Louisiana Highway 97

Louisiana Highway 97
Route of LA 97 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by Louisiana DOTD
Length:	21.57 mi (34.71 km)
Existed:	1955 renumbering – present
Major junctions
South end:	US 90 / LA 102 in Jennings
	I-10 in Jennings
North end:	US 190 east of Basile
Location
Parishes:	Jefferson Davis, Acadia
Highway system
Louisiana Highway System Interstate US State ← LA 96 LA 98 → ← SR 370 371 SR 372 →

Louisiana Highway 97 (LA 97) is a state highway located in southwestern Louisiana. It runs 21.57 miles (34.71 km) in a north–south direction from the junction of U.S. Highway 90 (US 90) and LA 102 in Jennings to U.S. Highway 190 (US 190) east of Basile.

The highway connects Jennings, the seat of Jefferson Davis Parish, to one of two interchanges with Interstate 10 (I-10) that serve the small city. Outside of Jennings, LA 97 travels through a sparsely populated area as it parallels Bayou Nezpique at a distance of roughly 2 miles (3.2 km). This portion of the route, located in neighboring Acadia Parish, is known as Evangeline Highway and connects the rural community of Evangeline to the US 190 corridor.

From the south, LA 97 begins at an intersection with US 90 and LA 102 in the city of Jennings, the seat of Jefferson Davis Parish. From this T-intersection, US 90 heads west on Shankland Avenue toward Welsh and south on Cutting Avenue co-signed with LA 102 toward Mermentau. LA 97 heads north on Cutting Avenue, an undivided two-lane thoroughfare, running concurrent with LA 102 for a short distance. It then turns east onto Roberts Avenue, gaining a center turning lane. After a few blocks, LA 97 curves to the northeast and passes a large cemetery as the surroundings become more rural. Reaching the northeast corner of town, the center lane disappears as LA 97 passes through an interchange with I-10 at Exit 65. In the process, LA 97 crosses over the interstate, which connects with Lake Charles to the west and Lafayette to the east. Immediately beyond the interchange, LA 97 crosses a bridge over Bayou Nezpique, a tributary of the nearby Mermentau River, into Acadia Parish.