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U.S. Highway 90 Eastbound (Santa Rosa & Okaloosa Counties)

The guide for U.S. 90 is split between three components:

U.S. 90 East
Entering Santa Rosa County, Northwest Florida's fatest growing county, on U.S. 90 eastbound at the Escambia River. The September 15, 2004 landfall of Hurricane Ivan washed out parts of the four-lane causeway between Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90 Alternate) and the community of Pace. For a week two-way traffic was routed onto the westbound lanes as crews scrambled to repair the eastbound carriageway. Photo taken 05/31/04.
After traveling three miles along a causeway over the northern reaches of the Escambia Bay, U.S. 90 returns to solid ground ahead of its intersection with Santa Rosa County 197A (Woodbine Road). Woodbine Road begins ahead and travels northward 3.8 miles to junction Santa Rosa County 184, 184A, and 197. Santa Rosa County 184 arcs westward along Quintette Road to near Cantonment in Escambia County. The Quintette Road causeway is one of only three Escambia River crossings north of the bay and Interstate 10 in Northwest Florida. Photo taken 05/31/04.
Round the bend from the south end of Woodbine Road and U.S. 90 eastbound encounters the west end of a segment of Santa Rosa County 191A (Diamond Street). The residential thoroughfare serves southern reaches of the Pace community between U.S. 90 and the Air Products chemical plant southeast of town. Photo taken 05/31/04.
Continuing eastbound on U.S. 90 after the Diamond Street intersection with Santa Rosa County 191A. A separate segment of Santa Rosa County 191A exists at Oriole Beach on the peninsula west of Navarre. Otherwise U.S. 90 enters the heart of Pace, a community deep in the southern baptist mentality. Photo taken 05/31/04.
Junction shield for Santa Rosa County 197 on U.S. 90 east in the heart of Pace. In the last ten years the commercial frontage of U.S. 90 has grown leaps and bounds with fast food chains, big box retail, gas stations, and strip malls. Santa Rosa County 197 travels north from the residential street grid via Floridatown Road to meet U.S. 90. To the left the county route follows Chumuckla Highway toward the town of Jay near the Alabama state line. Photo taken 05/31/04.
Santa Rosa County 197B (Spencer Field Road) composes part of the loop that serves the Spencer United States Navy site northeast of Pace. This county route travels west from the site via Gibbins Lane to Chumuckla Highway to tie into its parent. Photo taken 05/31/04.
U.S. 90 eastbound at the north end of Bell Lane (Santa Rosa County 197A) midway between Pace and Milton. The southern segment of Santa Rosa County 197A encompasses all two miles of Bell Lane between U.S. 90 and Santa Rosa County 191B (Sterling Way). Sterling Way curves Bell Lane eastward to the intersection of Santa Rosa County 191A (Mulat Street) & 281B (Cyanamid Road). Photo taken 05/31/04.
Florida 281 provides the main access route between Interstate 10 (Exit 22) and the community of Pea Ridge at U.S. 90 via Avalon Boulevard. The state route ends at U.S. 90 adjacent to the Santa Rosa County 191 split from Avalon Boulevard along Old Bagdad Highway. Pictured here is the junction shield for the state route on U.S. 90 eastbound after Gainer Avenue. Photo taken 05/31/04.
U.S. 90 eastbound at the north end of Florida 281 (Avalon Boulevard) at Pea Ridge. A Florida Toll 281 and Garcon Point Bridge trailblazer coincide with the southbound Florida 281 & to Interstate 10 shields at the Avalon Boulevard intersection. Florida 281 saw extension southward to U.S. 98 at Oriole Beach with the 1999 opening of the two-lane Garcon Point Bridge. The state route originally ended 4.8 miles to the south at the Exit 22 diamond interchange of Interstate 10. Photo taken 05/31/04.
Entering the Santa Rosa County seat of Milton on U.S. 90 eastbound. The four-lane divided highway succombs to heavy commercial strip development between Florida 281 and the merge with Florida 87 (Stewart Street) on the western edge of town. Florida 89 (Dogwood Drive) sees its southern terminus at U.S. 90 along the developed stretch of highway at the intersection with Simpson Drive. Photo taken 05/31/04.
