County Road 39 - McDonald Road

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McDonald Road is CR 39 between U.S. 90 at Irvington and CR 32 (Three Notch Road) and Gold Mine Road near Dawes. The bulk of the original two lane roadway was replaced by a four lane, divided highway to the east during road work between 2003 and 2005. The realignment of CR 39 coincided with the construction of a six-ramp parclo interchange (Exit 10) with Interstate 10. Built at a cost of $16 million, the exchange opened to traffic on January 12, 2005.1 The bridge along the old alignment of CR 39 to the west was removed in 2004.

CR 39 was extended south from U.S. 90 to Half Mile Road in June 2009. The four lane highway directly ties into Padgett Switch Road (CR 23) leading south to SR 188 near Bayou La Batre.

County Route 39 North
Padgett Switch Road northbound at the intersection with Half Mile Road (CR 23) and the unsigned beginning of CR 39 north. None of the three county routes are signed here. Instead motorists are given trailblazers for Interstate 10 and U.S. 90 from both Padgett Switch and Half Mile Roads. 06/15/09
CR 39 begins initially with two lanes but quickly expands into a four lane divided highway. 06/15/09
A folded diamond interchange joins CR 39 north with Gibson Road east to Padgett Switch Road (CR 23) and Park Boulevard between Mobile International Speedway and CR 19 (Irvington Bayou La Batre Highway). 06/15/09
Northbound drivers pass over Park Boulevard, a CSX Railroad line, and U.S. 90. 06/15/09
A second folded diamond interchange on CR 39 links with U.S. 90 east of Irvington. 06/15/09
Continuing northwest from U.S. 90 toward Gulf Boulevard and County Farm Road on CR 39 north. 06/11/06
CR 39 reassurance shield posted ahead of County Farm Road. 05/23/09
Junction Interstate 10 Alabama shield posted after the CR 39 (McDonald Road) intersection with County Farm Road.
This shield was replaced with a neutered version by 2009. 05/25/05, 05/23/09
The six-ramp parclo interchange between McDonald Road and Interstate 10 is named after retired U.S. Representative Sonny Callahan (R). Callahan, a local state representative, pushed for the Exit 10 interchange and widened McDonald Road successfully. 05/25/05
Four lanes of CR 39 enter the Exit 10 interchange with Interstate 10. Motorists destined for Mobile depart McDonald Road via Interstate 10 eastbound. 05/25/05
A sign bridge guides drivers to the respective Interstate 10 on-ramps. Interstate 10 meets Theodore-Dawes Road in three miles and U.S. 90 in five miles to the east of Exit 10. 05/25/05
McDonald Road passes over Interstate 10 on the approach to the westbound on-ramp. A left turn is required for traffic destined to Pascagoula and Biloxi. 05/25/05
CR 39 northbound at the westbound on-ramp to Interstate 10. The four lane alignment joins the original two lane roadway ahead. 06/15/09
CR 39 returns to its two lane alignment between Interstate 10 and Old Pascagoula Road (CR 28). Old Pascagoula Road winds westward to Franklin Creek, Mississippi and east to Tillman's Corner and U.S. 90. 04/26/09
Theodore Dawes Road (CR 30) merges onto CR 39 (McDonald Road) north at this signalized intersection. 04/26/09
McDonald Road and CR 39 end at Three Notch Road (CR 32) opposite Gold Mine Road East. Three Notch Road stems west from Tillman's Corner to Dawes Road (CR 33). 04/26/09
County Route 39 South
CR 30 (Theodore Dawes Road West) branches southeast from CR 39 (McDonald Road) south at this intersection. CR 30 leads east to Schillinger Road (CR 31) and Exit 13 of Interstate 10. 05/23/09
McDonald Road expands from two lanes into a four lane divided highway south of the I-10 Service Road outside Exit 10 of the freeway. 05/23/09
Southbound on CR 39 (McDonald Road) at the westbound on-ramp to Interstate 10. Interstate 10 meets SR 188 & CR 11 in six miles near Grand Bay. 05/25/05
Traffic to Interstate 10 eastbound passes over the freeway on McDonald Road southbound. Interstate 10 meets Interstate 65 in ten miles and downtown Mobile in 16 miles. 05/25/05
A shield and guide sign direct motorists onto the Interstate 10 eastbound ramp. Interstate 10 meets U.S. 90 and SR 193 (Rangeline Road) at Tillman's Corner within the next seven miles. 04/26/09
Southbound reassurance marker placed for CR 39 as it leaves the interchange with Interstate 10. The right lane defaults onto County Farm Road west to the original McDonald Road ahead. 04/26/09
CR 39 turned onto County Farm Road briefly before it rejoined the original McDonald Road alignment just south of Interstate 10 until the completion of the four lane highways south to U.S. 90. 05/25/05, 06/11/06
A U.S. 90 trailblazer joined a CR 39 shield at the intersection of McDonald and County Farm Road. The four lane extension of CR 39 to U.S. 90 at Irvington continues ahead to the intersection with CR 19 (Irvington Bayou La Batre Road). The photos compare the road between and after its opening. 05/25/05, 04/26/09
The four lane alignment between County Farm Road and U.S. 90 opened during the Summer of 2005. The roadway cost $8 million and was stage two of the three-part project that improved McDonald Road.1 05/25/05, 04/26/09
Completed and opened to traffic in June 2009, CR 39 enters the folded diamond interchange with U.S. 90. A CSX Transportation railroad line parallels U.S. 90 along the southbound side, necessitating the need for ramps to the north of U.S. 90. Additional ramps tie County Road 39 with Park Boulevard west to CR 19 (Irvington Bayou La Batre Highway) and east to Mobile International Speedway. Gibson Road ties into the northbound side from Padgett Switch Road (CR 23). 06/11/06, 10/01/09
Descending from the CR 39 southbound off-ramp to U.S. 90. U.S. 90 east travels to Dawes, Tillman's Corner, and Mobile. Westbound travelers reach Grand Bay ahead of the Mississippi state line and Pascagoula. 06/11/06
Southbound at the Gibson Road and Park Boulevard turn-off. Two crossovers lie ahead, so it is possible to access Gibson Road directly by making a u-turn onto CR 39 north. 06/15/09
Curving southward toward the intersection with Half Mile Road (CR 24) and Padgett Switch Road (CR 23), CR 39 reduces from four to two lanes. 06/15/09
The previous t-intersection between unsigned County Roads 23 and 24 was upgraded to a four-way signalized intersection with the completion of CR 39. Padgett Switch Road continues south to SR 188 just north of Bayou La Batre. Half Mile Road travels east to Bellingrath Road (CR 59) and west to Irvington Bayou La Batre Highway. 06/15/09
County Route 39 scenes
I-10 and U.S. 90 trailblazers posted in lieu of CR 39 signage on Park Boulevard eastbound. CR 39 passes over Park Boulevard on the overpasses in the background. 04/26/09

Sources:
  1. "New I-10 exit ramp to open." The Mobile Register (AL), January 11, 2005.


Photo Credits:

05/25/05, 06/11/06, 04/26/09, 05/23/09, 06/15/09, 10/01/09 by AARoads

Connect with:
Interstate 10
U.S. 90
County Road 23 - Padgett Switch Road
County Road 24 - Half Mile Road
County Road 28 - Old Pascagoula Road / Halls Mill Road
County Road 30 - Theodore Dawes Road

Page Updated 12-12-2009.

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