Old Stretch of US 98 near Port St. Joe

[freebrickproductions]

A segment of US 98 between St. Joe Beach and Highland View was realigned for a development called Windmark Beach. The realignment of the road began in 2005 and was completed sometime between February of 2006 and February of 2007. Most of the old road still remains in use as either a trail or a road for people to access the beach or their houses. You can view a map of the old alignment here.
At the end of June this year, my family and I went on vacation down to Port St. Joe, FL. Here are the pictures I got of the alignment.

First, we'll start off with a currently used segment of the old US 98.
Here is a sign that still has Highway 98 written on it:

Old US 98 street sign by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 street sign by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Here are some pictures of the segment of the old road:

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
A little bit to the south:

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
A little bit further to the south, we have an improvised cul-de-sac. The ROW continues southward as a trail.

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
There is also an old pedestrian crossing sign here:

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Pedestrian crossing sign by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Pedestrian crossing sign by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Further north:

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
The road to the north is also used as a trail with the access to this portion of the road coming from a street called Discovery Lane.

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Here's a look down Discovery Lane:

Discovery Lane by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
A look north along the trail:

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
This old segment of US 98 is called Windmark Way, by the way:

Signs by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Another look north:

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Sign by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Looking south:

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Over at the southern end of the trail, there is a small segment of half of the US 98 pavement. The ROW is built over by a parking lot, but on the southern side of the parking lot it is used again.

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

A few days later, I decided to explore the northern end of the old alignment. It felt surreal being able to walk down the middle of a highway without having to worry about cars.

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

It looks like they have/had plans to tear up all of the old US 98 at one point:

Sign by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Sign by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Now going north along the old US 98 alignment:

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

The Stimsonite reflectors along this section of US 98 were in varying conditions of disrepair:

Stimsonite Reflector by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Stimsonite Reflector by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Stimsonite Reflector by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Stimsonite Reflector by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Stimsonite Reflector by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Stimsonite Reflector by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Stimsonite Reflector by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Going further north:

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

The rest of it will come in the next post.

[freebrickproductions]

I eventually reached an old bridge along the old US 98 alignment. I actually got a small piece of a Prickly Pear cactus stuck in my shoe at this bridge. It didn't hurt because the spine went between two of my toes. I carefully removed it and tossed it aside.

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
There were also these things at the bridge:

Signs by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old concrete post by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
I have no idea what this is for:

What is this? by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

On the northern side of the bridge, there was some pavement for where people could pull off of the road and park so they could go to a beach:

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old path to beach by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Continuing further north:

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

A little bit further north, there was another bridge:

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
The guard rails here are rather overgrown:

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

There is also this near the bridge:

Signs by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Signs by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

There is also another beach access point on the northern side of the bridge:

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Notice sign by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old Path to beach by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Looking down US 98 from here:

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Further to the north, the pavement ends where the trail ends.

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
The path from a parking lot to the beach also crosses here:

Current Path to beach by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Current Path to beach by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

The ROW continues to the north until it reaches the current US 98 alignment.

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Looking back down the old US 98 alignment:

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Looking north along the ROW:

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Looking south along the ROW:

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Some old pieces of pavement remain along the ROW:

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Here's where the ROW connects to US 98:

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Looking back south:

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

And that brings the tour of the old US 98 alignment to a close. I walked down the beach on my way back and I found a cathode-ray tube from an arcade game machine that washed up on the beach, but that's a different story that I'll save for later. I hope you enjoyed it!

[xcellntbuy]

Terrific pictures.

I have never had the chance to travel to the panhandle of Florida and I have always been told it is nice peaceful place, totally unlike south Florida.  Your photos confirm those sentiments.

[D-Dey65]

This reminds me that I've got to go back to working on my US 98 in the Panhandle of Florida sandbox for the existing US 98 in Florida article on Wikipedia.

[Darkchylde]

Question - how long ago was this bypassed? The pavement looks like it's still very new, and I might be a smidge annoyed if that turns out to be a section I need to re-clinch in the future (I last took 98 in FL in 2005.)

[freebrickproductions]

Question - how long ago was this bypassed? The pavement looks like it's still very new, and I might be a smidge annoyed if that turns out to be a section I need to re-clinch in the future (I last took 98 in FL in 2005.)

From what I recall from looking at Google Earth, it was bypassed in 2004-2007-ish. I'll check when I get home later.
EDIT: Looking at my original post, I mentioned that it was bypassed in the time between February of 2006 and February of 2007 with construction beginning in 2005.

[Alex]

Question - how long ago was this bypassed? The pavement looks like it's still very new, and I might be a smidge annoyed if that turns out to be a section I need to re-clinch in the future (I last took 98 in FL in 2005.)

From what I recall from looking at Google Earth, it was bypassed in 2004-2007-ish. I'll check when I get home later.
EDIT: Looking at my original post, I mentioned that it was bypassed in the time between February of 2006 and February of 2007 with construction beginning in 2005.

Drove through there on July 31, 2006 and was still routed along the old alignment:

[freebrickproductions]

Question - how long ago was this bypassed? The pavement looks like it's still very new, and I might be a smidge annoyed if that turns out to be a section I need to re-clinch in the future (I last took 98 in FL in 2005.)

From what I recall from looking at Google Earth, it was bypassed in 2004-2007-ish. I'll check when I get home later.
EDIT: Looking at my original post, I mentioned that it was bypassed in the time between February of 2006 and February of 2007 with construction beginning in 2005.

Drove through there on July 31, 2007 and was still routed along the old alignment:

I was going by what info they had on Google Earth. I wouldn't be surprised if it had been mostly completed by February of 2007 but wasn't open until later. I know it was open when Google Streetview came through the first time.

[Alex]

I was going by what info they had on Google Earth. I wouldn't be surprised if it had been mostly completed by February of 2007 but wasn't open until later. I know it was open when Google Streetview came through the first time.

Whoops, I got the date wrong, that photo is from July 31, 2006

[freebrickproductions]

I was going by what info they had on Google Earth. I wouldn't be surprised if it had been mostly completed by February of 2007 but wasn't open until later. I know it was open when Google Streetview came through the first time.

Whoops, I got the date wrong, that photo is from July 31, 2006

That makes sense then.