Site Navigation Alabama Florida Georgia Louisiana Mississippi North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee     Florida 30 Florida 30 is the state highway counterpart for U.S. 98 for most of Northwest Florida, with the exception of U.S. 98 through downtown Pensacola, former U.S. 98 Alternate through Panama City Beach in Bay County, and U.S. 98 Business through Panama City. In Pensacola, Florida 30 follows Business U.S. 98 along Garden Street, while U.S. 98 follows Florida 292/Pace Boulevard, U.S. 90/Cervantes Street, and Florida 289/Ninth Avenue to the north of downtown. Florida 30A follows U.S. 98 (Panama City Beach Parkway) in western Bay County and the U.S. 98 mainline through Panama City, Springfield, and Callaway. Mileage: 287.60 (Source: Original Florida Route Log compiled by Justin Cozart) Western Terminus - Alabama State Line The crest of the Perdido Bay Bridge on U.S. 98 eastbound. Perdido Bay represents the Alabama and Florida border between the Gulf of Mexico and roughly three miles north of this crossing. The body of water is fed by the Perdido River, a waterway composing the east-west state border between Escambia and Baldwin Counties. Photo taken 12/21/03. Welcome to Florida sign posted as U.S. 98 returns to land east of the Perdido Bay Bridge. Ahead is the town of Myrtle Grove and western terminus of Florida 298 (Lillian Highway). Photo taken 12/21/03. U.S. 98 (Florida 30) westbound at the beginning of the Perdido Bay Bridge near Paradise Beach. The state boundary bisects the bridge and composes the western end of the silent Florida 30. Photo taken 12/21/03. U.S. 98 westbound as it descends into Lillian, Alabama, toward the junction of Baldwin County 99. The federal highway is mainly rural for the next 11 miles between the state line and town of Foley at Alabama 59. Baldwin County 99 meanwhile travels north-south along the extreme eastern fringes of the county. Photo taken 12/21/03. Eastern Terminus - U.S. 19/U.S. 27A/U.S. 98/U.S. 221 Perry No photos presently. Florida 30 East (Panama City Beach) Florida 30 (Front Beach Road) eastbound after the intersection with Florida 79 (Arnold Road)'s south end. U.S. 98 Alternate was decommissioned officially by AASHTO during fall of 2006, but shields remain along Front Beach Road including this one as of summer 2008. Photo taken 08/03/08. Front Beach Road east at Pier Park Drive. Pier Park Drive stems north from the Dan Russell City Pier through the newly built (2008) Pier Park shopping village sandwiched between Florida 30 and U.S. 98 (Panama City Beach Parkway). Photo taken 08/03/08. Hills Road meets Florida 30 (Front Beach Road) at the next eastbound traffic light. Photo taken 08/03/08. Argonaut Street ties into Florida 30 (Front Beach Road) from the Bid-A-Wee Beach community and U.S. 98. Photo taken 08/03/08. Approaching the split with Florida 392 (Hutchinson Boulevard) on Florida 30 east. Florida 392, formerly Middle Beach Road, is officially designated as Florida 392A but signed in the field as Florida 392. The state road is touted as the express route to U.S. 98 east into Panama City. Photo taken 08/03/08. Junction Florida 392 shield posted ahead of Hutchinson Boulevard. The state road carries four lanes eastward to Florida 30 at Thomas Drive. Photo taken 08/03/08. Florida 30 and 392's intersection was realigned to give Hutchinson Boulevard priority. Front Beach Road resumes its eastward course via a right angle (a small section of original road dead ends nearby). Note the U.S. 98 Alternate shield. Photo taken 08/03/08. Several of the through routes between Florida 30 (Front Beach Road) are signed to Florida 392 (Express Route). Clara Avenue (unsigned Bay County 30C) represents the first such connection from the west. The county road follows all of Clara Avenue north to U.S. 98. Photo taken 08/03/08. U.S. 98 Alternate reassurance shield