A primarily rural route, LA 43 connects four small municipalities in Livingston and St. Helena parishes, including Springfield, Albany, Montpelier, and Greensburg. The latter is also the seat of St. Helena Parish.
LA 43 entirely parallels the Interstate 55 (I-55) corridor, located between five and ten miles (8.0–16.1 km) east in neighboring Tangipahoa Parish. Over the course of its route, LA 43 intersects such east–west routes as I-12, U.S. Highway 190 (US 190), LA 40, LA 16, LA 10, and LA 38, all of which connect to I-55.
From the south, LA 43 begins at a junction with LA 42 just outside the Livingston Parish town of Springfield. The route heads north through an area known as Hungarian Settlement and passes through an interchange with I-12 at exit 32, connecting with the cities of Hammond and Baton Rouge. Immediately north of I-12 is an intersection with LA 1040 (Old Baton Rouge Highway), an older alignment of US 190. LA 43 enters the village of Albany and becomes known as Montpelier Road. In the center of town, LA 43 intersects US 190 (Florida Boulevard), which serves local traffic along the I-12 corridor. Immediately north of this junction, LA 43 crosses the Canadian National Railway (CN) line at grade.[2][3][4]
About three miles (4.8 km) after crossing into St. Helena Parish, LA 43 turns west at a four-way intersection to run concurrent with westbound LA 16 and southbound LA 441 across the Tickfaw River into Montpelier. After following 4th Street into town, LA 43 makes a turn opposite Durbin Road to resume its northern course. Six miles (9.7 km) later, LA 43 intersects LA 1045, which parallels LA 16 toward Amite City.[2][4][5]
Four miles (6.4 km) later, LA 43 enters the town of Greensburg, the parish seat. Traveling along Sitman Street, the route passes the parish school board and clerk of court buildings. It then makes a one-block jog west via LA 10 (North Main Street) and north again onto Kendrick Street, where it passes the parish sheriff's office and hospital complexes.[2][4][5]
LA 43 is classified by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (La DOTD) as an urban collector from its southern terminus through Albany and as a rural major collector otherwise. Daily traffic volume in 2013 peaked at 12,300 vehicles in Albany with the remainder of the route averaging less than half that number. The lowest figures were reported near the Mississippi state line with an average of 640 vehicles daily.[6] The posted speed limit is generally 55 mph (90 km/h) in rural areas, reduced to 35 mph (55 km/h) through town.[2] LA 43 is an undivided two-lane highway for its entire length.[2]
La 43—From a junction with La 42 near Springfield through or near Albany, Georgeville, Montpelier, Greensburg and Liverpool to the Mississippi State Line.
LA 43 was created in the 1955 renumbering, giving a dedicated route number to the north–south corridor in Livingston and St. Helena parishes west of US 51.[10] The route has remained virtually unchanged to the present day.[3][5][11][12]
^ abcLouisiana Department of Transportation and Development, Office of Multimodal Planning (February 2012). Livingston Parish(PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
^ abcdeLouisiana Department of Transportation and Development, Office of Multimodal Planning (February 2012). District 62: Official Control Section Map, Construction and Maintenance(PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
^ abcdLouisiana Department of Transportation and Development, Office of Multimodal Planning (February 2012). St. Helena Parish(PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
^"La DOTD GIS". Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. 2013. Archived from the original on October 16, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
^Louisiana Department of Highways, Traffic and Planning Section (1947). Livingston Parish (Map) (January 1, 1955 ed.). Scale not given. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Highways.
^ abLouisiana Department of Highways, Traffic and Planning Section (1951). St. Helena Parish (Map) (January 1, 1955 ed.). Scale not given. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Highways.
^Louisiana Department of Highways (July 1, 1955). Louisiana Highways: Interim Road Map (Map). Scale not given. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Highways.
^ ab"Act No. 40, House Bill No. 311". State-Times. Baton Rouge. June 18, 1955. p. 3B.
^Louisiana Department of Highways, Traffic and Planning Section (1955). Livingston Parish (Map) (January 1, 1958 ed.). Scale not given. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Highways.
^Louisiana Department of Highways, Traffic and Planning Section (1951). St. Helena Parish (Map) (January 1, 1958 ed.). Scale not given. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Highways.