Former State Route 135 - Park Road
Alabama State Route 135 looped around Shelby Lakes in Gulf State Park along a 2.14 mile course in coastal Baldwin County. The two lane roadway joined SR 182 near Gulf State Park Pier with SR 180 (E 2nd Street) along Fort Morgan Road. Maintenance for the highway was transferred from the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources on November 18, 2016.
SR 135 first appeared on the Alabama State Highway Map in 1948 as SR 138. The route was renumbered as 135 by 1957, with SR 138 reused along Hurricane Road between Crossroads and Bay Minette.
Wholly within Gulf State Park, State Park Road 2 looped east from Park Road (old SR 135) to SR 182 (E Beach Boulevard) between Shelby Lakes. A 1.5 mile long section of Park Road 2 closed permanently to vehicular traffic on April 18, 2016. The closure was part of the Gulf State Park master plan, which converted the roadway into a path for pedestrians, cyclists and a future park tram. Two segments of the road were retained for access to the park golf course and campgrounds.1
North
Former SR 135 north of departs SR 182 (East Beach Boulevard). A boat ramp and picnic area for Shelby Lakes lies nearby.
05/16/04
Hurricane evacuation route trailblazer posted along old SR 135 north ahead of the former west end of Park Road 2. Bicycle lanes are striped along SR 135 on each side of the highway.
05/16/04
SR 135 (Park Road) turned west from old Park Road 2 (now an access road to the Gulf State Park golf course) to meet SR 180 at the turn from E 2nd Street onto Fort Morgan Road. SR 180 continues west to SR 59 (Gulf Shores Parkway) and east along Canal Drive to the Foley Beach Express in Orange Beach.
05/16/04
Park Road west at SR 180. SR 180 stretches 25 miles from Fort Morgan on Mobile Bay to SR 161 and the Foley Beach Express in Orange Beach.
05/16/04
South
Old SR 135 initially leads east from the intersection of E 2nd Street and Fort Morgan Road (SR 180) to the Gulf Oak Ridge Trailhead access road (old Park Road 2). This was the first southbound shield for SR 135.
06/13/10
Park Road south at the former route of Park Road 2. Park Road 2 was decommissioned on April 18, 2016, when a 1.5 mile section of the loop was closed to vehicular traffic. A segment remains in use east to the Gulf State Park golf course.
06/13/10
Park Road meanders southwest and then east, encircling wetlands of Shelby Lakes to the Gulf State Park Pier.
06/13/10
SR 135 ended at SR 182 (East Beach Boulevard) opposite the Gulf State Park Pier access road. SR 182 travels west from the park into Gulf Shores and east to Romar Beach within Orange Beach.
06/13/10
Removed by 2006, a reassurance marker for State Park Road 2 appeared east of SR 135 (Park Road). The access road leads to the Gulf State Park golf course north of Shelby Lakes.
05/16/04
Park Road 2 turned southward by the Gulf State Park nature center and campground facilities before tying into SR 182 (E Beach Boulevard) by the Gulf of America. SR 182 leads west to the Gulf State Park Pier and Gulf Shores and east to Orange Beach and Perdido Key, Florida.
05/16/04
References:
- “State stuns mayor, slams door on road to Gulf State Park.” Mobile Register (AL), April 21, 2016.
Photo Credits:
- Alex Nitzman: 05/16/04
- ABRoads: 06/13/10
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Page Updated Saturday February 19, 2011.