my cruise control when I can (for better fuel economy and to limit my temptation to speed).

[darylwi]

You can get to Rayville from Natchez using US 65 to US 425. It is a flat, very rural route, but you can do the speed limit and shouldn't have any problems with it. It would save some time, assuming you didn't want to go through Vicksburg.
I have driven most of that route coming down from Delhi to Natchez before. There's usually not much traffic especially after dark and it's mostly farmland with small farm towns in between.

Of course, to be honest, having to drive through Vidalia and Ferriday which can be slow at times, it may not save that much time than driving up four-laned US 61 (where you can easily do 70mph) and then cut across on I-20.

[Chris19]

Originally Posted by darylwi

You can get to Rayville from Natchez using US 65 to US 425. It is a flat, very rural route, but you can do the speed limit and shouldn't have any problems with it. It would save some time, assuming you didn't want to go through Vicksburg.
I have driven most of that route coming down from Delhi to Natchez before. There's usually not much traffic especially after dark and it's mostly farmland with small farm towns in between.

Of course, to be honest, having to drive through Vidalia and Ferriday which can be slow at times, it may not save that much time than driving up four-laned US 61 (where you can easily do 70mph) and then cut across on I-20.

I will keep that in mind. Farmland would be familiar scenery to me with most of the area up in my part of South Dakota being farmland where a lot of corn and soybeans are grown. I actually like driving on flatlands for the good gas mileage aspect with the car not having to work as hard as hilly terrain.

I cannot believe that I will be going thorugh Lousiana in less than a month. Are most of the people in Northern Lousiana pretty friendly and is it comparable being safe as the Midwest? An odd question, but just curious.

[Chris19]

I was wondering if US 65 (that comes from Pine Bluff, AR and goes through the NE part of Lousina) between Pine Bluff, AR and Tallulah is decent. Are Tallulah and Lake Providence relatively safe driving through during the daytime (afternoon)?

[MetroBTR]

Originally Posted by Chris19

I was wondering if US 65 (that comes from Pine Bluff, AR and goes through the NE part of Lousina) between Pine Bluff, AR and Tallulah is decent. Are Tallulah and Lake Providence relatively safe driving through during the daytime (afternoon)?

Not really a whole lot along that route. Relatively safe, I guess, but pretty boring imo. But Pine Bluff can be a real armpit in places and Lake Providence is none too pretty aside from the Lake.

[Chris19]

Originally Posted by MetroBTR

Not really a whole lot along that route. Relatively safe, I guess, but pretty boring imo. But Pine Bluff can be a real armpit in places and Lake Providence is none too pretty aside from the Lake.

Thank you for the insight.

Should I worry too much when driving through Tallulah and Lake Providence?

When I travel outside of the Upper Midwest, I tend to be cautious (maybe too overcautious). I just hope that I do not stick out like a sore thumb when driving an 06 Pontiac sedan and being a white 20s something middle-class, clean cut person driving through. I would guess that my dilluted Minnesota accent would distingish me somewhat.

I do not plan on stopping in Pine Bluff and would be going around it and plan to go through but not stop in Lake Providence and Tallulah and fill up at one of the truck stops along I-20 south of Tallulah and near Little Rock beforehand.

[BRMan]

Originally Posted by Chris19

Thank you for the insight.

Should I worry too much when driving through Tallulah and Lake Providence?

When I travel outside of the Upper Midwest, I tend to be cautious (maybe too overcautious). I just hope that I do not stick out like a sore thumb when driving an 06 Pontiac sedan and being a white 20s something middle-class, clean cut person driving through. I would guess that my dilluted Minnesota accent would distingish me somewhat.

I do not plan on stopping in Pine Bluff and would be going around it and plan to go through but not stop in Lake Providence and Tallulah and fill up at one of the truck stops along I-20 south of Tallulah and near Little Rock beforehand.

Tallulah has the advantage of being near I-20. Lake Providence is a pretty down on its luck kind of town. Don't know if the cops are as in your face as the ones in Waterproof are, but I would not take my chances there.

[darylwi]

Originally Posted by Chris19

Thank you for the insight.

Should I worry too much when driving through Tallulah and Lake Providence?

When I travel outside of the Upper Midwest, I tend to be cautious (maybe too overcautious). I just hope that I do not stick out like a sore thumb when driving an 06 Pontiac sedan and being a white 20s something middle-class, clean cut person driving through. I would guess that my dilluted Minnesota accent would distingish me somewhat.

I do not plan on stopping in Pine Bluff and would be going around it and plan to go through but not stop in Lake Providence and Tallulah and fill up at one of the truck stops along I-20 south of Tallulah and near Little Rock beforehand.

You can stop at the truck stop in Tallulah. You'll be fine there. During the day, most places in Tallulah are fine, but I wouldn't stop north of town unless I had to. I'd definitely drive straight through Lake Providence. Watch your speed. I'd set the cruise on 58-59 out of town, maybe 62 on the straightaways but watch for other cars (who could always be local cops), and definitely keep it to the speed limit within the small towns. That's typically where they get you if they're going to get you. And definitely watch behind you. These local sheriff departments love to fly; they'll do 70-80 just to catch up to the guy doing 65 and pull him over.
It's been a while since I've been through Arkansas. I remember Lake Chicot being decent, but I wouldn't drive through Pine Bluff. Loop around.

[Chris19]

Thank you BR Man and darylwi for the information.

I plan on factoring in extra time so I would not be in a super big hurry. I will keep an eye on the speed limits so I do not end up getting a ticket and to save a little on gas with better mileage.

Is the speed limit on 2-laned rural roads such as US 65 60 mph? I know that more populated areas often have lower speed limits than South Dakota's 75 mph on the interstate, 70 mph on other four-laned roads, 65 on two laned state and US highways, and 55 on country black top roads. I will also check the DOT websites for any construction to be aware of.

[BRMan]

Originally Posted by Chris19

Thank you BR Man and darylwi for the information.

I plan on factoring in extra time so I would not be in a super big hurry. I will keep an eye on the speed limits so I do not end up getting a ticket and to save a little on gas with better mileage.

Is the speed limit on 2-laned rural roads such as US 65 60 mph? I know that more populated areas often have lower speed limits than South Dakota's 75 mph on the interstate, 70 mph on other four-laned roads, 65 on two laned state and US highways, and 55 on country black top roads. I will also check the DOT websites for any construction to be aware of.

Louisiana's are generally 70 (Interstate), 65 (divided highway), and 55 (2 lane road). There are, of course, some exceptions - (1) 60 on Interstates in "urban" areas, (2) 60 on I-10 throughout the Bonnet Carre spillway between NO and Laplace and an 18 mile section of I-10 that crosses the Atchafalaya swamp between BR and Lafayette. More info is here: La DOTD - DOTD A-Z