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U.S. Highway 98 Westbound

The guide for U.S. 98 is split between two components:

U.S. 98 West
In this photo, U.S. 98 begins its western journey at a traffic circle in Palm Beach. This is the southeastern end of U.S. 98, seen here facing north. Note the westbound U.S. 98 and Florida 80 signage here at the Palm Beach traffic circle. There are no end shields at this traffic circle. Eastbound U.S. 98 is unsigned between junction U.S. 1 and Florida A1A. Westbound U.S. 98 is well-signed between junction Florida A1A and U.S. 1. Photo taken 12/99.
Westbound U.S. 98 and Florida 80 reaches their junction with U.S. 1 in the city of West Palm Beach. Photo taken 12/99.
U.S. 98 North
As U.S. 98 travels through Central Florida, its cardinal direction changes from east-west to north-south. The state road merges with several north-south highways and even turns north-south as it passes through Polk County. Photo taken 11/16/03.
After U.S. 98 north splits from northbound U.S. 17, this shield assembly is located at the intersection with Florida 60 in Bartow. Photo taken 11/16/03.
Westbound Florida 60 and northbound U.S. 98 split here, at the intersection of Van Fleet Drive (Florida 60) and Broadway (U.S. 98 north) in Bartow. Photo taken 11/16/03.
Northbound U.S. 98 approaches Florida 540 south of Lakeland. Photo taken 11/16/03.
Northbound U.S. 98 enters greater metropolitan Lakeland in Polk County, meeting Florida 540 and Toll Florida 570/Polk Parkway (Exit 10) in Eaton Park. Florida 540 follows Winter Lake Road east to meet Toll Florida 570, then continues east into Winter Haven. Photo taken 11/16/03.
In Lakeland, U.S. 98 approaches Florida 563, which travels south to meet the Polk Parkway (Toll Florida 570) at Exit 5. Photo taken 11/16/03.
Northbound U.S. 98 meets Florida 563 in Lakeland. Photo taken 11/16/03.
Northbound U.S. 98 reaches Interstate 4 in Polk County at Exit 33. U.S. 98 continues north to meet U.S. 301 in Dade City, then angles northwest toward Florida's Panhandle. Use Interstate 4 east to Orlando and west to Tampa-St. Petersburg. This interchange was being upgraded at the time this photo was taken. Photo taken 11/16/03.
U.S. 98 West
Westbound U.S. 98 at the northern beginning of Florida 87 in Navarre. Florida 87 is the main north-south route between the Santa Rosa Coastal vicinity and Interstate 10. Trailblazers are shown for the Garcon Point Bridge/Florida Toll 281, which is located about 15 miles or so to the west. Photo taken 06/01.
Junction Florida 281 Toll & Interstate 10 shield assembly for the Garcon Point Bridge on U.S. 98 (Gulf Breeze Parkway) westbound. The 1999 completed two-lane span of the Garcon Point Bridge extended Florida 281 southward along Avalon Boulevard from Interstate 10 (Exit 22) to Santa Rosa Island. Photo taken 05/09/04.
Florida Toll 281 travels 11 miles northward from U.S. 98 (Gulf Breeze Parkway) to the Exit 22 diamond interchange of Interstate 10. Garcon Point Road (Santa Rosa County 191) stems northeast from Avalon Boulevard north of the span to Exit 27 of the freeway. For motorists destined for Tallahassee, a 14-mile drive to Interstate 10 awaits. Photo taken 05/09/04.
The northbound beginning of Florida Toll 281 departs U.S. 98 and the Santa Rosa peninsula to the north. The two-lane span carries a $3.00 toll for all passenger vehicles. Florida Toll 281 splits with Garcon Point Road for Avalon Boulevard in 7.1 miles. Photo taken 05/09/04.
Traveling west from Florida Toll 281 and the Garcon Point Bridge to Oriole Beach on U.S. 98 (Gulf Breeze Parkway). Photo taken 05/09/04.