posted along Front Beach Road (Florida 30) after Clara Avenue (Unsigned Bay County 30C). Photo taken 08/03/08. A pedestrian signal resides near the beginning of the Bay County Pier along Florida 30 (Front Beach Road) after Lyndell Lane). Photo taken 08/03/08. Alf Coleman Road (unsigned Bay County 30H) provides the second preferred route to Florida 392 (Hutchinson Boulevard) from Florida 30 east. Photo taken 08/03/08. Bay County 30H travels 0.935 miles northeast to Florida 392 and U.S. 98 (Panama City Beach Parkway) near J.R. Arnold High School. Photo taken 08/03/08. Another reassurance shield of the former U.S. 98 Alternate posted along Front Beach Road east. Photo taken 08/03/08. Florida 30 skirts inland slightly between large condo complexes. A pedestrian bridge joins the two. Photo taken 08/03/08. Beckrich Road (unsigned Bay County 3033) joins the heart of the high-rise beach condo district with Florida 392 and U.S. 98 along a .876-mile route. Beckrich Road extends north of U.S. 98 along a new road. Photo taken 08/03/08. Nearing Gulf Highlands Boulevard on Florida 30 (Front Beach Road). Towering condominiums obscure the beach for the most part through here. Photo taken 08/03/08. Florida 30 turns inland for its approach to U.S. 98 (Panama City Beach Parkway) at a wall of condo towers. Sandwiched between the high-rises is the intersection with Beach Boulevard to South Thomas Drive. Unsigned Bay County 392 follows the route southeast toward St. Andrews State Park and Bay County 3031. Photo taken 08/03/08. Florida 392 (Hutchinson Boulevard) returns to Florida 30 (Front Beach Road) at Thomas Drive. Thomas Drive carries a second branch of unsigned Bay County 392 southeast to South Thomas Drive. Photo taken 08/03/08. Florida 30 (Front Beach Road) east at Florida 392's east end. Thomas Drive and Lagoon Drive encircle Grand Lagoon through a bevy of communities on a peninsula that juts out into St. Andrew Bay. The large ship in the background is not a ship at all, but is the Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum. Photo taken 08/03/08. Downtown Panama City is still ten miles away although the city limits are half that distance. The ever present control city of Perry remains from when U.S. 98 traveled Front Beach Road. Photo taken 08/03/08. U.S. 98 Alternate eastbound shield assembly posted after Bay County 392. Front Beach Road widens to four overall lanes through to the merge with U.S. 98. Photo taken 08/03/08. Joan Avenue (former Bay County 30B) travels south from Florida 30 (Front Beach Road) to Lagoon and Thomas Drives. Photo taken 08/03/08. Laurie Avenue enters Florida 30 (Front Beach Road) from unsigned Bay County 3030 (Lagoon Drive). The north-south road serves a number of mobile home parks. Photo taken 08/03/08. A connector roadway provides access from U.S. 98 (Panama City Beach Parkway) east onto Florida 30 (Front Beach Road) west ahead of their interchange. Photo taken 08/03/08. Florida 30 defaults onto its parent route, U.S. 98 east, via a partial "Y" interchange. A frontage road departs along the eastbound side of to Bay County 3031 (Thomas Drive) south. Photo taken 08/03/08. The eastbound off-ramp and frontage road connect with Thomas Drive south, Wildwood Road north, and the Naval Coastal Systems Center. Florida 30 otherwise defaults onto the U.S. 98 eastbound viaduct leading to the Hathaway Bridge and Panama City. Photo taken 08/03/08. Presently only eastbound U.S. 98 travels the freeway viaduct to the Hathaway Bridge. Westbound U.S. 98 remains on a surface alignment through signalized intersections with Bay County 3031 and Woodland Drive. Completion of the Thomas Drive interchange is on hold until funding is secured. Photo taken 08/03/08. Florida 30 returns to complete silence as it merges with U.S. 98 and unsigned Florida 30A east. Photo taken 08/03/08. Page Updated August 13, 2008.