| Westbound split of U.S. 90 and 98 at the Exit 27 ramp and
Bankhead Tunnel portal. The guide sign is still in button copy. The detour Interstate 10 shields were
installed during 1999 and are posted throughout Battleship Parkway and Bay Bridge Road. The in effect also
guide hazmats to/from Interstate 10 to bypass the Wallace Tunnel. Photo taken 11/03/03.
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| U.S. 98 westbound departs Battleship Parkway to the Bankhead
Tunnel and downtown Mobile. The white sign in the median indicates the truck and hazmat restrictions for the
two-lane tube. U.S. 90 westbound continues northward with Truck U.S. 98 along Bay Bridge Road to the Cochrane
Bridge. The Exit 27 westbound off-ramp of Interstate 10 enters from the left. Photo taken 11/03/03.
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| U.S. 98 West - Bankhead Tunnel & Government Street
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| U.S. 98 turns away from U.S. 90 and Battleship Parkway to enter
the two lane Bankhead Tunnel. A variable message sign is featured at the entrance to advise of closures or
construction related delays. Photo taken 11/03/03.
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| U.S. 98 westbound at the eastern portal of 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. A toll plaza was situated at the
east entrance to the facility. Top photo taken 10/00; bottom photo taken 11/03/03.
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| U.S. 98 westbound within the Bankhead Tunnel. Passing is prohibited
as well as pedestrians and non-motorized vehicles. The speed limit is posted at 35 MPH. Photo taken 01/13/02.
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| Ascending toward the surface along U.S. 98 westbound within the
Bankhead Tunnel. A narrow walkway is situated along the westbound lanes of the tube for maintenance personal.
An ALDOT Tunnel Office can be found above the western portal of the Wallace Tunnel to the south of the Bankhead
Tunnel. Photo taken 06/05/02.
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| U.S. 98 rises to Government Street in downtown Mobile. The modern
high rise of the Mobile Government Plaza comes into view to the left. Photo taken 11/03/03.
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| The westbound lane of U.S. 98 merges onto the westbound lanes of
Government Street at the Conception Street intersection. Government Street yields the right-hand lane ahead
and maintains four overall travel lanes through downtown. Photo taken 10/28/03.
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| The signalized intersection of U.S. 98/Government Street with
the southbound only Joachim Street. Photo taken 10/28/03.
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| Jackson Street crosses Government Street from the south at the next U.S. 98 westbound signal. Ahead Interstate 10 westbound motorists are advised to turn left onto Claiborne Street southbound. Photo taken 06/13/04.
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| U.S. 98 transitions enters a canopy of trees east of the Claiborne
Street intersection. The third westbound lane becomes a right-turn only lane for Franklin Street ahead.
The sylvan landscape of Government Street continues westward through to Broad Street. Photo taken 10/28/03.
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| U.S. 98 westbound reassurance shield posted at the intersection
of Government and Franklin Streets. Across the street is Spanish Plaza Park and the home to the Mobile Chamber
of Commerce. On street parking is permitted in the downtown area of Government Street. Several years ago many
parking meters were removed from downtown to promote an increase in visitors. Photo taken 11/19/03.
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| U.S. 98 westbound reassurance shield near the intersection with
Dearborn Street. A center turn lane is maintained throughout Government Street for left turning traffic.
Photo taken 06/05/02.
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| U.S. 98 westbound at the intersection with U.S. 90 East/Broad
Street. Here U.S. 98 westbound turns northward along Broad Street for a three block overlap with U.S. 90
east. Ahead U.S. 90 westbound overtakes the Government Street routing en route to Mid Town Mobile.
Photo taken 06/05/02.
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| U.S. 90 East & U.S. 98 West - Broad Street
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| Now on Broad Street northbound, U.S. 90 eastbound and U.S. 98
westbound merge. One half block to the north, the paired route see this overhead for the upcoming ending of
their brief Broad Street overlap. These signs were installed by November 2001 to reflect the relocation of
U.S. 90 northward and the truncation of U.S. 43. Photo taken 10/31/03.
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| Since removed Junction U.S. 43 and 45 shields on northbound Broad Street
(U.S. 90 east/U.S. 98 west). At the time of the photograph, this was also U.S. 43 north. So this particular
shield assembly was wrong with regards to both U.S. 43 and 45. Note the six lane concrete roadway for Broad
Street. The bot dots in this photograph have since been removed (fall of 2001). To the right is a service
station and convenience store. Photo taken 10/26/99.
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| U.S. 45 has been truncated back to Spring Hill Avenue at
Saint Stephens Road (about a mile west of this location) for quite some time. The junction U.S. 45 shield survived
here until Spring 2002, but also is no longer displayed. The northern terminus of U.S. 45 has remained the
same however, being located in Ontonagon, Michigan. Photo taken 10/26/99.
