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U.S. Highway 98 Westbound (Okaloosa County)
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Crossing into Okaloosa County and the city limits of Destin on U.S. 98 westbound. Photo taken 10/17/11. |
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Eastern areas of Destin continue the gulf course-subdivision theme of area residences with the first traffic light at Tequesta Drive north and Trista Terrace Court south. Photo taken 10/17/11. |
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Regatta Bay Boulevard winds northward from U.S. 98 to Florida 293 Toll near the Mid-Bay Bridge and south to a residential street grid at Dolphin Street and Luke Avenue. Photo taken 04/14/09. |
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Legendary Drive travels west from Regatta Bay Boulevard as a service road for the Destin Commons retail area. A connector ties the road with U.S. 98 before it circles northwest to Florida 293 Toll (Danny Wuerffel Way). Crystal Beach Road otherwise leads south from the signalized intersection with Emerald Coast Parkway to Okaloosa Count 2378. Photo taken 10/17/11. |
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Nearing the northbound beginning of Florida 293 Toll (Danny Wuerffel Way) on U.S. 98 (Emerald Coast Parkway) west. Florida 293, in conjunction with Florida 285, Florida 85, or U.S. 331, provides a route to Interstate 10.
The sign pictured here is a replacement of a panel posted in 2006. Photo taken 10/17/11. |
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The Mid-Bay Bridge direct connects U.S. 98 with Florida 20 at Bluewater Bay and Seminole east of Niceville. Opened in June 1993, the span is one of two crossings over the Choctawhatchee Bay between U.S. 98 and Florida 20 (U.S. 331 being the other). The two-lane bridge carries a $3.00 toll for all passenger vehicles. Photo taken 10/17/11. |
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As of May 12, 2011, State Road 293 connects U.S. 98 with Florida 20 via a single point urban interchange (SPUI). A new alignment for the highway opened from the Mid-Point Bridge toll plaza to State Road 20 as phase one of the overall Mid-Bay Bridge Connector project to wrap Florida 293 around Niceville to Florida 85. Construction is underway to extend the road northwest to interchanges with Florida 285 and 85. Photo taken 10/17/11. |
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Continuing west along Emerald Coast Parkway, U.S. 98 is technically in Destin already, but the city center lies another three miles ahead. A sign replacement of the westbound mileage sign continues to reflect the three mile distance although U.S. 98 exists wholly within the municipality from Walton County to East Pass. Photo taken 10/17/11. |
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Matthew Boulevard travels south from U.S. 98 (Emerald Coast Parkway) to Okaloosa County 2378 (Scenic U.S. Highway 98) east along Crystal Shores. Photo taken 10/17/11. |
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Commons Drive comprises a service road west from Florida 293 Toll to Airport Road on the back side of the commercial strip of U.S. 98 by Henderson Beach State Park. A signalized intersection joins the access road to an adjacent roundabout with Commons Drive in this scene. Photo taken 04/14/09. |
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Henderson Beach Road leads south from Commons Drive West into Henderson Beach State park. This is the only access road to the park land from U.S. 98. Photo taken 04/14/09. |
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A 0.24-mile segment of Okaloosa County 2378 joins U.S. 98 (Emerald Coast Parkway) with public beach access at June White Decker Park. This stretch of roadway is also named Scenic U.S. Highway 98 like the eastern branch of County Road 2378. Photo taken 07/31/06. |
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Airport Road loops northwest from U.S. 98 to Destin Airport (DTS) as unsigned Okaloosa County 30F. County Road 30F ends 1.64 miles to the west at Main Street and Legion Drive. Photo taken 04/14/09. |
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Westbound reassurance shield posted for U.S. 98 after Airport Road. The arterial narrows to four lanes. Photo taken 04/14/09. |
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Gulf Shore Drive spurs west from U.S. 98 (Emerald Coast Parkway) onto a developed peninsula surrounded by Old Pass Lagoon, East Pass, and the Gulf of Mexico. Photo taken 04/14/09. |
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Main Street (former County Road 30A) leads north from U.S. 98 to Coleman's Lake and Indian trail near Cobbs Point on Choctawhatchee Bay. Photo taken 04/14/09. |
