Want to avoid traffic at the MS-LA state line? Try this alternate Mississippi Coast route

Justin Mitchell
·2 min read
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It took hours for many Mississippi Coast residents to get to Louisiana from Interstate 10 over the weekend as the Mississippi Department of Transportation makes repairs to the East Pearl River Bridge.

MDOT said all lanes of eastbound traffic should reopen in August, but the I-10 lane closure at the site is causing daily congestion for commuters who drive to Slidell, New Orleans and Covington daily.

In some instances, it’s taking more than an hour to get to Slidell from Waveland, which is usually a 20-minute drive.

The most well-known alternate route to get into Louisiana via Highway 90 is also closed indefinitely, meaning the “back way” through Pearlington is a no-go.

Traffic on Highway 90 near Pearlington sits at a standstill as drivers try to access Interstate 10 near the Mississippi-Louisiana state line in Hancock County on Wednesday, July 5, 2023.
Traffic on Highway 90 near Pearlington sits at a standstill as drivers try to access Interstate 10 near the Mississippi-Louisiana state line in Hancock County on Wednesday, July 5, 2023.

But there is another option that is well known in Hancock County but also a best-kept secret of sorts.

Drivers from Kiln to Biloxi to Pascagoula and beyond can take Texas Flat Road and get to Louisiana via Interstate 59.

It may add extra minutes to your travel time, but it could save you hours in the long run if traffic is backed up on I-10 near Exit 2.

Here’s what to do.

If you live in Hancock County

Take Highway 603 to Texas Flat Road in Kiln.

Head west. You will be in the buffer zone for a time, and you may lose phone service. Don’t fret.

Once you get to Mississippi 607, go north and get on I-59 toward New Orleans at the Nicholson exit (1).

Driving the MS-LA state line is a hot mess. Fix the Highway 90 bridge to NOLA now | Opinion

If you live in the Biloxi-Gulfport metro

Take I-10 west to the Bay St. Louis-Kiln exit (13). Go north on Highway 603 until you reach Texas Flat Road, then follow it west to Mississippi 607. Head north and merge onto I-59 to New Orleans at Nicholson (Exit 1).

Before you take the alternate route, you can check MDOT’s traffic map for state line updates.