US 98 / Alt US 98 / Bus US 98 /
Byp US 98 / Toll US 98 US 98 / Alt US 98 / Bus US 98 /
Byp US 98 / Toll US 98Note: US 98 is signed NORTH-SOUTH from Perry, FL to Okeechobee, FL, but this will be changing in 2002.
Panama City Beach
Pensacola 
Bartow
Lakeland Dade City
Panama City Pensacola
Panama City Beach 
Pensacola
|
US 98 | Length: 647 mi. |
| Termini: FL: Jct FL A1A in Palm
Beach or Jct US 1 in West Palm Beach to State line west
of Perdido Hgts US: Palm Beach, FL or West Palm Beach, FL to Jct US 84 near Bude, MS or Natchez, MS |
Years: 1934 / present | |
| Route: US 98 begins at a junction with FL A1A in Palm Beach, or at US 1 in West Palm Beach. It then passes through West Palm Beach, Bartow, Lakeland, Panama City, Destin, Ft. Walton Beach, and Pensacola on its way north and west out of the state. | ||
| Counties: Palm Beach, Martin, Okeechobee, Highlands, Polk, Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Levy, Gilchrist, Dixie, Taylor, Jefferson, Wakulla, Franklin, Gulf, Bay, Walton, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Escambia | ||
| "Hidden" state routes: FL 80 Palm Beach to Twenty Mile Bend, FL 700 Twenty Mile Bend to Chassahowitska, FL 55 Chassahowitska to Perry, FL 30 Perry to Panama City, FL 30A in Panama City, FL 30 Panama City to Panama City Beach, FL 30A Panama City Beach to Hollywood Beach, FL 30 Hollywood Beach to Pensacola, FL, FL 291 up to US 90, FL 10A Pensacola to Brownsville, FL 292 Brownsville to Blount, FL 30 Blount to State line west of Perdido Heights | ||
Co-signed with:  US 441 Royal
Palm Beach to Twenty Mile Bend, US 441 Canal Point to Okeechobee,
 FL 70 in
Okeechobee,  US
27 DeSoto City to West Frostproof,  US 17 Fort Meade to Bartow, FL 60 in Bartow,  US 92 in
Lakeland,  US
301 Clinton Heights to Moss Town, FL 50 Ridge Manor to Brooksville,
 US 19
Chassahowitska to Perry, Alt US 27 Chiefland to Perry,  US 319 Tully to
Medart, US
319 west of St Teresa Beach to Apalachicola, FL 399 in Gulf
Breeze,  US
90 in Pensacola, FL 292 in Pensacola |
||
| Drive: US 98 began as a
Florida-only US highway, stretching along the NW coast of
the state. More details are on the history page. (7-5-99)The eastern beginning point of US 98 in Florida is unclear. There are still signs (old style color) in Palm Beach showing JCT US 98 erected at FL A1A. In West Palm Beach, all the signs east of US 1 (FL 805) have been replaced by FL 80 signs only. The 1989 AASHTO route log shows US 98 beginning at JCT US 1 in West Palm Beach, FL. I expect the Palm Beach signs will be replaced with FL 80 signs once their service life has expired. (11-11-99) Coming south from Perry, US 19/98/27A is a fine road, well preserved from its days as the major route south to St. Petersburg. Alt US 27 leaves the route in Chiefland, US 98 branches eastward at Chassahowitska (11-11-99) Between Chassahowitska and Clinton Heights, US 98 is becoming part of the outer growth of Greater Tampa Bay, and is to have an interchange with the Suncoast Parkway. (11-11-99) US 98 between Clinton Heights and North Lakeland is a rural two-lane highway, with no current prospects for widening. (11-11-99) US 98 from North Lakeland to Bartow is becoming increasingly commercialized. An interchange with a newer tolled interstate type highway called the Polk Parkway / FL 570) is expected to boost development. |
||
|
Alternate US 98 (Panama City) | Length: 15.3 mi. |
| Termini: Jct US 98 west of the Hathaway Bridge to Jct US 98 west of Hollywood Beach | Years: 1979 / present | |
| Route: The original route of US 98, it passes through Panama City Beach, then Open Sands, Laguna Beach, Sunnyside, to US 98 at Hollywood Beach. Before it was signed, US 98's current route in this area may have been signed "Bypass or Business US 98 (1976) ", then "Alternate US 98". | ||
| County: Bay | ||
| "Hidden" state route: FL 30 | ||
| Co-signed with: none | ||
| Drive: (2001) The beach strip of the 'Redneck Riviera' with little 'exit' signs leading to the former Bypass route, which is now the mainline. Lots of touristy stuff, hotels and gift shops, if you like that kind of thing. | ||
|
Business US 98 (Bartow) (inactive - decommissioned) | Length: 1.4 mi. |
| Termini: Jct US 17 / 98 / Bus FL 60 to Jct US 98 / FL 60 in Bartow | Years: early 1960's? / 1999? | |
| Route: Probably inactive. In Bartow: From the US 17 / US 98 and Bus FL 60 intersection at Main Street, west to Broadway Avenue, North on Broadway Avenue to the intersection with US 98 and FL 60 at Van Fleet Drive. If this was signed, it was signed just after the construction of the '60 bypass' now known as mainline FL 60. It is four lanes wide undivided down Broadway Ave, and two lanes wide down Main Street. | ||
| County: Polk | ||
| "Hidden" state numbers: FL 35, FL 60 on Main Street | ||
| Co-signed with: Business FL 60 on
Main Street |
||
| Drive: This route is not signed, but exists in FDOT records. It's route is due to be remitted to the City of Bartow in 2002 for a 'traffic calming' project. Of course, thru traffic has increased since they removed some signals along this route. It is a shame that downtown businesses have been talked into this commerce-killing venture. | ||
