U.S. Route 98
Encyclopedia
U.S. Route 98 is an east–west United States highway that runs from western Mississippi
to southern Florida
. It was established in 1933 as a route between Pensacola, Florida
and Apalachicola, Florida
, and has since been extended westward into Mississippi
and eastward across the Florida Peninsula. It runs along much of the Gulf Coast between Mobile, Alabama
and Crystal River, Florida
, including extensive sections closely following the coast between Mobile and St. Marks, Florida
.
As of 2005, the highway's western terminus is near Washington, Mississippi
, at U.S. Route 61
. Its eastern terminus is Palm Beach, Florida, at State Road A1A
.
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Within Florida, US 98 is marked as an east–west road from the Alabama-Florida border to Perry
. Throughout most of the state, the road is marked as a north–south road.
Concurrencies include US 441 from Royal Palm Beach
to Okeechobee, US 27 from South Sebring to West Frostproof, US 17 from Fort Meade to Bartow, US 301 from Clinton Heights to Moss Town, SR 50
from Ridge Manor to Brooksville, SR 50A then US 41 in Brooksville, US 19 from Chassahowitzka to Perry, ALT US 27 from Chiefland to Perry, US 319 in Medart and from St. Theresa to Port St. Joe, and US 90 in Pensacola. The hidden designation for most of US 98 across the panhandle of the state of Florida is State Route 30
. Between Chassahowitzka and Palm Beach
, the hidden designation is State Route 700
.
There is a 60 mph speed limit east of Tyndall Air Force Base
outside of Panama City all the way to Perry.
in rural Baldwin County
. At Daphne
, U.S. 98 begins a concurrency with U.S. Route 90
. U.S. 90 and 98 junction Interstate 10
at Daphne on the eastern shore
of Mobile Bay
, then again on the western side of the bay as they enter downtown Mobile
. As the two routes approach the Mobile River, U.S. 98 is split into two routes, with a Truck Route 98 crossing the Mobile River via the Cochrane–Africatown USA Bridge, co-signed with U.S. 90. Passenger car traffic passes directly into town under the Mobile River via the Bankhead Tunnel
. Once the Truck Route rejoins the main route in downtown Mobile, U.S. 98 assumes a northwestward trajectory, and enters Mississippi
near the community of Wilmer
in western Mobile County
. U.S. 98 is the southern terminus of two major U.S. highways: U.S. Route 31
, at Spanish Fort
, and U.S. Route 45
in Mobile.
to the north, and an interchange with Mississippi Highway 63 provides four-laned access to Pascagoula
on the Mississippi Gulf Coast
, increasing road capacity for hurricane evacuations. At Hattiesburg
, an interchange with U.S. Route 49
provides four-laned access to Gulfport
(to the south) and Jackson
(to the north). The road continues west from its intersection with U.S. 49 to Interstate 59
at Exit 59, with which it is concurrent through Exit 65 (Hardy Street). The highway runs westward through Columbia
before meeting U.S. 51
in McComb
. It then joins Interstate 55
from Exit 15 (South McComb) to Exit 20 (Summit). The last remaining two-laned section of U.S. 98 in Mississippi then runs northwestward to Bude
and Meadville
, becoming concurrent with the four-laned US 84
from Meadville to its western terminus in Washington at U.S. 61
, just northeast of Natchez
. There is some debate as to whether the highway actually runs with U.S. 61 to Natchez.
U.S. 98 serves as a primary hurricane evacuation route in southern Mississippi, connecting cities along the Mississippi Sound
to inland destinations further north.
The Mississippi section of U.S. 98 is defined in Mississippi Code Annotated § 65-3-3.
recorded a song titled "Bloody 98," specifically referring to a two-laned section of the highway between Mobile, Alabama
and Hattiesburg, Mississippi
.