Hanging Florida 89 shields for the two-lane lefthand turn lane onto Dogwood Drive northbound. A guide sign indicates the Florida 89 control points of the U.S. Navy Whiting Field and the town of Jay in northern Santa Rosa County. Florida 89 shares a 1.6 mile overlap with Florida 87 four miles to the north. Florida 89 splits northwest from there to Jay as Florida 87 nears Whiting Field. Photo taken 05/31/04.
The northbound beginning of Florida 89 (Dogwood Drive) departs U.S. 90 eastbound in west Milton. Dogwood Drive consists of a three-lane boulevard through Milton to its merge with Florida 87 (Stewart Street). The state route otherwise continues northward from Milton 27 miles to Jay and junction Florida 4. Florida 89 ends as Escambia County 55 at the Alabama state line. Photo taken 05/31/04.
The results of a street scaping and safety improvement project are evident on U.S. 90 as it nears the merge with Florida 87 (Stewart Street) in the town of Milton. Florida 87 composes one of the main north-south routes in Milton itself as it links the county seat with Brewton, Alabama and the U.S. 29 & 31 corridors. Photo taken 05/31/04.
Florida 87 southbound begins its 4.5-mile overlap with U.S. 90 along Caroline Street through downtown Milton. The state route migrates 6.1 miles northward to junction Santa Rosa County 87A (Allen Street) for Whiting Field and 27.5 miles to the Alabama state line where the route becomes Alabama 41. Long range planning may result in the four-laning of Alabama 41 between Brewton, Alabama and Milton. Photo taken 05/31/04.
U.S. 90 east & Florida 87 southbound reassurance shields posted on Caroline Street in downtown Milton. The two-lane street is relegated to a 25 MPH speed limit and includes on-street parking spaces from Santa Rosa County 191 (Canal Street) eastward to the Blackwater River. The traffic signals ahead govern the intersection with Willing Street. These lights were blown down by the winds of Hurricane Ivan on September 15, 2004. Photo taken 11/27/99.
Crossing the Blackwater River from downtown Milton. Ahead is Milton Trail and the locally famous "old brick road" (former U.S. 90 & Florida 1). This abandoned road is open for bicyclists and runners as it parallels U.S. 90 and Florida 87. For photos of this alignment, see Florida @ SouthEastRoads - Old Spanish Trail (old U.S. 90 & Florida 1) or The Lost Highway - Old Spanish Trail. Photo taken 05/31/04.
U.S. 90 east & Florida 87 southbound prepare to split at the intersection of Milton Road. Florida 87 turns southward from ahead 1.2 miles to the Exit 31 interchange of Interstate 10. U.S. 90 continues to parallel the CSX Railroad and Interstate 10 to the communities of Milligan and Holt. Photo taken 05/31/04.
U.S. 90 eastbound at Milton Road and the departure of Florida 87 south. Florida 87 travels through the western reaches of Eglin Air Force Base as a two to four lane highway between Interstate 10 and the resort town of Navarre on U.S. 98. The state route plays a pivotal role for beachbound traffic and hurricane evacuation situations. Eglin Air Force Base is one of the largest in the eastern U.S. and is home to Air Force weapons testing for such things as bunker busting bombs. Photo taken 05/31/04.
Mileage sign for U.S. 90 eastbound posted after its split with Florida 87. Parallel to the federal route for another two miles is the Old Spanish Trail / Historic State Route 1 red brick road. U.S. 90 eventually paves over the route on the drive to Holt and Okaloosa County line. Photo taken 05/31/04.
Two miles beyond the Okaloosa County line is the village of Holt on U.S. 90 eastbound. Pictured here is a typical small guide sign posted for town or community names along non-freeways in the state of Florida. Photo taken 05/31/04.
Approaching the Okaloosa County 189 (Log Lake Road) on U.S. 90 eastbound within the village of Holt. Log Lake Road travels one mile southward to the Exit 45 diamond interchange of Interstate 10. The junction is Interstate 10's first since the Florida 87 exit near Milton. Photo taken 05/31/04.