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| Close-up of the button copy guide signs in the background of the above
two photographs. Note that the signage displayed U.S. 45 as if it began at the upcoming intersection with
Spring Hill Avenue. This may have been an interim terminus before the highway was pushed back to the Saint
Stephens Road intersection with U.S. 98. As with all other Broad Street signage, this grouping was also
replaced by November 2001 (see below photograph). Photo taken 10/26/99.
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| Northbound Broad Street photograph of the replaced signage in the above photograph.
Note the that U.S. 45 issue is amended. Broad Street, although fairly commercial in nature, is still flanked
by a few homes (such as the one on the left). The traffic light in the background is with the east-west Dauphin
Street. To the right the two lane eastbound only street will enter the Lower Dauphin Entertainment District.
Photo taken 10/31/03.
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| U.S. 98 westbound departs Broad Street via Saint Anthony Street
one block before transitioning onto Spring Hill Avenue. U.S. 90 continues along Broad Street northbound with Truck U.S. 98 in tow. The southern terminus of
U.S. 45 is approximately one half mile to the west via Spring Hill Avenue. To the right is the Mobile County
Health Department. Photo taken 10/31/03.
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| A look at the original button copy overheads situated at
the intersection of Broad Street northbound with Saint Anthony Street westbound. This intersection did represent
the beginning of independent U.S. 43 as it left the three block overlap with U.S. 98. U.S. 43 now begins
four miles to the north at Prichard. Photo taken 10/26/99.
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| U.S. 98 West - Spring Hill Avenue
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| Junction U.S. 45 for the upcoming junction with Saint Stephens
Road and Ann Street. The traffic light in the background is that of the Kennedy Street intersection.
Photo taken 10/31/03.
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| U.S. 98/Spring Hill Avenue westbound approaching the split with U.S. 45/Saint Stephens Road. U.S. 98 continues past U.S. 45 to the medical district of the city, with the Mobile Infirmary, University of South Alabama Women's and Children's Hospital, and the University of South Alabama Regional Medical Center, all located near the highway. The shields in this photograph were installed by November 2001. Photo taken 06/01/04.
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| Westbound U.S. 98 and the split with U.S. 45 north. U.S. 45 carries traffic north out of downtown to Prichard, Citronelle, and ultimately Meridian, Mississippi. The highway carries local traffic through to the Exit 8 interchange of Interstate 65. Photo taken 06/01/04.
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| U.S. 98 West - Moffett Road
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| The first signalized intersection after the Interstate
65 interchange of Moffett Road is that of the south end of Wolfridge Road. This north-south arterial connects
U.S. 98 with U.S. 45 in the city of Prichard. Photo taken 11/19/03.
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| U.S. 98 westbound as it curves toward the west after Wolfridge
Road. U.S. 98 carries four lanes and a continuous center turn lane from the split with Spring Hill Avenue
westward to Semmes. Photo taken 11/19/03.
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| Westbound at the north end of Forest Hill Avenue. Just behind
the camera is the south end of Shelton Beach Road Extension. These two secondary arterials connect U.S. 98
with Zeigler Boulevard and U.S. 45/Alabama 213 respectively. Photo taken 11/19/03.
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| By 1999 University Boulevard opened to traffic between Zeigler
Boulevard and Moffett Road. Instead of an at-grade intersection between U.S. 98 and University, an overpass
for Moffett Road was constructed. U.S. 98 expands to six lanes between Shelton Beach Road Extension and
University Boulevard. Photo taken 11/19/03.
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| To access University Boulevard from U.S. 98, a four lane
connector exists between Moffett Road and the road below. This photograph displays the traffic signal at the
end of the University Boulevard connector. A small shopping center exists to the left, thus adding southward
facing signals. Photo taken 11/19/03.
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| U.S. 98 as it leaves the University Boulevard confluence.
One signalized intersection remains within the city limits of Mobile, that of the east end of Howells Ferry
Road. Photo taken 11/19/03.
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| U.S. 98 westbound after the traffic light with Howells Ferry
Road. The next major intersection is approximately 4.5 miles to the northwest outside the Mobile city limits
at Schillinger Road. A new traffic light interrupts this stretch at the south end of Ching Dairy Road as of
December 2003. Photo taken 11/19/03.
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| The junction of Moffett Road with Schillinger Road (Mobile
County 31). This traffic signal is now accompanied by a new signal 300 feet to the west for a new Walmart.
Schillinger Road ends two miles to the north at Alabama 217. Southward the highway is the main commercial
strip for West Mobile. Photo taken 11/19/03.
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| Scenes Related to U.S. 98
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| The east service road of Interstate 65 southbound at U.S. 98.
Traffic from Exit 5B of Interstate 65 northbound u-turns onto the road southbound to access Moffett Road.
The right-hand lane becomes a u-turn lane that directs traffic immediately onto the west service road. There an
on-ramp allows motorists return access to Interstate 65 south. This particular sign bridge saw installation
in 1999. Photo taken 11/04/03.
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Page Updated July 5, 2004.
