At the time, the portion of Routes 1 and 5 running through Colfax served as the main highway connecting Alexandria with Shreveport and Ruston, respectively. In 1926, this became part of the original route of US 71, which followed Route 1 through central Louisiana. When US 71 was moved onto its current alignment bypassing Colfax around 1950, Routes 1 and 5 were moved along with it. The former alignment became State Route C-2116 until the 1955 Louisiana Highway renumbering. LA 158 was created in the 1955 renumbering, following the portion of the route between Colfax and US 71 as described above. The section north of US 71 leading to Lake Iatt was added to the state highway system later as an extension of LA 158. La DOTD is currently engaged in a program that aims to transfer about of state-owned roadways to local governments over the next several years. Under this plan of "right-sizing" the state highway system, the entire route of LA 158 is proposed for deletion as it does not meet a significant interurban travel function.