U.S. 90 eastbound between Log Lake Road and Johnson Street in Holt. Though unsigned, Okaloosa County 189 technically joins U.S. 90 2.7 miles between Log Lake Road and Galliver Cut Off to the east. Photo taken 05/31/04.
At the community of Galliver itself, Okaloosa County 189 reemerges and turns northward along Galliver Cut Off. The county route heads 4.5 miles northeast to junction Florida 4 outside the town of Baker. Photo taken 05/31/04.
Odd shaped U.S. 90 reassurance shield posted after the Okaloosa County 189 departure at Galliver. The close alignment of the CSX Railroad to U.S. 90 ends within the next two miles as the line diverges to the north. Photo taken 05/31/04.
U.S. 90 winds northeastward across a local creek on the five mile drive between Galliver and hamlet of Millgan. Photo taken 05/31/04.
Proclamation sign for the community of Milligan on U.S. 90 eastbound. Intersections with Dads Road, Ray Street, Al Gillman Road / Etta Garret Road, Florida 4, and Old River Road / Ellis Drive pretty much cover the scope of Milligan from west to east. Photo taken 05/31/04.
Florida 4 junction shield on U.S. 90 eastbound for the highway's eastern terminus. Florida 4 ventures 37 miles northwest from Milligan through Blackwater River State Forest to Baker, Munson, and Jay. Photo taken 05/31/04.
U.S. 90 eastbound at the end of Florida 4 in Milligan. The state maintained portion of Highway 4 stretches from Century (junction U.S. 29) in northern Escambia County 44 miles to Okaloosa County. There are several other segments that were apart of Florida 4 that remain as County Highway 4 in Northwest Florida. Photo taken 05/31/04.
Another odd shaped U.S. 90 shield accompanies a mileage sign on the federal highway east of Florida 4 in Milligan. Photo taken 05/31/04.
U.S. 90 expands to four lanes and acquires a grassy median on the six mile drive from Milligan to Crestview. Okaloosa County 4 begins ahead in this scene and follows Antioch Road southeast 5.6 miles to junction Florida 85 (Ferdon Boulevard) south of Interstate 10. Photo taken 05/31/04.
U.S. 90 narrows to cross a bridge near Crestview only to widen again to four lanes east of the span. Photo taken 05/31/04.
Entering the city of Crestview on James Lee Boulevard eastbound. U.S. 90 expands into a typical southeastern arterial with five overall lanes and a no shoulder. The frontage of U.S. 90 changes from that from pine forest into a hodge podge of homes and small businesses. Photo taken 05/31/04.
Junction Florida 85 shield posted for the intersection with Ferdon Boulevard on U.S. 90 (James Lee Boulevard) eastbound in downtown Crestview. Main Street spurs southeast from James Lee Boulevard at the forthcoming intersection. Photo taken 05/31/04.
Eastbound reassurance shield posted on James Lee Boulevard between Main Street and junction Florida 85 (Ferdon Boulevard). Crestview began as a trading post at the crest of the Yellow and Shoal in the late 1800s. In 1881 the Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad constructed a line between Pensacola and the Apalachicola River. A railroad station was constructed here and named Crestview due to the elevtion of the crest at 235 above sea level. Thus the eventual seat of Oklaloosa County received its name and start. Photo taken 05/31/04.
Small overhead sign assembly for the junction of U.S. 90 east with Florida 85 in downtown Crestview. Florida 85 (Ferdon Boulevard) becomes Alabama 55 at the town of Florala, Alabama near Paxton and the U.S. 331 corridor. The state route crosses into Covington County, Alabama in 25 miles. Photo taken 05/31/04.
U.S. 90 (James Lee Boulevard) at the intersection with Florida 85 (Ferdon Boulevard). Ferdon Boulevard interchanges with Interstate 10 (Exit 56) 2.5 miles to the south and from there Florida 85 continues 15 miles into the town of Valparaiso within Eglin Air Force Base. The southern terminus of Florida 85 occurs in the city of Fort Walton Beach 31 miles southward at junction U.S. 98. Photo taken 05/31/04.

Page Updated November 1, 2004.