|
Business US 98 (Lakeland) (Decommissioned) | Length: 2.1 mi. |
| Termini: Jct US 98 near Lake Bonny to Jct US 92 / 98 in Lakeland | Years: early 1960's / 1999 | |
| Route: In Lakeland: The former route is four lanes divided from the intersection of US 98 and Lake Hollingsworth Road up Bartow Road to Main Street. From there west to Florida Avenue it is undivided, northward on Florida Avenue has been widened to multilane status to the intersection with US 92 / US 98 at Memorial Boulevard. | ||
| County: Polk | ||
| "Hidden" state number: FL 35 | ||
| Was co-signed with: Bus US 92
on Main Street. |
||
| Drive: The former leg
of Business US 98 around the south side of Lake Mirror is
being converted to a garden. The route up Florida Ave in
Lakeland used to be notable for crime and blight and
narrow lanes, the newly constructed segment is wide, easy
to drive, and the widening has made the remaining
buildings worth more. Update 2000: The decommissioning of Bus US 98 was done without any local notice, one day the signs were just 'gone'. There are semi-helpful signs pointing into downtown. I don't know if escape signs were provided as well. An attempt to make downtown Lakeland more pedestrian friendly and 'calm traffic' has made driving there increasingly difficult. No additional parking has been provided, so I guess the citizens of Lakeland walk there along the busy streets. I avoid the area now. The segment from Downtown to Jct US 92 / 98 is now "To FL 37" heading south. |
||
|
Business US 98 (Dade City) | Length: 1.4 mi. |
| Termini: Jct US 98 / 301 south of Dade City to Jct US 98 / 301 north of Dade City | Years: 1980's / present | |
| Termini: In Dade City: On 7th Street. The old alignment of US 98 / US 301 though downtown Dade City. There are currently no reassurance markers on the route. There are overhead signs directing traffic to it on both ends. | ||
| County: Pasco | ||
| "Hidden" state route number: FL 35 | ||
| Co-signed with Bus US 301 |
||
| Drive: A two lane local road though downtown, with on street parking. The 'historic' route. This route may be officially on the books as mainline US 301. | ||
|
Business US 98 (Panama City) | Length: 9.1 mi. |
| Termini: Jct US 98 in Parker to Jct US 98 in Panama City | Years: 1960's / present | |
| Route: Business US 98 follows a twisting path. Heading east, it leaves US 98 on Boat Race Rd, then picks up 5th St, then 6th St, Beach Drive, 9th Street, Frankford Ave, 10th Street, to Beck Avenue, passing though the community of Springfield mid-route. | ||
| County: Bay | ||
| "Hidden" state number: FL 30 | ||
| Co-signed with: None | ||
| Drive: (2001) - The classic route of US 98 thru town, and the southern terminus of US 231. | ||
|
Business US 98 (Pensacola) | Length: 4 mi. |
| Termini: Jct US 98 in Pensacola to Jct US 98 / FL 292 near Blount | Years: 1981 / present | |
| In Pensacola : Business US 98 leaves US 98 at Chase St, then south on Alcaniz St to Garden Street, and follows Garden Street to Pace Blvd (US 98) | ||
| County: Escambia | ||
| "Hidden" state number: FL 30 | ||
| Co-signed with: None | ||
| Drive: (2001) - The west end of the route is somewhat poorly signed, you may think you are on US 98 mainline. The east end is signed fairly enough, with BUS still on the signs in classic style through downtown. | ||
|
Bypass US 98 (Decomissioned) | Length: 13 mi. |
| Termini: Jct US 98 west of the Hathaway Bridge to Jct US 98 west of Hollywood Beach | Years: 1973 / 1979 | |
| Route: The only 'official' Bypass route I am aware of that was ever signed in Florida, it was signed along FL 30A from near Panama City Beach to Hollywood Beach. While this route is modern enough to have had a colored US sign, I have seen no pictures of one. Therefore, the sign shown may not accurately reflect true signage. | ||
| County: Bay | ||
| "Hidden" state number: FL 30A | ||
| Co-signed with: none known | ||
| Drive: This alignment is now mainline US 98, the old coastal route is signed Alternate US 98. | ||
|
Toll US 98 (Decomissioned) | Length: 25 mi. |
| Termini: Navarre to Pensacola | Years: 1939 / 1946 | |
| Route: Toll US 98 was probably in use from 1939 to 1946, when the Pensacola Bay bridge was a Toll bridge. US 98 is currently on this alignment, the mainline alignment of US 98 during the Toll US 98 era followed FL 87 up to US 90 east of Milton, then was co-signed with US 90 into Pensacola, a 22 mile longer route. Toll US 98 was decomissioned before the color era, the color scheme shown is hypothetical. | ||
| Counties: Santa Rosa, Escambia | ||
| "Hidden" state numbers: FL 30 (Old FL 53) | ||
| Co-signed with: none known | ||
| Drive: The original Pensacola Bay bridge is still used for recreational purposes (fishing). I am not certain how Florida signed the Toll route. | ||
Click to go back to the
rest of Florida in Kodachrome
To the
history of US 98 in Florida
Last update to this page on Monday, December 11, 2006