For those of you who follow the happenings with AASHTO, they are meeting on October 26, 2006 to review a handful of U.S. highway numbering changes, which is a regular occurrence for members on their committee.

Of the items on the agenda are two pertaining to the state of Florida. The first is the elimination of U.S. 98 Alternate at Panama City Beach in Bay County on the panhandle. The 16-mile loop serves the coastal condos and beach homes to the south of the four-lane U.S. 98. Panama City Beach officials want to take over maintenance of the roadway and state that it no longer serves through traffic needs. Well having been through the area this Summer, and once in 1996, that statement is definitely true.

U.S. 98 westbound at the eastbound beginning of U.S. 98 Alternate and Panama City Beach.

Item number two involves the U.S. 98 & 301 Business loop through the Pasco County seat of Dade City. The current configuration sees the U.S. 98/301 mainline bypass the two-mile or so business loop to the east, with signs discouraging through truck traffic from downtown. The city of Dade City applied to have U.S. 98/301 Business removed so that they can take over maintenance of the route and reinforce the bypass as the truck route. Having traveled up to Dade City today to scope out the Business Loop ourselves, we can report that the route is already virtually unsigned with the exception of one sign bridge per direction on U.S. 98 & 301. Further more signs along Florida 54 sign the loop as the U.S. 98/301 mainline, while also directing traffic to U.S. 98 east of its intersection with the soon-to-be decommissioned loop. And if that was not odd enough, signs at the south end also act as if U.S. 98 and 301 split at Dade City, with U.S. 301 following the in-city routing along the loop.

U.S. 98 & 301 southbound at the split with U.S. 98 & 301 Business.

U.S. 98 & 301 northbound at the split with U.S. 98 & 301 Business.

U.S 98 & 301 southbound at the south end of U.S. 98 & 301 Business. Note the error referring to the loop as just U.S. 301.

A couple other notes to pass along pertaining to Florida Roads:

The coloured U.S. shields for U.S. 98/301 in Dade City were replaced with standard signs. Perhaps the resigning occurred when city officials renamed Lock Street, Calle de Milagros, that translates to “Street of Miracles”.

Coloured shields for U.S. 301, in a three-digit format no less, remain in use on Pasco County 56 westbound near Zephyrhills.

An Interstate 75 state named shield stands on southbound ahead of the split with Interstate 275 and within the interchange with Florida 56 (Exit 276).

Webpage wise, I’m nearing completion of the Florida Keys area guides. Added this past week is coverage of U.S. 1 northbound through to Florida City and photos of original Overseas Highway segments including the Bahia Honda Bridge and several unsigned Monroe County highways. I’m nearing completion on the updates with just a handful of southbound photos of U.S. 1 from Florida City to Key Largo and photos of Monroe County 905 and 905A (Card Sound Road) remaining for addition. Those should be added within the next few days to a week.