Heading northeast from Winnsboro, the seat of Franklin Parish, LA 17 connects a number of tiny communities located on the west side of Bayou Macon.

After crossing into Richland Parish, the highway passes through the town of Delhi and straightens to follow alongside the abandoned right-of-way of the Missouri Pacific Railroad.

In Delhi, LA 17 connects with both Interstate 20 (I-20) and US 80, providing access to the ancient Native American earthworks at Poverty Point State Historic Site and National Monument.

US 425/LA 15 passes through this intersection on Front Street, the city's main thoroughfare, en route to Monroe on the north.

To the south, US 425/LA 15 travels toward Natchez, Mississippi running briefly concurrent with westbound LA 4.

Widening to four lanes, the highway passes through a diamond interchange with I-20, connecting with Monroe to the west and Vicksburg, Mississippi to the east.

[7] Over the next 18 miles (29 km), LA 17 passes through the rural communities of Darnell, Pioneer, and Forest before reaching the town of Oak Grove, the seat of West Carroll Parish.

LA 17 heads north into town on Constitution Avenue and widens to an undivided four-lane highway with a center turning lane.

After passing the tiny rural communities of Terry and Chickasaw, the highway enters the village of Kilbourne.

[15] In the early 1940s, Front Street was completed along the now-abandoned Missouri Pacific Railroad line, streamlining the path of Route 15 through Winnsboro.

After the abandonment of the MoPac line, the four-lane Constitution Avenue alignment was constructed upon its right-of-way.