Traveling along US 51 southbound between Independence and Tickfaw, Louisiana. This picture highlights one of the many substandard railroad/street crossings in rural Tangipahoa Parish. At least the truck in this photo decided to stop.
Welcome to Tickfaw, also once called "Home" by Yours Truly.
US 51 intersects with LA 442 here. Take a right to get to Interstate 55. Keep going straight to reach Hammond... and I-55. See a pattern here. The US 51/LA 442 concurrency shown only lasts a couple of hundred feet, if that.
Now in Hammond, US 51 continues southward to Interstate 55 and a lengthy concurrency. Straight: US 51 South. Right: LA 1040 (Old Baton Rouge Highway) West, to LA 43.
Here, US 51 crosses over Interstate 12, without interchanging with it. To get to I-12, continue past here, then take the ramp to I-55 North, then take Exit 29A-B to connect to I-12.
Sine salad for the intersection of US 51 and I-55. Straight (over the overpass): I-55/US 51 South, to New Orleans (via I-10 or US 61). Peel off to the right: I-55 North to Jackson, offering access to I-12.
Passing the gore sign for Exit 22 on I-55/US 51 South. Exit 22 leads to Old US 51, which runs south from here to LaPlace, and is very well maintained despite no longer having a highway designation of any kind. From I-55 South, it is simply referred to as “Frontage Road.”
Welcome to the beginning of the World's Longest Continuous Viaduct, currently carrying I-55 and US 51 South. The mileage sign is for I-55 - Manchac is 7 miles away, while the terminus (for I-55) at I-10 is 23 miles away.
Good news if you're starving - there's food at Exit 15, which is simply posted with a control point of Manchac.
Exit 15 peels away. It connects to Old US 51, which damn near perfectly parallels this part of the viaduct.
Rising high after Exit 15, these reassurance shields for US 51 and I-55 South can be seen.
The exit for Ruddock is 7 miles away at this point. I-10 is another 8 miles beyond that. See the far sign? That one marks the St. John The Baptist Parish line. In shorthand (like the sign), it's simply referred to as “St. John Parish.”
The speed limit along this section of the Viaduct is set at 70mph.
Exit 7 (Ruddock) is two miles away at this point.
One mile to Ruddock. Also, you try traveling through the swamp and not ending a few lovebugs' lives on your windshield, okay?
Exit 7 peels off here.
Paired I-55/US 51 South reassurance shields after traffic from Ruddock merges on.
If you're planning to remain on US 51, you can disregard this. For I-55 travelers: Junction I-10 - 7 miles. New Orleans - 27 miles. Yay.
Just before the end of I-55 is the last exit - Exit 1: US 51 TO I-10, Baton Rouge/Laplace. If you're planning to continue to I-10 West, you MUST exit here. Two miles.
One mile sign for Exit 1 on I-55/US 51 South.
Exit 1 peels off to the right. From there, US 51 assumes its old pavement at surface level. I-55 South will default onto I-10 East.
