Site Navigation Alabama Florida Georgia Louisiana Mississippi North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee     U.S. Highway 98 Eastbound - Bay County U.S. 98 East U.S. 98 ascends above the Bay County 3031 (Thomas Drive), Woodlawn Drive, and the entrance to the Naval Coastal Systems Center along an otherwise limited access highway. Photo taken 08/03/08. The U.S. 98 eastbound viaduct reduces from three to two lanes in anticipation of the eastbound on-ramp from Thomas Drive. Presently westbound utilizes the an at-grade roadway with signalized intersections with Woodlawn Drive and Bay County 3031. Funding is being secured for the completion of the overall westbound viaduct and interchange. Photos taken 08/03/08. The eastbound on-ramp provides access to a nearby boat ramp onto St. Andrew Bay. There is no access from the U.S. 98 eastbound mainline however as the route prepares to ascend onto the 2004-completed Hathaway Bridge. Photo taken 08/03/08. Opened in 2004, the Hathaway Bridge replaced the original 1960 span. The new span carries six overall lanes with the capacity for eight-lanes with the restriping of the outside shoulders. Photo taken 08/03/08. Rising eastward over the Intracoastal Waterway that links West Bay and St. Andrew Bay west of Panama City on U.S. 98 east. The 1960 bridge consisted of a 62' foot wide span with four overall lanes and no shoulders.1 Photo taken 08/03/08. U.S. 98 crests at 65' above the navigation channel below. Total accommodation of the twin bridges includes four 12' travel lanes, 10' inside and outside shoulders, and 8' pedestrian/bicycle lanes on each side. The $82.5 million 3800 foot bridge opened to traffic in May 2004 after four years of construction.1 Photos taken 08/03/08. U.S. 98 touches down from the Hathaway Bridge into the city of Panama City. The roadway transitions into a four-lane arterial ahead. Photo taken 08/03/08. Now within Panama City, the eastbound mileage sign reflects the Panama City neighboring cities of Cedar Grove, Springfield, and Callaway. Photo taken 08/03/08. Interests to U.S. 231 north to Interstate 10 (Cottondale) and Dothan, Alabama are directed eastward along U.S. 98 in lieu of Florida 368 or Florida 390. Photo taken 08/03/08. D Avenue and College Drive intersect one another at U.S. 98 east of the bridge. College Drive loops through the campus of Gulf Coast Community College. D Avenue spurs south into an industrial area along St. Andrew Bay. This intersection will be bypassed with a new viaduct to coincide with construction of an interchange with Florida 368 once funds become available. Photo taken 08/03/08. U.S. 98 quickly encounters the west end of Florida 368 (West 23rd Street), a 5.6-mile route loop north from the adjacent college to U.S. 231. Photo taken 08/03/08. Florida 368 meanders north to Posten Bayou and east to junction Florida 390 (Beck Avenue) along the Panama City line. An interchange is planned between West 23rd Street and U.S. 98 to extend the controlled-access portion of the Hathaway Bridge approach eastward. The interchange will represent the end of a freeway leading east from the merge with Front Beach Road (Florida 30). Photo taken 08/03/08. Eastbound reassurance shield posted after the west end of Florida 368 (West 23rd Street). Photo taken 08/03/08. Michigan Avenue (Bay County 22) intersects U.S. 98 at the next traffic light along eastbound. The county road (unsigned here) heads north to Florida 368 (23rd Street) and south to West 15th Street at Lake Huntington. Photo taken 08/03/08. Approaching the split with U.S. 98 Business (Beck Avenue) and junction Florida 390 north. Neither are signed in advance and instead a second trailblazer to U.S. 231 is posted. Photo taken 08/03/08. U.S. 98 Business turns south from U.S. 98 and Florida 390 along Beck Avenue to West 10th