| The final block of Spring Hill Avenue as U.S. 98 prepares to turn southward on Broad Street. Here U.S. 90 and 98 merge briefly for a three block overlap southward to Government Street. Traffic turning left enters U.S. 90 & U.S. 98 Truck eastbound toward Beauregard Street and Interstate 165. Photo taken 08/12/03.
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| This set of reflective overheads saw installation during Fall
of 2001. What originally displayed "NORTH U.S. 43, TRUCK U.S. 90, TRUCK U.S. 98" now displays an Interstate 165
trailblazer. Traffic that does not turn left or right continues straight via the one-way Saint Louis Street
toward the central business district and Dauphin Street. Photo taken 10/31/03.
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| A look at the original button copy guide sign that was replaced
from the above depicted sign bridge. The removed shield is that of "EAST" U.S. 90. Photo taken 06/01.
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| U.S. 90 West & U.S. 98 East - Broad Street
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| At the intersection with Old Shell Road, U.S. 90 west & U.S. 90
eastbound see this sign bridge for the hazardous materials restriction of the U.S. 98 Bankhead Tunnel. The ban
forces any eastbound traffic carrying prohibited materials northward to the Cochrane Bridge. Old Shell Road
begins to the right. This surface arterial begins quietly but increases in importance as it travels west
serving Spring Hill College and the University of South Alabama. Photo taken 10/31/03.
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| Broad Street passes through the eastbound only Dauphin Street
and approaches Government Street. Dauphin Street enters the Lower Dauphin Entertainment District to the east.
U.S. 98 eastbound parallels Dauphin Street along Government Street through the central business district.
Photo taken 11/03/03.
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| U.S. 90 westbound and U.S. 98 eastbound part ways at the Broad
Street intersection with Government Street. U.S. 98 travels a half mile to the two-lane Bankhead Tunnel. The
surface boulevard is home to the Mobile Government Plaza. Westbound U.S. 90 continues Government Street
toward Midtown Mobile. Photo taken 11/03/03.
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| The intersection of Broad and Government. Traffic continuing
straight will enter working class neighborhoods of south Mobile. The surface street eventually intersects
Interstate 10 at Exit 25B. The light post to the right once held an End U.S. 43 shield. The brackets that once
proclaimed the highway terminus now support an anti-littering sign. Photo taken 10/31/03.
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| The former Southern terminus of U.S. 43, complete with the removed
end shield. Upon the relocation of U.S. 90 on Broad Street/Beauregard Street, Interstate 165, and Bay Bridge
Road (former Truck U.S. 90 routing), U.S. 43 was truncated to the Telegraph/Bay Bridge Road intersection in
Prichard. This coincided with the 2002 demolition of the U.S. 43 Telegraph Road Viaduct Bridge through the
State Docks. Photo taken 10/26/99.
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| Even with the U.S. 90 related sign installation along
the Interstate 165 Exit 2 ramps by Fall of 1999, U.S. 43 end signage remained in place until November 2001.
This photograph looks at the end shield during June of 2001. Note also that the traffic lights in the 1999
photograph were switched from a vertical to horizontal orientation.
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| Close-up of the removed End signage on Broad Street
Southbound. At one time both U.S. 31 and U.S. 45 terminated here as well. Those two highways were truncated
to their current termini during the early 1990s. Since both overlapped in their entirely from this location
to their current beginnings, it was thought to remove the overlaps. Photo taken 10/26/99.
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| U.S. 98 East - Government Street & Bankhead Tunnel
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| Left-hand turns from eastbound Government Street to
northbound Broad Street (U.S. 98 west) are banned. Traffic from eastbound Government Street to northbound
Broad Street following U.S. 90 eastbound must continue eastward through the Broad Street intersection one
block to Jefferson Street. Turning south one block, then west one block, U.S. 90 traffic re-enters the Broad
and Government Street intersection facing north. U.S. 98 meanwhile continues eastward along Government Street
eastbound solo. Photo taken 10/31/03.
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| The first U.S. 98 eastbound shield posted along the Government
Street portion of the highway. The City of Mobile public library main branch is located to the right. Five lanes
are maintained along Government Street eastward to the Bankhead Tunnel. Photo taken 11/03/03.
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| A look at the U.S. 98 shield assembly with its removed U.S. 90
counterpart. U.S. 90 used to overlap with U.S. 98 through the Bankhead Tunnel. By 2001 U.S. 90 relocated northward
along the Truck U.S. 90-98 loop via the Cochrane Bridge and Bay Bridge Road. Photo taken 12/07/01.
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| Pressing eastward into the central business district of Mobile
at Hamilton Street and the Mobile Chamber of Commerce. Several Interstate 165 trailblazers such as this are
found throughout downtown. Traffic to Interstate 165 from Government Street is advised to continue east to Water
Street northbound. Photo taken 11/03/03.
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| Interstate 10 trailblazer at the intersection of Government
Street and Franklin Street. Photo taken 11/03/03.
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| U.S. 98/Government Street eastbound at the intersection with
Claiborne Street. Interstate 10 westbound motorists are advised to turn right here to access the freeway
via the Canal Street on-ramp. This intersection represents the last turn of the Mobile Mardi Gras parade route.
Government Street is lined with thousands of revelers during the "World's Greatest Party". Photo taken 11/03/03.
