 The
Zachary Taylor Parkway: Louisiana's Route to the Future
The corridor stretching from Alexandria on the west
to Poplarville on the east covers eight Louisiana parishes and one
Mississippi county - a diverse mix of small towns, scenic countryside,
homegrown businesses, thriving agricultural area, historic tourist
attractions, magnificent plantations, and starkly contrasting poverty.
It is an expansive, multicultural region that has been staked out
by hardworking, dedicated citizens as Louisiana's answer to the
Blue Ridge Parkway or the Natchez Trace Parkway.
A Catalyst for Tourism and Economic Development
This long-range venture is truly an important transportation
project, yet it represents much more than just a highway. It is,
for example, an opportunity to increase tourism significantly throughout
a corridor that is tourism-rich in some areas and tourism-poor in
others.
The parkway is also a potential economic development
catalyst, offering jobs and hope to economically depressed areas
and additional strength to communities that are already partnering
successfully with business and industry.
The parkway will extend approximately 210 miles,
starting at Interstate 49 near Alexandria and Pineville on the west,
crossing Interstate 55 near Amite, and stretching all the way to
Interstate 59 near Poplarville. It will generally follow the route
of present Louisiana Highways 1 and 10 and Mississippi Highway 26,
all of which will be four-laned and substantially upgraded.
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