Street. The scenic route meanders through quaint neighborhoods along the St. Andrew bayfront. Florida 390 meanwhile ventures north via Beck Avenue and St. Andrew Boulevard to Panama City International Airport and Lynn Haven. Photo taken 08/03/08. Coloured signs for U.S. 98 west and U.S. 231 posted ahead of the junction with Harrison Avenue. U.S. 231 provides the main corridor between Panama City and Interstate 10 at Cottondale, in addition to joining Bay County with southeastern Alabama. A four-lane connector roadway joins U.S. 98 east with U.S. 231's turn from Harrison Avenue onto its four-lane alignment northeast to Cedar Grove and Youngstown. Harrison Avenue carries the route south to downtown and Florida 391 north to Airport Road. Photos taken 07/31/06. U.S. 98 (East 15th Street) leaves the intersection with Florida 77 (Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard) at Palo Alto Avenue. Photo taken 11/27/06. U.S. 231 represents one of three routes leading north from the Panama City Beach resort area to Interstate 10. Florida 79 and 77 provide connections to the west with U.S. 231 traveling northeast via Youngstown and Fountain to Interstate 10 at Cottondale. The federal highway carries four overall lanes from downtown to Cottondale. For motorists headed northward, three additional opportunities lie along U.S. 98 east for U.S. 231 north beyond their meeting. Photo taken 11/27/06. Bay County 2337 (Sherman Avenue) meets U.S. 98 (East 15th Street) at the Cedar Grove city line. Sherman Avenue leads north to Florida 389, one half mile south of its junction with U.S. 231. Photo taken 11/27/06. U.S. 98 (East 15th Street) east at Bay County 2337 (Sherman Avenue) south. The county road only exists along Sherman Avenue between East 15th Street and U.S. 98 Business (East 5th Street) in east Panama City. The section of Sherman Avenue leading north is no longer a county road. Photo taken 11/27/06. The next reassurance shield of U.S. 98, posted within Cedar Grove beyond Sherman Avenue. Photo taken 11/27/06. Two additional routes provide connections with U.S. 231 north from U.S. 98 before the route turns southward to Callaway. Photo taken 11/27/06. Florida 389 (East Avenue) crosses paths with U.S. 98 (East 15th Street) in Cedar Grove. The north-south road reaches U.S. 231 in 1.75 miles. Photo taken 11/27/06. U.S. 231 trailblazer directing traffic east and north at Florida 389. Photo taken 11/27/06. Florida 389 leads south along North East Avenue into Panama City and its end at U.S. 98 Business (East 5th Street). The state road ends its 3.03-mile journey at U.S. 231, opposite of Bay County 389, a continuation of East Avenue northward to Lynn Haven. Photo taken 11/27/06. Another eastbound U.S. 98 reassurance marker posted along East 15th Street in Cedar Grove. Photo taken 11/27/06. Eastbound mileage sign highlighting the distance to Parker, Panama City's neighboring city along East Bay, and Perry, the long distance city where U.S. 98 merges with U.S. 19 and U.S. 27A. Photo taken 11/27/06. A brief undeveloped stretch of U.S. 98 occupies the frontage at the Cedar Grove and Springfield city line. Photo taken 11/27/06. Approaching Bay County 2327 (Transmitter Road) on U.S. 98 east in Springfield. Bay County 2327 provides the final connection to U.S. 231 before U.S. 98 turns south for the coast. Photo taken 11/27/06. Bay County 2327 travels 4.14 miles northward from Florida 22 (East 3rd Street) in Springfield to U.S. 231 in east Cedar Grove. The county road ends at Bay County 390 in Lynn Haven to the north. Photo taken 11/27/06. U.S. 98 shield and mileage sign posted after Transmitter Road. Note that Port St. Joe is used in place of Perry as the long distance control city. Perry largely remains on mileage signs throughout Florida due to old signing practices that are carbon copied