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Harbor Boulevard carries four lanes of U.S. 98 west toward the older business district of Destin. Photo taken 04/14/09. |
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Beach Drive follows as northbound feeder road to Joe's Bayou and 4th Street. County Road30A once followed the road from Kelly Street onto Calhoun Avenue. Photo taken 04/14/09. |
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Benning Drive meets U.S. 98 at the next signal. The former County Road 30B parallels Beach Drive north to 4th Street and Calhoun Avenue. Photo taken 04/14/09. |
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Stahlman Avenue provides the main route into residential areas of northwest Destin from U.S. 98 (Harbor Boulevard). Photo taken 04/14/09. |
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Leaving Destin, U.S. 98 spans the East Pass between the Choctawhatchee Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. A pair of two-lane fixed-spans, opening in 1971 and 1979 respectively, carry the highway onto Okaloosa Island. First photo taken 07/31/06. Second photo taken 04/14/09. |
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Continuing across the Marler Bridge onto Okaloosa Island. Repair work was done on the bridge between fall 2008 and winter 2009 to address damage from collisions with boats and small fractures discovered in the eastbound bridge caps.1 First photo taken 07/31/06. Second photo taken 07/31/06. Third photo taken 07/31/06. |
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U.S. 98 enters a section of Eglin Air Force Base between the Marler Bridge and the Gulf Islands National Seashore Okaloosa Area. Waters from Choctawhatchee Bay lap close to the westbound lanes as the route approaches Ft. Walton Beach. First photo taken 07/31/06. Second photo taken 04/14/09. Third photo taken 07/31/06. |
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Westbound U.S. 98 (Miracle Strip Parkway) at Pier Road. Pier Road connects the four-lane highway with Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier. Photo taken 04/14/09. |
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Santa Rosa Boulevard stems west to a series of condominium high rises lining the Gulf of Mexico and Santa Rosa Sound. Eastward the road spurs into Marler County Park. Photo taken 04/14/09. |
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A frontage road loops northward from Santa Rosa Boulevard underneath U.S. 98 to the Brooks Bridge Marina. U.S. 98 meanwhile spans Santa Rosa Sound via the John T. Brooks Bridge. Miracle Strip Parkway enters Ft. Walton Beach on the north side of the bridge and immediately slows to a 25 mph speed limit. First photo taken 04/14/09. Second photo taken 07/31/06. Third photo taken 04/14/09. |
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U.S. 98 (Miracle Strip Parkway) curves westward and intersects Perry Avenue (Florida 145). Florida 145 entails all 0.51 miles of Perry Avenue between Miracle Strip Parkway and Florida 85 (Eglin Parkway). Brooks Street parallels U.S. 98 one block to the south and passes under the Brooks Bridge. Photo taken 04/19/09. |
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Perry Avenue connects the east side of U.S. 98 with Brooks Street to the south, but left-hand turns are prohibited from U.S. 98 west. Florida 145 otherwise constitutes an alternate route to Florida 85 north through the downtown area. Photo taken 07/31/06. |
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Florida 85 (Florida Place) begins and heads north from U.S. 98 (Miracle Strip Parkway) through downtown to Cinco Bayou and Shalimar. The state highway comprises the main route between the Okaloosa coast line and Crestview. Photo taken 04/14/09. |
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Westbound at the west end of Brooks Street opposite the west branch of Florida 85's south end (Eglin Parkway). Florida 85 ends as a split "Y". Pictured here was the original configuration where access to Florida 85 north from U.S. 98 east did not involve a protected turn. 2007 construction however reconfigured the state highway so that it ties in with Brooks Street at one signalized intersection. Removed was the palm tree-lined median. First photo taken 07/31/06. Second photo taken 04/14/09. |
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Westbound reassurance marker posted after the west branch of Florida 85's southern terminus (Eglin Parkway). The mileage sign posted behind the shield is a replacement of the previous sign from the 2007 road work. Photo taken 04/14/09. |
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Two blocks west of Eglin Parkway is the northbound beginning of Florida 189 (Beal Parkway). Florida 189 constitutes a four-lane arterial northwest around Cinco Bayou to northern reaches of Ft. Walton Beach. Photo taken 04/14/09. |
