One of the main commercial drives in Pensacola, albeit a congested one, Davis Highway carries four lanes of traffic throughout its duration from the Civic Center downtown to Nine Mile Road near Ferry Pass. Davis Highway straddles the eastern side of Interstate 110 amidst older neighborhoods and light industrial zones on its path northwards. An often plagued intersection with Florida 295 was improved between 1996/97 to allow for easier access to the nearby Interstate 110/Fairfield Road interchange. North of this crossroads, the landscape transitions from light industrial to commercial with a climax at the University Mall (at Florida 742). Traffic crawls from the mall area northward through a failed interchange at Interstate 10 (Exit 13). This junction was a half-cloverleaf situated on the eastern side of Florida 291 until 1998, when a new ramp from southbound Florida 291 to westbound Interstate 10 was completed. Traffic still trudges through this vicinity, as Florida 290 and University Parkway lie nearby. Each adds a significant amount of traffic to Davis Highway, and combined with West Florida Regional Medical Center to the north, grid lock ensues on a daily basis.
Mileage: 11.22 (Source:
Original Florida Route Log compiled by Justin Cozart)
Southern Terminus - U.S. 90-98/Pensacola
Alcaniz Street northbound at Gregory Street and the hidden southern terminus of Florida 291. Alcaniz Street composes U.S. 98 Business westbound between Gregory Street and Chase Street. U.S. 98 Business overall follows Alcaniz Street between Garden and Chase Streets. Florida 291 northbound follows Alcaniz Street one block northward to Wright Street. There Florida 291 turns north onto Wright Street for a single block to Davis Highway. Florida 291 southbound routes on Alcaniz Street/Martin Luther King Jr. Drive from Fairfield Drive (Florida 295) southward. Photo taken 08/24/03.
U.S. 98 Business (Gregory Street) westbound at the southern terminus of Florida 291 (Alcaniz Street). The business route turns southward for two blocks on Alcaniz Street. The ramps above are part of the Interstate 110 southern terminal stack interchange. Photo taken 12/06/03.
Northern Terminus - Alternate U.S. 90/north of Ferry Pass
Davis Highway ends at Nine Mile Road with a partial "Y" interchange. To access U.S. 90 Alternate westbound, traffic must utilize Kelso Road to the left. Otherwise traffic will default onto U.S. 90 Alternate eastbound and have to U-turn. Photo taken 12/21/03.
Florida 291 draws to a close at the interchange with U.S. 90 Alternate. Nine Mile Road composes four lanes through the junction south of the University of West Florida campus. Photo taken 12/21/03.
One of several shield assemblies for the upcoming partial interchange with Florida 291 (Davis Highway) southbound. Davis Highway is a busy north-south corridor between downtown Pensacola and Ferry Pass. The highway is often congested and sees heavy commercial development in north Pensacola. Photo taken 12/21/03.
Nine Mile Road westbound at the southbound beginning of Florida 291. Two lanes facilitate traffic onto Davis Highway from the left-hand side of U.S. 90 Alternate. Florida 291 sees an interchange with Interstate 10 at Exit 13, just east of Interstate 10. There have been proposals
to extend Interstate 110 northbound to Nine Mile Road as a toll road. However, these will not occur anytime soon due to funding related issues. Photo taken 12/21/03.
Florida 291 Guide
Florida 291 North
Five blocks into Davis Highway, Florida 291 intersects U.S. 90 & 98 (Cervantes Street). Florida 291 shields debut at this intersection and continue northward throughout the city. U.S. 98 is absent from the U.S. 90 shield assembly for Cervantes Street. This omittance occurs somewhat frequently for the U.S. 90 & 98 overlap in Pensacola. Photo taken 12/06/03.
The only Interstate 110 Florida shield left in existance is this trailblazer posted at the intersection of Davis Highway and Cervantes Street. The sign directs traffic westward two blocks to the Exit 2 northbound on-ramp to Interstate 110. The date stamp on the back reveals that the sign was only installed July of 2002. Photo taken 12/06/03.
A closer look at the U.S. 90 shield assembly (minus U.S. 98) at Cervantes Street. The paired highways part ways in four blocks at Florida 289 (Ninth Avenue). Westward U.S. 90 & 98 travel to Florida 292 (Pace Boulevard) before partitioning. Photo taken 12/06/03.
Approaching the Burgess Road alignment of Florida 742 in north Pensacola. Florida 742 constitutes a secondary arterial between U.S. 29 and Florida 291, and a primary arterial via Creighton Road from Davis Highway east to Florida 289 (Ninth Avenue). This particular shield refers to the former alignment of Florida 742 eastward along Burgess Road. A 1995 construction project saw the expansion of Creighton Road from two to five lanes with a relocation of Florida 742 from Lanier Drive west to Florida 291. The original two lane Burgess Road portion of highway east of Davis still retains a Florida 742 shield in each direction. Photo taken 12/20/03.