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
to southern Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. It was established in 1933 as a route between Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
and Apalachicola, Florida
Apalachicola, Florida
Apalachicola is a city in Franklin County, Florida, on US 98 about southwest of Tallahassee. The population was 2,334 at the 2000 census. The 2005 census estimated the city's population at 2,340...
, and has since been extended westward into Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
and eastward across the Florida Peninsula. It runs along much of the Gulf Coast between Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
and Crystal River, Florida
Crystal River, Florida
Crystal River is a city in Citrus County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,485 at the 2000 census. . According to the U.S Census estimates of 2005, the city had a population of 3,539. The city was incorporated in 1903 and is the self professed "Home of the Manatee"....
, including extensive sections closely following the coast between Mobile and St. Marks, Florida
St. Marks, Florida
St. Marks is a city in Wakulla County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Tallahassee, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 272 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 299 .-Geography:...
.
As of 2005, the highway's western terminus is near Washington, Mississippi
Washington, Mississippi
Washington is a small unincorporated town in Adams County, Mississippi, United States, close to Natchez.-History:The town of Washington's namesake is George Washington...
, at U.S. Route 61
U.S. Route 61
U.S. Route 61 is the official designation for a United States highway that runs from New Orleans, Louisiana, to the city of Wyoming, Minnesota. The highway generally follows the course of the Mississippi River, and is designated the Great River Road for much of its route. As of 2004, the highway's...
. Its eastern terminus is Palm Beach, Florida, at State Road A1A
State Road A1A (Florida)
State Road A1A is a Florida State Road that runs mostly along the Atlantic Ocean, with sections from Key West at the southern tip of Florida, to Callahan, just south of Georgia. It is the main road through most oceanfront towns. SR A1A is designated the A1A Scenic and Historic Coastal Highway, a...
.
Route description
U.S. 98's western terminus is in Mississippi, and its eastern terminus is in Florida. Much of its route through Alabama and Florida falls within coastal counties.Florida
Perry, Florida
Perry is a city in Taylor County, Florida, United States. The population was 7,017 at the 2010 census. As of 2010, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 7,017....
. Throughout most of the state, the road is marked as a north–south road.
Concurrencies include US 441 from Royal Palm Beach
Royal Palm Beach, Florida
Royal Palm Beach is a village in southeast Florida, located in Palm Beach County. The population was measured at 21,523 in the 2000 census. As of April 2008, the recorded population was 31,864...
to Okeechobee, US 27 from South Sebring to West Frostproof, US 17 from Fort Meade to Bartow, US 301 from Clinton Heights to Moss Town, SR 50
State Road 50 (Florida)
State Road 50 runs across the center of the U.S. state of Florida through Orlando, with its termini at SR 55 at Weeki Wachee and SR 5 in Titusville....
from Ridge Manor to Brooksville, SR 50A then US 41 in Brooksville, US 19 from Chassahowitzka to Perry, ALT US 27 from Chiefland to Perry, US 319 in Medart and from St. Theresa to Port St. Joe, and US 90 in Pensacola. The hidden designation for most of US 98 across the panhandle of the state of Florida is State Route 30
State Road 30 (Florida)
State Road 30 is the mostly hidden Florida Department of Transportation designation for most of US 98 west of Perry, Florida to Alabama.In a 14-mile-long stretch west of Panama City, US 98 and SR 30 are separated by less than one mile , with SR 30 on Front Beach Road along the shore of the Gulf of...
. Between Chassahowitzka and Palm Beach
Palm Beach, Florida
The Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...
, the hidden designation is State Route 700
State Road 700 (Florida)
State Road 700 is the mostly unsigned Florida Department of Transportation State Road designation of US 98 between Chassahowitzka and Twentymile Bend...
.
There is a 60 mph speed limit east of Tyndall Air Force Base
Tyndall Air Force Base
Tyndall Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located east of Panama City, Florida. The base was named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lt Frank Benjamin Tyndall...
outside of Panama City all the way to Perry.
