State Route 188
SR 188 travels east from Interstate 10 at Grand Bay to SR 193 at Alabama Port in Mobile County. Generally a rural two lane highway, SR 188 follows a 19 mile course through Bayou La Batre and Coden and wetland areas north of Fowl River Bay. SR 188 also provides one of the main routes to Dauphin Island in conjunction with SR 193 south from Alabama Port.
East
CR 11 (Grand Bay Wilmer Road) transitions into the eastbound beginning of SR 188 at the diamond interchange with Interstate 10. Interstate 10 heads west to Franklin Creek and Biloxi, Mississippi from here.
01/16/09
SR 188 (Grand Bay Wilmer Road South) passes over Interstate 10 en route to the community with Grand Bay.
01/16/09
Interstate 10 travels six miles east to CR 39 (McDonald Road) and 22 miles to downtown Mobile.
01/16/09
Turning southwest along SR 188 at the crossing of Franklin Creek into Grand Bay. A toll ferry trailblazer directs motorists to the Mobile Bay Ferry between Dauphin Island and Fort Morgan.
01/16/09
Nearing the merge with U.S. 90 east on SR 188 (Grand Bay Wilmer Road South) in Grand Bay.
01/16/09
U.S. 90 travels west from Grand Bay to Pascagoula, Mississippi and east to St. Elmo, Irvington, and Theodore.
01/16/09
SR 188 eastbound merges with U.S. 90 within Grand Bay. The two highways overlap for one fifth a mile east before SR 188 turns to the southeast to the fishing/shrimping town of Bayou La Batre.
01/16/09
East
SR 188 travels south 0.4 miles from U.S. 90 to Saeger Road.
09/12/10
Approaching Saeger Road, SR 188 (Grand Bay Bayou La Batre Highway) turns easterly and leaves the Grand Bay area.
09/12/10
Resuming an eastward course, SR 188 leaves Saeger Road and continues to Henderson Camp and Two Mile Roads.
09/12/10
SR 188 (Grand Bay Bayou La Batre Highway) bends southeast at the five point intersection with Two Mile Road east, Ramsey Road north and Ramsey Road Extension south. Ramsey Road leads north to U.S. 90 and Old Pascagoula Road.
09/12/10
Alabama's Coastal Connection scenic byway follows SR 188 east from Grand Bay to SR 193 at Alabama Port. The scenic route entails 130 miles of Alabama state and county roads as well as the Mobile Bay Ferry between Dauphin Island and Fort Morgan.
09/12/10
SR 188 turns southward as it departs U.S. 90 and the town of Grand Bay. Pictured here is the signalized intersection with Hurricane Boulevard west and Four Mile Road east. Four Mile Road connects Grand Bay Bayou La Batre Highway with Argyle Road and CR 19.
10/12/03
09/12/10
Argyle Road ends at SR 188 ahead of this eastbound reassurance shield. Argyle Road heads north to St. Elmo.
09/12/10
SR 188 nears the southern terminus of CR 19. Otherwise known as the Irvington Bayou La Batre Highway, County Road 19 travels northward through Dixon Corner to Irvington and U.S. 90.
09/12/10
SR 188 overtakes CR 19 and turns southward onto Irvington Bayou La Batre Highway. The 2009 completion of the CR 39 expressway between Irvington and Interstate 10 (Exit 10) replaced County Road 19 as the main route northward to Mobile.
09/12/10
Entering the town limits of Bayou La Batre along SR 188 (Irvington Bayou La Batre Highway) east. The state route becomes Wintzell Avenue through the municipality.
09/12/10
Just within town, SR 188 (Wintzell Avenue) intersects the south end of Padgett Switch Road (CR 23). Padgett Switch Road leads directly to the four lane expressway of CR 39 at Half Mile Road near Irvington. The expressway provides a high speed connection and evacuation route to U.S. 90 and Interstate 10 west of Theodore.
09/12/10
Little River Road spurs west from SR 188 (Wintzell Avenue) to residential and industrial areas north of the Bayou La Batre waterway.
09/12/10
A three lane drawbridge carries SR 188 over the Bayou La Batre waterway into the north entrance into downtown Bayou La Batre. The movable bridge was constructed in 1984.