onto new assemblies. Photo taken 11/27/06. The federal highway begins its southeasterly turn as Tyndall Parkway ahead of Tram Road and East 14th Street in Springfield. Photo taken 11/27/06. Now facing south, U.S. 98 (Tyndall Parkway) meets the east end of Bay County 28 (East 11th Street). Bay County 28 largely exists as a residential through route from Springfield west through Cedar Grove and St. Andrew in Panama City. Photo taken 11/27/06. U.S. 98 (Tyndall Parkway) enters the city of Callaway south of Bay County 28 and approaches junction Florida 22 (Wewa Highway). Photo taken 11/27/06. Florida 22 leads west to U.S. 98 Business in Springfield and east to junction Florida 71 in Wewahitchka. Photo taken 11/27/06. U.S. 98 Business returns to U.S. 98 (Tyndall Parkway) east from the city of Parker ahead of Pitts Bayou. Beyond the merge is this mileage sign with the distances to Tyndall Air Force Base and the Gulf County seat of Port St. Joe. Photo taken 08/03/08. Reassurance shield posted along Tyndall Parkway near Wallace Road. Photo taken 08/03/08. Ivy Road spurs east from U.S. 98 (Tyndall Parkway) into Callaway, ending at East Lake. Photo taken 08/03/08. Spanning East Bay, U.S. 98 crosses the four-lane DuPont Bridge between Parker and Tyndall Air Force Base. This bridge replaced the adjacent 1929-truss bridge, which remains in place in two pieces as a fishing bridge. Photo taken 08/03/08. The narrow DuPont Bridge opened to traffic in 1965 and is of typical construction for that era with no shoulders and concrete guard rails. Photo taken 08/03/08. U.S. 98 enters Tyndall Air Force Base east of Pearl Harbor. Photo taken 08/03/08. Sabre Drive provides access to northwest reaches of Tyndall AFB including Wood Manor Housing, the Youth Center, the Marina and Golf Course, among other points of interest. The Pass and Visitor Center of the base resides on the northeast corner of U.S. 98 and Sabre Drive. Photo taken 08/03/08. Illinois Avenue provides the access to the Main Gate of Tyndall Air Force Base. All commercial deliveries must use this gate. Tyndall Drive ties in from the north, serving the main operations of the base. Photo taken 08/03/08. U.S. 98 (Tyndall Parkway) narrows from a four-lane divided highway to two lanes beyond the final Bay County traffic light at Tyndall Drive. Photos taken 08/03/08. U.S. 98 remains with two lanes through vast forest and wetlands through the remainder of Tyndall Air Force Base. Photos taken 08/03/08. U.S. 98 enters the city limits of Mexico Beach soon after leaving the air force base grounds. Northwest Mexico Beach is undeveloped. Photo taken 08/03/08. The largest building within Mexico Beach is the El Governor Motel. The city otherwise consists of a narrow street grid mainly along the coast. Photo taken 08/03/08. Eastbound reassurance marker posted along U.S. 98 after the intersection with unsigned Bay County 386A 15th Street. Bay County 386A provides a cut-off to Gulf County 386 north to Overstreet. Photo taken 08/03/08. Unobstructed views of the Gulf of Mexico shoreline are visible along U.S. 98 from 8th Street southward to the county line. Depending on the time of day and season, the drive can be slow going through the coastal community. Photo taken 08/03/08. Junction Bay County 386 pentagon posted along U.S. 98 east. Bay/Gulf County 386 straddles the county line north from Mexico Beach to Bay County 386A before turning inland to Overstreet. Photo taken 08/03/08. Bay/Gulf County 386 arcs northeast from Mexico City to junction Florida 71 near Wewahitchka. Photo taken 08/03/08. U.S. 98 leaves Mexico Beach and Bay County for Beacon Hill in Gulf County. The county line represents the boundary between the Central and Eastern Time Zones. Photo taken 08/03/08. Sources: The Hathaway Bridge Replacement Project. Page Updated August 13, 2008.