Alabama
In Alabama, U.S. 98 is paired with unsigned Alabama State Route 42. The route enters Alabama from the east near LillianLillian, Alabama
Lillian is an unincorporated community in eastern Baldwin County, Alabama, United States. Lillian sits on the west shore of Perdido Bay. It is the second-largest organized unincorporated community in Baldwin County...
in rural Baldwin County
Baldwin County, Alabama
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*85.7% White*9.4% Black*0.7% Native American*0.7% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.5% Two or more races*4.4% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
. At Daphne
Daphne, Alabama
Daphne is a city in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States, on the eastern shoreline of Mobile Bay. The city is located along I-10, 11 miles east of Mobile and 150 miles southwest of the state capital of Montgomery. The United States Census 2000 lists the population of the city as 16,581 making...
, U.S. 98 begins a concurrency with U.S. Route 90
U.S. Route 90
U.S. Route 90 is an east–west United States highway. Despite the "0" in its route number, U.S. 90 never was a full coast-to-coast route; it has always ended at Van Horn, Texas. A short-lived northward extension to U.S...
. U.S. 90 and 98 junction Interstate 10
Interstate 10
Interstate 10 is the fourth-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90, I-80, and I-40. It is the southernmost east–west, coast-to-coast Interstate Highway, although I-4 and I-8 are further south. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean at State Route 1 in Santa Monica,...
at Daphne on the eastern shore
Eastern Shore (Alabama)
Eastern Shore is a colloquial term referring to the geographic eastern shoreline of Mobile Bay in southwest Alabama. It extends from just north of Interstate 10 to the southeastern end of the bay near Weeks Bay. Since there is no official boundary set for the "Eastern Shore" its usage is subject to...
of Mobile Bay
Mobile Bay
Mobile Bay is an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico, lying within the state of Alabama in the United States. Its mouth is formed by the Fort Morgan Peninsula on the eastern side and Dauphin Island, a barrier island on the western side. The Mobile River and Tensaw River empty into the northern end of the...
, then again on the western side of the bay as they enter downtown Mobile
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
. As the two routes approach the Mobile River, U.S. 98 is split into two routes, with a Truck Route 98 crossing the Mobile River via the Cochrane–Africatown USA Bridge, co-signed with U.S. 90. Passenger car traffic passes directly into town under the Mobile River via the Bankhead Tunnel
Bankhead Tunnel
The Bankhead Tunnel is a tunnel in Mobile, Alabama that begins on Government Street in downtown Mobile, travels eastbound under the Mobile River, and emerges to join the Battleship Parkway....
. Once the Truck Route rejoins the main route in downtown Mobile, U.S. 98 assumes a northwestward trajectory, and enters Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
near the community of Wilmer
Wilmer, Alabama
Wilmer is an unincorporated community in Mobile County, Alabama, United States.-Geography:Wilmer is located at . The elevation is ....
in western Mobile County
Mobile County, Alabama
Mobile County[p] is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of a tribe of Indians, the Maubila tribe . As of 2011, its population was 415,704. Its county seat is Mobile, Alabama...
. U.S. 98 is the southern terminus of two major U.S. highways: U.S. Route 31
U.S. Route 31
U.S. Route 31 is a long north–south highway connecting northern Michigan to southern Alabama, with its northern terminus at Interstate 75 near Mackinaw City, Michigan, and southern terminus at the combined U.S. Route 90 & U.S. Route 98 at Spanish Fort, Alabama...
, at Spanish Fort
Spanish Fort, Alabama
Spanish Fort is a suburb of Mobile, Alabama in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States, located on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay. The 2000 census lists the population of the city as 5,423. It is part of the Daphne-Fairhope-Foley micropolitan area....
, and U.S. Route 45
U.S. Route 45
U.S. Route 45 is a north–south United States highway. US 45 is a border-to-border route, from Lake Superior to the Gulf of Mexico. A sign at the highway's northern terminus notes the total distance as ....
in Mobile.
