I spent the better part of the last 8 days traveling around the upper Gulf Coast in southern Alabama and northwest Florida. I drove much of U.S. 98 along the coast in northwest Florida and U.S. 90 parallel to Interstate 10 east of Crestview and again through Tallahassee. Also covered was just about every road in the lower third of Baldwin County, Alabama.

The coloured U.S. highway shields in Panama City are fewer than ever, and I would not be surprised to see them all replaced in the near future. U.S. 98 otherwise offers a very slow and sprawled road from Port St. Joe westward to Pensacola. If you ever plan a vacation down there, be sure to approach from the north and leave from the north, as U.S. 98 is congested either way you go for almost 200 miles!

It’s sad to see that development is permitted on the Foley Beach Express in Alabama. The road was constructed as a controlled-access expressway, but I noted both a large subdivision and apartment complex breaking ground on either side of the road southeast of Foley. Then there’s a large resort living complex under construction just east of the Intracoastal Waterway toll bridge, which likely will see a signalized intersection or two with the FBE. The FBE otherwise will be extended northward along Baldwin County 83 to a new interchange with Interstate 10 at Baldwin County 68.

As for Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, just about every sign of Hurricane Ivan’s 2004 impact was erased. There are very few abandoned structures, the roads are all improved, new condo towers are going up everywhere; it’s been a very fast transition from a hurricane ravaged area into what it is today.

Back to Pensacola, progress continues at a slow pace at the north end of I-10/110 interchange. The westbound carriageway was shifted toward the south, a change from last June, but the highest flyover is still only partially complete. New lightposts are in place along the future I-110 north ramp to I-10 east, so likely that will be open in the near future. The c/d roadways still need to be built for westbound otherwise. So that 2007 timetable is still accurate.

Interstate 110 is still a mess, and asides the northern quarter which is almost complete motorists must use an undulating set of carriageways as underpasses are rebuilt, ramps redone, and the freeway overall six-laned. I did note a ramp stub for the future Airport Boulevard split-diamond interchange heading northbound though, so there’ some progress!

The Escambia Bay Bridges are still a mess, but the December 2006 time table for the opening of the new eastbound span (which will carry four lanes of I-10) looks to be good. There are supports for over half the new span in place, and portions of the bridge deck are also coming together. The parallel westbound span also sees some progress, though I believe that one won’t open until 2008.