Santa Rosa County 191A spurs southward from U.S. 98 along Oriole Beach Road to Bay Street along the Intracoastal Waterway. There are two segments of Santa Rosa County 191 in the area (the other being Santa Rosa County 191C). Photo taken 05/09/04.
U.S. 98 travels through a segment of the Gulf Islands National Seashore before entering the Gulf Breeze vicinity at junction Florida 399 (Pensacola Beach Road). Pensacola Beach Road provides one of two bridges across the Intracoastal Waterway to Santa Rosa Island and Escambia County 399. The Bob Sikes Bridge spans the waterway between Gulf Breeze and Pensacola Beach one quarter mile to the south. Photos taken 05/09/04.
Westbound U.S. 98 at the Florida 399 (Pensacola Beach Road) southbound loop ramp. A trumpet interchange comprises the junction between the two routes. Florida 399 exists only on the approach to the tolled Bob Sikes Bridge ($1.00 car toll per passenger vehicle). Santa Rosa / Escambia County 399 continue Pensacola Beach Road southward into Pensacola Beach itself. Fishing, sun-bathing, and wind-surfing are among the resort area attractions of Pensacola Beach on the Emerald Coast. Photos taken 05/09/04.
U.S. 98 increases in traffic dramatically west of the Florida 399 interchange through the heart of Gulf Breeze. The speed limit reduces from 45 to 35 MPH quickly on the stretch of Gulf Breeze Parkway. Depicted here is a westbound reassurance shield posted after the signalized intersection with Shoreline Drive (Santa Rosa County 30A). Photo taken 05/09/04.
Hidden Santa Rosa County 30A returns to U.S. 98 (Gulf Breeze Parkway) via Fairpoint Drive. The loop serves residential areas and marinas of Gulf Breeze along Pensacola Bay. U.S. 98 widens to six lanes through the heart of the congested area. Visible here is a westbound shield at Live Oak Street just north of Fairpoint Drive. Photo taken 05/09/04.
On the westbound approach to the three mile long Pensacola Bay Bridge on U.S. 98 (Gulf Breeze Parkway). Warning signs are posted about the bridge length and need to check one's gas. There are essentially no shoulders on the bridge so running out of gas is explicitly prohibited. Tickets are issued for blocking traffic because of a fuel shortage. Photo taken 05/09/04.
The four-lane Pensacola Bay Bridge carries U.S. 98 between Gulf Breeze and Pensacola. Speed limits are set at 45 MPH and 35 MPH during inclement weather. The bridge was paralleled by the original two-lane U.S. 98 bridge to the east. However Hurricane Ivan's landfall of September 15, 2004 destroyed several segments of the old span as evidenced in the fifth photo. That bridge was converted into a fishing pier. Talks have come and gone otherwise about a six-lane widening or replacement of the current three mile bridge of U.S. 98. Increased growth in the Gulf Breeze area and U.S. 98 along the peninsula overwhelm the span with additional traffic each year. Three ideas have arose about how to handle the issue: 1) widen the existing bridge by building an additional travel lane in each direction. 2) Build a companion span to bridge the total lanes up to eight across Pensacola Bay. 3) Create an entirely new bridge on a different alignment with the intentions of removing the current span. An extension of Interstate 110 also has been considered in the ideas of bridge replacement. Photos taken 05/09/04 & 06/19/05.
U.S. 98 transitions into Gregory Street upon returning to land within the city limits of Pensacola. A signalized intersection with 17th Avenue is quickly encounter as U.S. 98 westbound turns toward downtown. 17th Avenue links Gregory Street with U.S. 90 (Cervantes Street) to the north. The two-lane surface street provides a short-cut for motorists bound for Scenic Highway or 12th Avenue. Photos taken 05/09/04.
U.S. 98 (Gregory Street) splits with Bayfront Parkway (Florida 196) just beyond the 17th Avenue intersection. Bayfront Parkway carries Florida 196 westward to Tarragona Street and downtown along Pensacola Bay. U.S. 98 splits into the one-way street couplet of Gregory Street (westbound) and Chase Street (eastbound) between 17th Avenue and Ninth Avenue. Photo taken 05/25/05.
