U.S. 98 East - Walton County

Heavy development continues alongside U.S. 98 (Emerald Coast Parkway) east from Okaloosa County to the resort community of Sandestin.

12/18/08

Holiday Road intersects U.S. 98 north from Scenic Gulf Drive (CR 2378) and south from the Holiday Shores Estates neighborhood along Choctawhatchee Bay.

01/25/13

Poinciana Boulevard provides a cutoff south from U.S. 98 to Scenic Gulf Drive / Scenic Highway 98 (CR 2378) west across from the first of three entrances to the Silver Sands Premium Outlets.

12/18/08

The eastern branch of County Road 2378 (Scenic Highway 98) straddles the coast west 5.086 miles from U.S. 98 to Miramar Beach, Stewart Lake and Henderson Beach State Park.

12/18/08

East from Silver Sands Premium Outlets and Scenic Gulf Drive, U.S. 98 rejoins its original alignment from CR 2378.

01/25/13

Road work from Fall 2016 to Summer 2020 expands U.S. 98 east from the Okalsoosa County line to forthcoming Tang-O-Mar Drive. The 3.645 mile project costs $42 million.

01/25/13

Sandestin Boulevard provides the main entrance from U.S. 98 (Emerald Coast Parkway) to the Sandestin resort community and golf course.

01/25/13

Advancing east alongside the Grand Boulevard at Sandestin town center, U.S. 98 approaches CR 457 (Mack Bayou Road) north.

01/25/13

Walton County Road 457 (Mack Bayou Road) spurs 2.21 miles north from U.S. 98 to Harborview Road at Turquoise Beach.

01/25/13

Beyond CR 457, U.S. 98 reduces to four lanes along a rural stretch adjacent to Topsail Hill Preserve State Park.

01/25/13

West Hewett Road stems north from a commercialized intersection with U.S. 98 to Hewett Bayou.

01/25/13

Walton County Road 30A branches southeast to the Beaches of South Walton along the historic route of U.S. 98.

01/25/13

County Road 30A connects a number of Gulfside communities, including Beach Highlands, Grayton Beach and Seaside along an 18.56 mile course.

01/25/13

Development increases east of CR 30A as U.S. 98 leaves the frontage of Topsail Hill Preserve State Park.

01/25/13

Entering the community of Santa Rosa Beach, U.S. 98 intersects County Road 393.

01/25/13

Measuring 4.98 miles in length, County Road 393 leads south to CR 30A near Dune Allen Beach and north to Alligator Point on Choctawhatchee Bay.

01/25/13

34,000 vehicles per day were recorded along U.S. 98 east of County Road 393 by FDOT in 2017.

06/19/11

U.S. 98 (Emerald Coast Parkway) bends southward through portions of Point Washington State Forest between CR 393 and U.S. 331. Speed limits on this stretch formerly rose to 65 miles per hour. They were reduced to 55 mph in December 2015.¹

01/25/13

Old Blue Mountain Road south and County Road 83 north come together at the succeeding intersection along U.S. 98 eastbound. A traffic light was added here in December 2015. Originally installed as a temporary measure to aid traffic movements due to a detour along CR 30A to the south for bridge work,¹ the signal ultimately became a permanent fixture.

01/25/13

County Road 83 lines Old Blue Mountain Road south from U.S. 98 through Point Washington State Forest to Blue Mountain Beach. The 2.25 mile long county road spurs southeast from CR 30A to Big Redfish Lake.

01/25/13

U.S. 98 progresses east from CR 83 to next intersect the south end of U.S. 331.

10/13/16

U.S. 331 provides the lone connection to Interstate 10 from South Walton County. Doubling as a hurricane evacuation route, the US highway crosses Choctawhatchee Bay north to Freeport and reaches I-10 at Defuniak Springs in 24 miles.

10/13/16

U.S. 331 travels 150 miles overall between south Walton County and Montgomery, Alabama. The highway north to SR 20 at Freeport was expanded to four lanes, including construction of a second span for northbound traffic. The nearly three year, $118.5 million project wrapped up in June 2017.²

10/13/16

U.S. 98 continues east from U.S. 331 through additional swaths of Point Washington State Forest.

10/13/16

Eastbound reassurance marker posted at the last of three turnarounds along U.S. 98 between U.S. 331 north and CR 283.

10/13/16

A 3.67 mile long route, upcoming Walton County Road 283 runs south to Grayton Beach and north to a residential street grid along Choctawhatchee Bay.

10/13/16

CR 283 south to CR 30A leads motorists east to the coastal master planned communities of Seaside and WaterColor at Seagrove Beach.

10/13/16

CR 283 traverses areas of Point Washington State Forest both north along Bay Drive and south of U.S. 98. Through Grayton Beach, CR 283 extends south from CR 30A along Defuniak Street to Hotz Avenue.

10/13/16

The ensuing 1.5 mile stretch of Emerald Coast Parkway between CR 283 and CR 395 remains rural through Point Washington State Forest.

10/13/16

The succeeding traffic light operates along U.S. 98 east at County Road 395.

10/13/16

CR 395 winds southward through Point Washington State Forest 2.94 miles to CR 30A at Seagrove Beach.

10/13/16

North from U.S. 98, CR 395 extends 1.46 miles to the community of Point Washington and a boat ramp on Tucker Bayou.

10/13/16

Confirming marker east of Walton County Road 395. U.S. 98 stays alongside Point Washington State Forest to the Bay County line.

10/13/16

Panama City Beach lies 18 miles ahead, followed by Panama City in 34 miles.

10/13/16

U.S. 98 crosses Peach Creek just ahead of Old Ferry Road north.

10/13/16

Making a gradual southeastern turn, U.S. 98 drops 5.5 miles in latitude through Point Washington Wildlife Management Area to Inlet Beach.

10/13/16

Watersound Parkway arcs northeast from County Road 30A near Seacrest to U.S. 98 ahead of Inlet Beach. The parkway extends east to additional areas of the St. Joe Company, Watersound development.

10/13/16

U.S. 98 (Emerald Coast Parkway) transitions into an urban-style arterial through the community of Inlet Beach.

10/13/16

County Road 30A returns to U.S. 98 from Rosemary Beach at Inlet Beach.

10/13/16

Following the former alignment of U.S. 98, County Road 30A is a scenic byway straddling coastal communities west back to Seaside, Blue Mountain Beach and Dune Allen Beach.

10/13/16

The east end of Walton County Road 30A ties into U.S. 98 across from the south entrance to the 30Avenue upscale retail center. The 16-acre commercial development opened for business in 2015.

10/13/16

U.S. 98 confirming shield posted eastbound between CR 30A and Wall Street at Inlet Beach.

10/13/16

Leaving Inlet Beach, U.S. 98 makes an S-curve into Camp Helen State Park and Bay County.

10/13/16