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| U.S. 98 prepares to descend into the two lane Bankhead Tunnel.
Government Street meanwhile is bisected by the tunnel as it continues eastward to Royal Street. The
surface arterial concludes in two blocks at Water Street. Photo taken 11/03/03.
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| Descending toward the Bankhead Tunnel. The high rise to the left
is that of the Adams Mark Hotel. The statue ahead is that of Admiral Raphael Semmes. The white building behind
both structures is the Arthur Outlaw Mobile Convention Center. Photo taken 11/03/03.
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| No passing is allowed and the speed limit is posted at 35 MPH
for the Bankhead Tunnel. The tube opened on February 20, 1941 at a cost of $4 million. The 3,389 foot long
tunnel1 originally carried a toll for all passenger vehicles. Photo taken 08/21/03.
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| U.S. 98 eastbound departs the Bankhead Tunnel and enters Battleship
Parkway at U.S. 90 and the Exit 27 interchange of Interstate 10. Traffic can either enter Interstate 10 eastbound
or merge with U.S. 90 east en route to Battleship Park. The name Battleship Parkway stems from the mooring of
the USS Alabama Battleship at the park nearby. Photo taken 11/03/03.
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| Traffic from U.S. 98 and the Bankhead Tunnel eastbound merge
onto U.S. 90 eastbound. Truck U.S. 98 draws to a close at this point. To the right is the U.S. 98 eastbound
only on-ramp to Interstate 10 east. Photo taken 08/21/03.
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| U.S. 90 & 98 East - Battleship Parkway
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| U.S. 90 eastbound begins its eight mile overlap with U.S. 98 across
Mobile Bay. The ramp to Interstate 10 eastbound departs from the Bankhead Tunnel and U.S. 98 to the right. This
ramp used to also be available to U.S. 90 eastbound motorists, but not longer is. A truck fire caused significant
damage to the eastbound on-ramp bridge in 2000 (note the difference in the guard rail on the bridge). When
repairs to this ramp were completed, the slip ramp to the Interstate 10 east ramp from U.S. 90 east was closed. Photo taken 11/03/03.
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| After the Interstate 10 eastbound Exit 27 ramp merges onto
Battleship Parkway eastbound, motorists see this set of reassurance shields. The Interstate 10 Detour shield
relates to the hazardous materials route signed in 1999 across the Cochrane Bridge and Truck U.S. 98. Since
the ramp to Interstate 10 aforementioned at Exit 27 is closed to U.S. 90 eastbound motorists, interests for
the freeway are directed to the Exit 30 eastbound on-ramp three miles ahead. Photo taken 11/03/03.
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| Eastbound U.S. 90/98 approaching the Interstate 10 Exit 30
diamond interchange. This particular portion of the Battleship Parkway is just barely above sea level.
A boat launch ramp and parking area can be found to the left. Parking areas to the right are favorite areas
for local fisherman. Photo taken 09/01.
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| A night time view of the Exit 30 causeway interchange. The
Junction Interstate 10 shield assembly depicted above is replaced with that depicted in this photograph.
Both Interstate 10 and Battleship Parkway continue east from this junction five miles to the city of Spanish
Fort (pop. 5,423). Photo taken 08/21/03.
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| A look at the Interstate 10 Bayway and Exit 30 eastbound on-ramp
from U.S. 90-98 eastbound. The eight mile twin viaduct is illuminated throughout its Mobile Bay crossing.
Photo taken 08/21/03.
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| Here is how the Interstate 10 Bayway looks from U.S. 90/98
looking eastward. The waters of Mobile Bay are only a few inches deep at this point, and overall in the area
tally only a few feet in total depth. Photo taken 03/05/99.
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| Detour Interstate 10 shields continue along U.S. 90-98 eastward
to Spanish Fort. Since hazardous materials are permitted along the Bayway from Exit 27 eastward, it is unclear
if this detour related signage pertains to that or just as an alternate routing in case of bridge construction
or related congestion. Photo taken 08/21/03.
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| The first sign of the upcoming junction with U.S. 31 is posted
along U.S. 90 & 98 eastbound after the Exit 30 Interstate 10 interchange. The pair continues along the causeway
for another five miles before parting briefly in mainland Baldwin County. Photo taken 11/05/03.
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| U.S. 98 East - Eastern Shore
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| U.S. 98 eastbound reassurance shield after the split with U.S. 90 at Daphne. U.S. 98 maintains six lanes with a grassy median through the city of Daphne. The bridge ahead is that D'Olive Creek crossing. Photo taken 08/21/03.
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| U.S. 98 eastbound (southbound at this point) at the split with Alternate U.S. 98. Alternate U.S. 98 carries two lanes as it travels southwards towards downtown Fairhope. Fairhope, a quaint town with an old fashioned charm, celebrates Mardi Gras with their own series of parades independent of those in Mobile. The alternate route is cosigned with Scenic Baldwin County 98 shields. The winding road is the original alignment for U.S. 98, relocated sometime in the mid-20th century. Photo taken 01/29/02.
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| Eastbound U.S. 98 as it departs the intersection with Baldwin County 27 (Belforest Road) at Turkey Branch. Baldwin County 27 is slated four an upgrade into a four-lane extension of Alabama 181 in the near future. Photo taken 05/16/04.
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Page Updated July 6, 2004.