One mile removed from the Three Mile Bridge over Pensacola Bay, U.S. 98 nears the intersection of Ninth Avenue and southern terminus of Interstate 110. At the traffic light ahead, U.S. 98 turns northward via Ninth Avenue to U.S. 90 at Cervantes Street. Business U.S. 98 takes over for U.S. 98 along Gregory Street westbound, meeting the northbound beginning of the Pensacola freeway spur in a block and a half. Photo taken 12/06/03.
A few changes have occurred between 2003 and 2000 along Gregory Street. First off is a lane reconfiguration to separate the movements of U.S. 98 north from the exit-only lane of Interstate 110 north. Additionally, the U.S. 98 Business Gregory Street overhead depicted above is the replacement of the sign in 2000. Also note that the Interstate 110 panel shifts to the left to coincide with the lane restriping. Photo taken 12/03/00.
A third look at the intersection of U.S. 98 (Gregory Street) westbound at Ninth Avenue (unsigned Florida 289). The right-hand panel directing U.S. 98 westbound drivers onto Ninth Avenue north was replaced between 2003 and 2005. Ninth Avenue carries the hidden designation of Florida 289 between Chase Street and Cerventes Street. North of Cerventes (U.S. 90), Florida 289 becomes a signed state highway. Photo taken 05/25/05.
An older style U.S. 98 Business shield remains in use at the U.S. 98 westbound turn onto Ninth Avenue from Gregory Street. U.S. 98 Business continues Gregory Street westbound to Alcaniz and Garden Streets en route to downtown Pensacola. Photo taken 05/25/05.
U.S. 90 & 98 West
The first set of U.S. 90 & 98 westbound reassurance shields on the 2.1-mile overlap of Cervantes Street. Cervantes Street consists of a five-lane arterial between Florida 289 (Ninth Avenue) and A Street west of Interstate 110. Photo taken 05/08/04.
Westbound U.S. 90 & 98 (Cervantes Street) at Florida 291 (Davis Highway) northbound. The state route is not signed from this direction. However a Hurricane Evacuation Route trailblazer points toward the northbound only street. Florida 291 begins six blocks to the south at U.S. 98 Business (Gregory Street) next to the Pensacola Civic Center. Photo taken 05/08/04.
Florida 291 southbound travels Martin Luther King Jr. Drive (former Alcaniz Street) southward from Florida 295 (Fairfield Drive) to Cervantes Street. The state route continues on the southbound only street three blocks to Wright Street with Alcaniz Street becomes two-way. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive name changes back to Alcaniz Street south of U.S. 90 & 98. Photo taken 05/08/04.
Junction Interstate 110 shield posted for the half-diamond interchange (Exit 2) with the freeway viaduct. Hayne Street crosses Cervantes Street at the upcoming traffic light. Photo taken 05/08/04.
Traffic to Interstate 110 northbound departs via an on-ramp from Hayne Street just north of U.S. 90 & 98. Cervantes Street meanwhile travels over an adjacent CSX Railroad line underneath the Interstate 110 elevated highway. Photo taken 05/08/04.
Traveling the timber supported Cervantes Street Bridge above the CSX Railroad, Tarragona Street, and Guillemard Street at the Interstate 110 southbound (Exit 2) off-ramp. An 18-month project began to replace the aging structure of U.S. 90 & 98 in April 2004. The bridge project sees the dismantling of the old span for the replacement with a new modern structure. The Exit 2 off-ramp of Interstate 110 southbound is closed until the new bridge is complete. Photo taken 05/08/04.
Westbound U.S. 90 reassurance shield devoid of U.S. 98 on the Cervantes Street Bridge above Tarragona Street. This four-lane span no longer stands as it was demolished to make way for a new bridge. The $8.9 million project should be complete by October 2005. Detoured traffic is directed south on Florida 291 (Alcaniz Street) to Gregory Street west to Palafox Street north to bypass the bridge closure. Photo taken 05/08/04.