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U.S. 98 (Miracle Strip Parkway) westbound at Florida 189 (Beal Parkway) north. Florida 189 ends at the Eglin A.F.B. Air Armament Center, 10.53 miles to the northeast. Photo taken 10/31/08. |
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A short distance west of the Florida 189 (Beal Parkway) southern terminus is Ft. Walton Beach City Hall and Civic Center. Photo taken 08/23/11. |
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Westbound U.S. 98 shield posted after Cedar Avenue and the city government complex. Photo taken 08/23/11. |
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Memorial Parkway connects U.S. 98 (Miracle Strip Parkway) with Florida 188 (Beal Parkway) near Cinco Bayou. Photo taken 04/14/09. |
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Wright Parkway follows at the next traffic light from U.S. 98 north to Florida 393 (Mary Esther Cutoff). There were talks of building a Santa Rosa Sound bridge between Wright Parkway and Santa Rosa Boulevard in the mid-2000s. Photo taken 08/23/11. |
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Motorists along U.S. 98 westbound enter the city of Mary Esther just west of Wright Parkway. Photo taken 08/23/11. |
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Florida 393 (Mary Esther Boulevard) ties into U.S. 98 within the city of Mary Esther. The commercial arterial links Miracle Strip Parkway with the Santa Rosa Mall and Florida 189 (Beal Parkway). Photo taken 08/23/11. |
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Florida 393 heads 1.83 miles north to Beal Parkway. Originally known as Mary Esther Cutoff, the state road provides one of two connections to north Ft. Walton Beach across Cinco Bayou via connections with Florida 189 north. Photo taken 08/23/11. |
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Continuing west after the end of Florida 393 (Mary Esther Boulevard) on U.S. 98 in Mary Esther. Terrible product placement on the stop sign! Photo taken 11/02/08. |
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Hurlburt Field, a portion of Eglin Air Force Base, lies three miles west on U.S. 98. Pensacola is the next major destination of the route. Photo taken 08/23/11. |
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Doolittle Boulevard joins U.S. 98 (Miracle Strip Parkway) with parallel Hollywood Boulevard one quarter mile to the north. Hollywood Boulevard and Hill Avenue provide a route north to Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and the East gate of Hurlburt Field. Photo taken 08/23/11. |
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U.S. 98 leaves the city of Mary Esther and enters the Hurlburt Field area. Photo taken 08/23/11. |
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Cody Avenue north provides access to the main gate of Hurlburt Field from U.S. 98 via a congested signalized intersection. The Southside Area of the base lies on the south side of the four-lane highway. Photo taken 08/23/11. |
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U.S. 98 is designated Air Commando Boulevard as it travels through the military reservation west of Mary Esther. Photo taken 08/23/11. |
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Leaving Hurlburt Field, U.S. 98 enters the unincorporated area of Florosa. Photo taken 08/23/11. |
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Three signals lie along U.S. 98 at Florosa. The first is is at Florosa Elementary School, a signal that is in operation only during school hours. The second is a set of emergency signals at Florosa Volunteer Fire Department Station Number 5. Photo taken 11/02/08. |
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Parish Boulevard arcs southwest from U.S. 98 (Miracle Strip Parkway) to the Parish Point community at the third traffic light in Florosa, and last of Okaloosa County. Photo taken 08/23/11. |
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Unincorporated Wynn Haven Beach occupies a wedge of lane between Eglin Air Force Base, Santa Rosa Sound at Upper Pritchard Long Point, and the county line. Photo taken 08/23/11. |
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U.S. 98 departs Okaloosa County after a 24.53 mile stint into Santa Rosa County. Photo taken 08/23/11. |
Sources:
- "Destin Bridge Construction." WJHG, August 12, 2008.
Photo Credits:
2006-07-31 by AARoads. 2008-10-31 by AARoads. 2008-11-02 by AARoads. 2009-04-14 by AARoads. 2009-04-19 by AARoads. 2011-08-23 by AARoads. 2011-10-17 by AARoads.
Connect with:
Florida 393
Page Updated 10-03-2012. |
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