Mississippi
U.S. 98 enters the state from the southeast and immediately widens to four lanes. It bypasses LucedaleLucedale, Mississippi
Lucedale is a city in George County, Mississippi, United States. It is part of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,458 at the 2000 census...
to the north, and an interchange with Mississippi Highway 63 provides four-laned access to Pascagoula
Pascagoula, Mississippi
Pascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, as a part of the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. The population was 26,200 at the 2000 census...
on the Mississippi Gulf Coast
Mississippi Gulf Coast
The Mississippi Gulf Coast refers to the three Mississippi counties which lie on the Gulf of Mexico: Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties.The region was severely damaged by Hurricane Camille in 1969 and again by Hurricane Katrina in 2005....
, increasing road capacity for hurricane evacuations. At Hattiesburg
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Hattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
, an interchange with U.S. Route 49
U.S. Route 49
U.S. Route 49 is a north–south United States highway. The highway's northern terminus is in Piggott, Arkansas, at an intersection with U.S. Route 62. Its southern terminus is in Gulfport, Mississippi, at an intersection with U.S. Route 90. US 49 is approximately 516 miles in length.It...
provides four-laned access to Gulfport
Gulfport, Mississippi
Gulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi after the state capital Jackson. It is the larger of the two principal cities of the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. As of the...
(to the south) and Jackson
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
(to the north). The road continues west from its intersection with U.S. 49 to Interstate 59
Interstate 59
Interstate 59 is an Interstate Highway in the southern United States. Its southern terminus is near Slidell, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans, at an intersection with Interstate 10 and Interstate 12, its northern terminus is at Wildwood, Georgia, at an intersection with Interstate 24.The road's...
at Exit 59, with which it is concurrent through Exit 65 (Hardy Street). The highway runs westward through Columbia
Columbia, Mississippi
Columbia is a city in Marion County, Mississippi, United States, which was formed six years before Mississippi was admitted to statehood. Columbia was named for Columbia, South Carolina, from which many of the early settlers had migrated. The population was 6,603 as of the 2000 census. It is the...
before meeting U.S. 51
U.S. Route 51
U.S. Route 51 is a north–south United States highway that runs for 1,286 miles from the western suburbs of New Orleans, Louisiana to within of the Wisconsin-Michigan border. Much of the highway in Illinois and southern Wisconsin runs parallel to or overlaps Interstate 39...
in McComb
McComb, Mississippi
McComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States, about south of Jackson. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 13,644. It is the principal city of the McComb, Mississippi, Micropolitan Statistical Area...
. It then joins Interstate 55
Interstate 55
Interstate 55 is an Interstate Highway in the central United States. Its odd number indicates that it is a north–south Interstate Highway. I-55 goes from LaPlace, Louisiana at Interstate 10 to Chicago at U.S. Route 41 , at McCormick Place. A common nickname for the highway is "double...
from Exit 15 (South McComb) to Exit 20 (Summit). The last remaining two-laned section of U.S. 98 in Mississippi then runs northwestward to Bude
Bude, Mississippi
Bude is a town in Franklin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,037 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bude is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
and Meadville
Meadville, Mississippi
Meadville is a town in Franklin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 519 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Franklin County...
, becoming concurrent with the four-laned US 84
U.S. Route 84
U.S. Route 84 is an east–west United States highway. It started as a short Georgia-Alabama route in the original 1926 scheme, but now extends all the way to Colorado. The highway's eastern terminus is a short distance east of Midway, Georgia, at an intersection with I-95. The road continues...
from Meadville to its western terminus in Washington at U.S. 61
U.S. Route 61
U.S. Route 61 is the official designation for a United States highway that runs from New Orleans, Louisiana, to the city of Wyoming, Minnesota. The highway generally follows the course of the Mississippi River, and is designated the Great River Road for much of its route. As of 2004, the highway's...