Approaching the southern terminus of U.S. 29 (Palafox Street) on the old Cervantes Bridge westbound. U.S. 29 ends at the upcoming signalized intersection after a seven state journey (and the District of Columbia) between Pensacola, Florida and Mt. Hebron, Maryland. Photo taken 05/08/04.
U.S. 29 northbound travels Palafox Street from U.S. 90 & 98 (Cervantes Street) to Brent, Pensacola Boulevard, Cantonment, Gonzalez, and Century in Escambia County. The federal route represents the most direct route to the Interstate 65 corridor for Montgomery, Atlanta, and other points north. Locally Palafox Street carries four lanes between Cervantes Street and Florida 292 (Pace Boulevard). Palafox Street continues southward to the left into Palafox Place and downtown. Photo taken 05/08/04.
North of downtown Pensacola on Cervantes Street westbound. This particular reassurance shield assembly is posted west of the southern terminus of U.S. 29 (Palafox Street). U.S. 90 & 98 overlap between Ninth Avenue (Florida 289) and Pace Boulevard (Florida 292). Photo taken 05/16/04.
Six and a half blocks west of Palafox Street and U.S. 29 is the signalized intersection with A Street. U.S. 90 & 98 (Cervantes Street) kink a little north of west at A Street to follow the city street grid of alphabetized streets. A Street provides a secondary through route between Main and Maxwell Streets. Photo taken 05/08/04.
U.S. 90 & 98 westbound reassurance shields posted between A and B Streets on Cervantes Street. Cervantes Street shifts from a commercialized boulevard into a mixture of homes, churches, and small business west of A Street. Photo taken 05/08/04.
The intersection of Cervantes Street westbound at E Street. E Street travels north from Cypress Street near the Pensacola Bay shore northward to Florida 752 (Texar Drive) at Goulding. Photo taken 05/08/04.
Nearing the partition of U.S. 90 & 98 at junction Florida 292 (Pace Boulevard). Florida 292 follows Pace Boulevard between U.S. 29 (Palafox Street) and Barrancas Avenue to the south. Photo taken 05/08/04.
U.S. 98 west joins Florida 292 south along Pace Boulevard 0.6 miles to junction U.S. 98 Business (Garden Street). There U.S. 98 turns back to the west via Navy Boulevard to the U.S. Navy Hospital, Myrtle Grove, and Lillian, Alabama. U.S. 90 continues on Cervantes Street toward West Pensacola. Photo taken 05/08/04.
U.S. 98 West
Westbound U.S. 98 shield posted on Navy Boulevard at Davidson Street west of the south end of Escambia County 453 (W Street). Pictured here is one of the last remaining stretches of concrete roadway associated with five-lane Navy Boulevard in southwest Pensacola. U.S. 98 merges with Florida 295 1.7 miles ahead. Photo taken 05/08/04.
U.S. 98 (Navy Boulevard) westbound between Florida 294 (Chief's Way) and Florida 295 (New Warrington Road). Situated between these two state highways is Escambia County 295 (Old Corry Station Road). This north-south alignment shadows Florida 295 to the east and composes the original alignment of the state highway. Photo taken 12/21/03.
The north end of Bauer Road (Escambia County 293) as seen from U.S. 98 westbound. Bauer Road links U.S. 98 with Florida 292 (Sorrento Road) and Perdido Key in extreme southwest Escambia County. This particular shield assembly is missing a cardinal direction banner and left arrow. Photo taken 12/21/03.
The final westbound U.S. 98 shield posted within the Sunshine State is this assembly situated west of Escambia County 293. U.S. 98 straddles Perdido Bay from here to the Alabama state line with two lanes. 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.
Welcome to Alabama sign posted at the U.S. 98 touchdown into the Heart of Dixie. U.S. 98 travels west from the Florida state line to the Mobile Bay eastern shore at Fairhope. The highway is rural in nature between Lillian and Foley and again between Foley and Fairhope. Photo taken 12/21/03.

Page Updated June 19, 2005.