Research Center

Louisiana Business Profile

As Louisiana's largest supplier of power, Entergy covers a service area of approximately 39,829 square miles extending into 59 out of the 64 parishes (counties) in the state and serving more than 1 million customers.

A 1998 population study placed Louisiana's population at approximately 4.3 million an increase of 2.8% over the 1990 Census figure. The state's population growth has demonstrated considerable stability during the last two decades, and should continue to increase.

Transportation

A definite advantage to industry located in Louisiana is the ease of transporting raw materials into the state and finished goods to market. Louisiana has four world ports, 4,500 miles of navigable inland waterways, advanced road and rail facilities, and international air service.

The Louisiana Transportation Trust Fund was established by passage of a constitutional amendment in October, 1989. The fund dedicates present 16-cent gasoline/motor fuel taxes in stages began January 1, 1990 to construction and maintenance of state and federal highways and bridges, statewide flood control, ports, airports, transit, state police for traffic control, and parish roads.

HIGHWAYS

Two major highways and six interstates provide access to and from Louisiana and are linked throughout the United States. U.S. Highway 90 runs from the southern portion of the state east towards Mississippi and Florida, and U.S. Highway 165 runs from Lake Charles north to Arkansas, connecting with U.S. 90 at Lake Charles. Three of the interstates provide east-west access: I-10 linking Lake Charles, Lafayette, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans; I-12 between Baton Rouge and Slidell; and I-20 linking Shreveport and Monroe across the northern part of the state. Providing north-south access is: a short segment of I-59 out of Slidell, I-55 from LaPlace, and I-49.

From a central point in Louisiana a manufacturer can realistically count on third-day delivery truckload service to major markets in 31 states and the District of Columbia. Within this 31-state area are 69 percent of the nation's population and 70 percent of its manufacturing plants.

Map of Highways

RAILROAD

Nineteen railroad and 2,200 miles of mainline track form a statewide transportation system. The rail system is especially well-developed to the mid-continental U.S. with a three to four-day delivery from central Louisiana. Virtually every region of the country can be reached within seven days by rail. Rail rates in Louisiana for many commodities tend to be lower than those in other states because of the competition from barge carriers.

Railroads servicing Louisiana are depicted on the map following. Currently, eighteen companies operate either mainline and/or branchline routes and consequently vary from local coverage like Delta Southern and Arkansas & Louisiana Missouri in northeastern Louisiana to larger companies with more familiar names that provide statewide coverage.

Map of railroads

PORTS

Deepwater

Two of the nation's five largest deepwater ports are located in Louisiana at New Orleans and Baton Rouge. The state's four other major deepwater ports are at Lake Charles, LaPlace/Luling, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard. These ports provide superb access to world markets and sources of raw material.

These six ports handle more than 270 million tons of cargo annually and are called on by some 6,000 vessels. Deepwater industrial sites are generally available and the ports of New Orleans, Lake Charles, Baton Rouge and South Louisiana operate Foreign Trade Zones. A seventh deepwater port, the Louisiana Superport off the coast of Lafourche Parish, strictly handles oil and gas. This offshore oil port is a true superport and is the only one of its kind in the United States.

Coastal/Inland

The 19,000-mile Mississippi River system can deliver cargo by barge from Louisiana to all of mid-America. Louisiana also sits at the center of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway system that rims the northern Gulf of Mexico.

The state itself has 4,500 miles of navigable waterways served by 25 harbor and terminal districts, many of which can assist with low-interest financing for manufacturing and storage facilities. Coastal and inland ports in Louisiana are indicated on link below.

Map of ports

Click here for Ports Association of Louisiana information, including profiles of Louisiana ports.

Air

Louisiana has 70 public airports that have 3,000 feet or more of hard surfaced, lighted runways. Seven of these airports provide commercial passenger service through international, national and commuter airlines. The remaining 63 are general aviation airports. Seventeen major national and international airlines serve ten Louisiana cities. Direct passenger and cargo service is provided to principal U.S. cities and to Mexico, Europe, and Central and South America.

Commercial service is mainly limited to the metropolitan area airports. Reliever airports are located outside metropolitan areas and generally provide limited commercial service. General Aviation airports provide full general aviation services.

Airports

Map of airports