, just northeast of Natchez
Natchez, Mississippi
Natchez is the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. With a total population of 18,464 , it is the largest community and the only incorporated municipality within Adams County...
. There is some debate as to whether the highway actually runs with U.S. 61 to Natchez.
U.S. 98 serves as a primary hurricane evacuation route in southern Mississippi, connecting cities along the Mississippi Sound
Mississippi Sound
The Mississippi Sound is a sound along the Gulf Coast of the United States. It runs east-west along the southern coasts of Mississippi and Alabama, from Waveland, Mississippi, to the Dauphin Island Bridge, a distance of about 145 kilometers...
to inland destinations further north.
The Mississippi section of U.S. 98 is defined in Mississippi Code Annotated § 65-3-3.
In popular culture
Blue MountainBlue Mountain (band)
Blue Mountain is an American alt-country/roots rock band formed in 1991 in Oxford, Mississippi by husband and wife duo Cary Hudson and Laurie Stirratt , who is notably the twin sister of John Stirratt, the bass player for the like-minded Americana band Wilco.-History:After the dissolution of...
recorded a song titled "Bloody 98," specifically referring to a two-laned section of the highway between Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
and Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Hattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
.
Bannered and suffexed routes
- U.S. Route 98 Business from McCombMcComb, MississippiMcComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States, about south of Jackson. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 13,644. It is the principal city of the McComb, Mississippi, Micropolitan Statistical Area...
to Summit, Mississippi - U.S. Route 98 Business in Pensacola, FloridaPensacola, FloridaPensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
- U.S. Route 98 Toll from Pensacola, FloridaPensacola, FloridaPensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
to Navarre, FloridaNavarre, FloridaNavarre is an unincorporated community in Santa Rosa County in the Northwest Florida Panhandle. Navarre is about 25 miles east of Pensacola and about 15 miles west of Fort Walton Beach. The community is roughly centered on the junction of U.S. Route 98 and State Road 87... - U.S. Route 98 Bypass in Panama City Beach, FloridaPanama City Beach, FloridaPanama City Beach is a city in Bay County, Florida, United States, on the Gulf of Mexico coast. The city is often referred to under the umbrella term of "Panama City", despite being a distinct municipality from the older and larger inland Panama City to the east, making Panama City and Panama City...
- U.S. Route 98 Alternate in Panama City Beach, FloridaPanama City Beach, FloridaPanama City Beach is a city in Bay County, Florida, United States, on the Gulf of Mexico coast. The city is often referred to under the umbrella term of "Panama City", despite being a distinct municipality from the older and larger inland Panama City to the east, making Panama City and Panama City...
- U.S. Route 98 Business in Panama City, FloridaPanama City, Florida-Personal income:The median income for a household in the city was $31,572, and the median income for a family was $40,890. Males had a median income of $30,401 versus $21,431 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,830...
- U.S. Route 98 Truck in Brooksville, FloridaBrooksville, FloridaBrooksville is an incorporated city in Hernando County, Florida, in the United States. It is the county seat of Hernando County. It is a suburban city included in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
- U.S. Route 98 Truck in Dade City, FloridaDade City, FloridaDade City is a city in Pasco County, Florida. The population was 6,188 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pasco County. Dade City is a suburb of the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S...
- U.S. Route 98 Business in Dade City, FloridaDade City, FloridaDade City is a city in Pasco County, Florida. The population was 6,188 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pasco County. Dade City is a suburb of the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S...
- U.S. Route 98 Business in Lakeland, FloridaLakeland, FloridaLakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 94,406...
- U.S. Route 98 Business in Bartow, FloridaBartow, FloridaBartow is the county seat of Polk County, Florida, United States. Founded in 1851 as Fort Blount, the city was renamed in honor of Francis S. Bartow the first brigade commander to die in combat during the American Civil War. According to the U.S. Census Bureau 2000 Census, the city had a...