Florida 291 northbound at Florida 742. Technically speaking, Florida 742 is to turn northbound onto Florida 291 for one block to Creighton Road. Instead of this cosigning, a second set of Florida 742 shields is found on Florida 291 at Creighton. This alignment confusion may change with the relocation of Florida 742 from Burgess Road onto Creighton Road west of Davis Highway in 2004. To accommodate an Interstate 110 expansion project, the existing Burgess Road overpass is slated for removal upon completion of a new overpass via Creighton Road. When this is complete, Florida 742 will realign to the north. Photo taken 12/20/03.
Florida 291 (Davis Highway) northbound at the partial-cloverleaf interchange with Interstate 10 (Exit 13). A new collector/distributor overpass is in place along the eastbound lanes of Interstate 10 to serve the Interstate 110 and Florida 291 ramps to the freeway. The bridge structure is painted yellow and features a tradewinds type mural. The blowing palm leave motif is quite appropriate considering the legacy of hurricanes in Pensacola. Photo taken 07/19/04.
A loop ramp carries motorists onto Interstate 10 west for Interstate 110 south and the city of Mobile. Traffic from Florida 291 southbound travels an indepedent ramp to the left to access the westbound freeway. Until 1997 both directions shared the northbound loop ramp. Photo taken 07/19/04.
Associated with the same Interstate 10 & 110 project eluded to above, Florida 291 saw expansion and safety improvements. Part of this project saw the addition of north and southbound lanes between Interstate 10 and Olive Road (Florida 290). Also created in the project are extended turn lanes and bicycle lanes. This photograph displays one of two new sign bridges installed in conjunction with the 2002 project. Photo taken 07/19/04.
The upcoming intersection with Florida 290 (Olive Road) is one of the more congested junctions in the metropolitan area. Thus the 2002 expansion project addressed traffic and safety concerns with the addition of turn lanes and a better configuration with the nearby intersection of University Parkway. A second sign bridge helps guide traffic through the busy intersection.
Photo taken 07/19/04.
This Florida 290 shield is an afterthought after the two full sign bridges posted to the south. Olive Road itself expands to four lanes briefly through the Davis Highway intersection but otherwise is two lanes overall. Florida 290 connects Escambia County 95A (Old Palafox Highway) with U.S. 90 (Scenic Highway) through the Ferry Pass community. The highway is a busy commuter route. Photo taken 07/19/04.
A final set of Florida 290 shields at Olive Road itself. Ahead is the split of University Parkway, the West Florida Regional Medical Center, and intersection with Johnson Road. Florida 291 (Davis Highway) continues another 1.9 miles before ending at Nine Mile Road. Photo taken 07/19/04.
Junction U.S. 90 Alternate shield posted on the northern reaches of Davis Highway. The upcoming junction composes the northern terminus of Florida 291. U.S. 90 Alternate, known as Nine Mile Road, is a busy commercial corridor between Florida 297 (Pine Forest Road) and U.S. 90 (Scenic Highway). Photo taken 12/21/03.
Florida 291 South
A 2002 reconstruction project of Davis Highway between Florida 290 (Olive Road) and the University Mall results in the installation of two new sign bridges for the interchange with Interstate 10. Six lanes of Florida 291 now carry traffic between Olive Road and the Exit 13 interchange. Photo taken 12/07/03.
The interchange of Interstate 10 and Davis Highway is a folded interchange with left-hand movements from Florida 291 southbound. To augment some of the congestion related issues, an exit-only ramp for Interstate 10 west (and adjacent Interstate 110 south) opened to traffic on the right in 1998. More reconstruction of this interchange is underway in the form of a new collector/distributor roadway for Florida 291 on Interstate 10 eastbound. Davis Highway southbound traffic merging onto Interstate 10 will see an independent ramp for Interstate 110 southbound from the Interstate 10 mainline. 2006 is the completion date for these projects. Photo taken 12/07/03.
By 1996 the five-laning of Creighton Road was complete between Florida 291 (Davis Highway) and Florida 289 (Ninth Avenue). The project's completion resulted in a relocation of Florida 742 from two-lane Burgess Road onto Creighton Road to the north. Pictured here is the southbound Davis Highway intersection with Creighton Road adjacent to University Mall. Florida 742 technically joins Florida 291 between Creighton and Burgess Roads. Photo taken 07/19/04.
One block south of Creighton Road at Burgess Road. Florida 742 maintains signage on both directions of Burgress Road despite the realignment onto Creighton Road to the north. West of Davis Highway, Florida 742 relocated onto an extension of Creighton Road over Interstate 110 via a new four-lane overpass. At that time Burgess Road became disjointed with the removal of its bridge over the freeway below. Florida 742 remains on Creighton Road from U.S. 90 (Scenic Highway) westward to its merge with Burgess Road via Hilburn Road west of Interstate 110. Photo taken 07/19/04.