09/12/10
Shell Belt Road west and Railroad Street south radiate outward from SR 188 (Wintzell Avenue) south of the draw bridge. Shell Belt Road loops southwest and then east along Portersville Bay. Railroad Street connects Bayou La Batre with Sans Souci Beach.
09/12/10
Traveling southward through the heart of Bayou La Batre on SR 188 at Hemley Street.
09/12/10
Continuing south along SR 188 through Bayou La Batre to Alba Street. Alba Street leads west to Railroad Street and east five blocks to a dead end.
09/12/10
Spanning Bayou Coden, SR 188 shifts to an eastward trajectory through the community of Coden. This is the last area of significant settlement along the corridor between Bayou La Batre and Alabama Port.
09/12/10
A set of flashers guide traffic through the Hemley Road intersection of SR 188. This north-south roadway travels from the shores of the Portersville Bay northward to Davenport Street in eastern Bayou La Batre.
10/12/03
09/12/10
Toll ferry trailblazers for the Mobile Bay Ferry to Grand Bay continue to be posted periodically along SR 188 east.
09/12/10
Four miles east of Coden, SR 188 approaches the southern terminus of CR 59 (Bellingrath Road).
09/12/10
CR 59 (Bellingrath Road) ventures north to Delchamps, Bellingrath Gardens>, Fowl River, Laurendine and Theodore. County Road 59 represents one of two north-south roadways connecting Dauphin Island and Mon Louis Island with Mobile. Lossing Road and a stub alignment of old SR 188 tie in from the south side of SR 188.
09/12/10
Eastbound SR 188 reassurance shield, posted at the foot of the West Fowl River Bridge adjacent to the southern end of CR 59.
09/12/10
Eastbound motorists reach Mon Louis Island beyond the West Fowl River. Mon Louis Island is not a traditional island, but is an area of land bound by the waterway combo of West Fowl River, The Narrows and East Fowl River to the west, Mobile Bay to the east, and Mississippi Sound to the south.
09/12/10
Leaving Heron Bay and entering Alabama Port, a rural community along Mobile Bay at the junction of SR 188 east and SR 193.
09/12/10
Approaching the eastern terminus of SR 188 at SR 193 (Dauphin Island Parkway). SR 193 travels 26.2 miles from Dauphin Island to the south and Tillman's Corner to the north.
09/12/10
A set of flashers operate at the east end of SR 188. Traffic turning to the right sees a seven mile drive to the southern terminus of SR 193 at Dauphin Island. Northward, SR 193 continues to Mon Louis, Bayleys Corner, Bellefontaine and Hollingers Island.
09/12/10
West
Westbound SR 188 intersects CR 59 (Bellingrath Road) at the Fowl River. CR 59 provides a good alternative to SR 193 from Dauphin Island to Mobile. An old bridge alignment of SR 188 appears nearby.
08/09/02
Interstate 10 and SR 188 come together just north of Franklin Creek outside Grand Bay. The diamond interchange is the first of I-10 east from the Moss Point and Pascagoula area of Jackson County, Mississippi.
04/05/12
A truck stop and several fast food franchises line SR 188 at Interstate 10, adding traffic to the westbound on-ramp to Biloxi and Gulfport, Mississippi.
04/05/12
An end shield for SR 188 follows on the north side of the Grand Bay interchange with I-10. CR 11 commences and follows Grand Bay Wilmer Road northward to Dees.
04/05/12
Abandoned Fowl River Bridge
The Fowl River Bridge along SR 188 was built in 1968. It parallels a portion of the previous span to the north.
08/09/02
Looking south from the Fowl River Bridge toward Mississippi Sound. Although still some distance from the sound, land south of SR 188 mostly consists of tidal marshland. Visible as well is the remaining segment of the original SR 188 bridge.
08/09/02
With the 1968 Fowl River Bridge visible to the left, what remains of the old SR 188 roadway doubles as a parking area for fishing along the old span.
08/09/02
Photo Credits:
- ABRoads: 01/16/09, 09/12/10
- Alex Nitzman, Carter Buchanan: 10/12/03
- Alex Nitzman: 08/09/02, 04/05/12
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Page Updated Tuesday October 02, 2012.