Louisiana Highway 2 (LA 2) is a state highway located in northern Louisiana. It runs in an east–west direction from the Texas state line southwest of Vivian to a junction with U.S. Highway 65 (US 65) near Lake Providence, just west of the Mississippi state line.
It is the northernmost cross-state highway in Louisiana and runs between Interstate 20 (I-20) and the Arkansas state line for its entire distance. LA 2 spans nine parishes, connecting five parish seats with direct connections to the remaining four, traveling through Homer, Bastrop, and smaller communities such as Hosston, Plain Dealing, Sarepta, Bernice, Farmerville, Mer Rouge, and Oak Grove. LA 2 also has intersections with many of the state's major north–south routes, such as LA 1, US 71, US 371, US 167, US 165, and at its eastern terminus, US 65. An interchange with the newly constructed extension of I-49 was scheduled to be completed in Spring 2013 and opened to traffic later in the year.
Route description
Texas state line to Homer
From the west, LA 2 begins at the Texas state line, continuing the route of Texas State Highway 49 (SH 49) into northern Caddo Parish, Louisiana. LA 2 proceeds east as an undivided two-lane highway through the community of Trees then curves to the northeast and back to the east around the tip of Caddo Lake to intersect LA 1 at a point north of Oil City. LA 2 turns north, running concurrent with LA 1 along the Kansas City Southern Railway (KCS) tracks into Vivian. The highway widens to accommodate a center turning lane at Rebel Road. LA 2 then turns northeast onto Camp Road while LA 1 continues northward. Returning to two-lane capacity, LA 2 is now joined by LA 170 which follows LA 1 through much of Vivian. After two blocks, LA 170 turns south onto South Pardue Street while LA 2 turns north and then east out of town. After , LA 2 enters Hosston, where it intersects US 71, which heads through Ida into Arkansas on the north and to Shreveport on the south. From this junction, LA 2 turns north onto US 71 briefly before resuming its eastward course. outside of Hosston, LA 2 crosses a bridge over the Red River and into Bossier Parish.
In Bossier Parish, LA 2 intersects LA 537 and continues east for another into Plain Dealing. LA 2 follows Mary Lee Street through town and intersects LA 3 (Louisiana Street), which also connects to Shreveport. Proceeding east from this intersection, LA 2 widens to an undivided four-lane highway. It then crosses the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) tracks and shortly thereafter intersects LA 157 (North Magnolia Street), which takes a northeastern course toward Springhill. LA 157 joins LA 2 eastward out of Plain Dealing, narrowing again to two lanes, before turning south toward Rocky Mount. LA 2 continues due east for before intersecting LA 529 (Emma Cemetery Road). Soon after this intersection, LA 2 crosses Bodcau Bayou into Webster Parish.
In Webster Parish, LA 2 enters Sarepta and intersects US 371, which heads north into Cullen and Springhill and south into Minden. After crossing this intersection, LA 2 immediately turns north onto South Main Street, running parallel to US 371 briefly before turning to the northeast. LA 2 is also signed from this point directly west to US 371, allowing drivers from either direction to bypass the short Main Street segment in favor of US 371. (This connector is officially LA 2 Spur). At a point northeast of Sarepta, LA 2 intersects LA 802, which travels northwest to US 371 at Porterville and Bunker. LA 2 then dips slightly to the south and crosses Bayou Dorcheat at a point known as Sykes Ferry. It then curves back to the northeast toward Shongaloo where it intersects LA 159. Here LA 2 Alternate begins and runs eastward through Haynesville, eventually meeting back up with LA 2 in Bernice. Meanwhile, LA 2 turns southward and runs concurrent with LA 159 to a point known as Leton. At an intersection with LA 160, which heads west to Cotton Valley, LA 159 continues southward to Minden while LA 2 turns to the southeast. Before crossing into Claiborne Parish, LA 2 intersects LA 521, which heads north to Millerton near the Arkansas state line.