Located at the center of New Iberia is Center Street, a road connecting various cities and attractions alike.

According to Glenn Conard’s book “New Iberia,” Center Street got its name because it “bisects the Weeks Subdivision.”

Center Street is a segment of Louisiana 14, a 100.1-mile highway connecting New Iberia to Lake Charles, passing through Delcambre, Erath, Abbeville, Kaplan, Gueydan, Lake Arthur and Bell City along the way.

From Abbeville, Louisiana 14 heads east through Erath and Delcambre, and after crossing Bayou Carlin becomes a divided highway at Bob Acres, turning northeast away from the rail line toward New Iberia.

After seven miles, an interchange with US 90 which connects with Lafayette to the northwest and Morgan City to the southeast marks Louisiana 14’s entry into the Iberia Parish seat, New Iberia. Gaining a center turning lane for a final time, Louisiana 14 proceeds east and intersects Louisiana 83, connecting to Weeks Island.

The highway continues through town as Center Street and intersects Louisiana 674 (East Admiral Doyle Drive). Louisiana 14 gradually narrows to two lanes as it approaches its eastern terminus at Louisiana 182 (Main Street) opposite Bayou Teche.

All along Center Street in New Iberia, various staples and businesses are seen both left and right — some that remain open and thriving to this day.

Over 100 years old of roads

In the original Louisiana Highway system in use between 1921 and 1955, the modern Louisiana 14 was part of three separate routes.

In about 1966, the four-lane bypass of Abbeville was opened, allowing trucks and others through traffic to avoid having to navigate around both the Magdalen and Courthouse Squares as well as a narrow lift bridge across the Vermilion River.

Around 1990, the portion of Louisiana 14 between Delcambre and New Iberia was widened to four lanes.

The portion of the route through Lake Charles followed soon afterward.

In the late 1990s, the route between Abbeville and Delcambre was four-laned, necessitating a bypass of the main road through Erath. The original two-lane road through Erath has been retained as a business route.

A hub for businesses

All along Center Street in New Iberia, one will come across prominent businesses and attractions. With over 30 businesses, Center Street is the hub of economic development in New Iberia.

From the Kajun Inn, to Seafood Connection, Duffy’s Diner, Paradise Pizza, The “Old” Bicycle Shop, Pesson’s Furniture, Vice’s Barber Shop, T-Bob’s Seafood and others, Center Street has all flavors and styles that help make the Teche Area unique.