driving directions 98 or Foley Expy

I'm going to change it up this year and come to GS a different way from Dallas than we have the past 5 years. No more messing with Baton Rouge bridge traffic. It's too much with the little ones. So this year I'm going to take 20 out of Dallas to Jackson, drop down 49 to Hattiesburg and then get down to I-10 around Moss Point. I've found some directions that will let me avoid the main Mobile tunnel (the past two years we did the ferry from DI to FM and it was fun, but not really a time saver when you consider wait times and things like that.)

So I'm going to take the old tunnel (using 90) through Mobile and then stay on 98 across the bay. This is where you guys can maybe help me out. Is it better to stay on 98 and take that south and then east to either 59 or foley beach expy (to avoid the 59 bridge), or should I not get fancy and just take 98 to I-10 to Foley Beach expy. we stay out on FM, which was the one benefit of the Ferry.

Pier#, I'm thinking you would have an opinion on this, since you work up in Spanish Fort right?

I would stay on I-10 to the new Beach Express at exit 49. Straight shot around all the towns on 59, but don't speed!

I would not get off I-10 all the way back in Moss Point, you will lose a lot of time with all the red lights on US 90.
If you are planning on going through the old "little" tunnel in downtown Mobile, either take 1-65 or DIP (163) north to US-90 (Govt. Street). That said, Govt. St and downtown is a mess during rush hour, so you still need to time it right.
Once you get out of the US-90/98 tunnel stay on the US-90/98 causeway, stay on US-98 up Spanish Fort Hill to US-31, go straight on US-31 to AL 181, then south to I-10, east to AL-59 or the Beach Express.

These days, Thursdays & Fridays during the summer, the main I-10 tunnel starts backing up about noon-is to 1:00pm, depending on whatever??? Not sure what gets into peoples minds when they believe they need to slow to 25 mph to go through a tunnel??? Sure the entrance is screwed up but it shouldn't be so freakin bad.

By time I leave the office at 4:30pm, its backed up for 2 miles. That pushes local commuter traffic down on the Govt. Street to the little tunnel and by 5:30, its all a backed up mess. Until the get the new I-10 Mobile River Bridge built, there is no good solution.

Luckily, I am going counter-flow and my ride home is normally smooth.

Great plan bypassing the Baton Rouge traffic nightmare!

I live and work in Mobile near HW 90. My concern is once you exit I-10 and get on 90 “Government Blvd”, you’ll be in stop-n-go city traffic and plenty of red lights to slow you down. The ‘old’ tunnel is in the heart of downtown Mobile.

If you can time your arrival to the I-10 tunnel before 3:00PM, you’ll likely miss the east bound rush hour traffic, then its usually smooth driving all the way to the Beach Express Way.

Just a thought.

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Originally Posted by tigershark

If you can time your arrival to the I-10 tunnel before 3:00PM, you’ll likely miss the east bound rush hour traffic, then its usually smooth driving all the way to the Beach Express Way.

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10 years, even 5 years ago, I would agree. Now it starts backing up on Thursday and Friday around noon and is really horrendous by 4:30, a big linear parking lot by 5:15.

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Originally Posted by CarlF

I would not get off I-10 all the way back in Moss Point, you will lose a lot of time with all the red lights on US 90.
If you are planning on going through the old "little" tunnel in downtown Mobile, either take 1-65 or DIP (163) north to US-90 (Govt. Street). That said, Govt. St and downtown is a mess during rush hour, so you still need to time it right.
Once you get out of the US-90/98 tunnel stay on the US-90/98 causeway, stay on US-98 up Spanish Fort Hill to US-31, go straight on US-31 to AL 181, then south to I-10, east to AL-59 or the Beach Express.

These days, Thursdays & Fridays during the summer, the main I-10 tunnel starts backing up about noon-is to 1:00pm, depending on whatever??? Not sure what gets into peoples minds when they believe they need to slow to 25 mph to go through a tunnel??? Sure the entrance is screwed up but it shouldn't be so freakin bad.

By time I leave the office at 4:30pm, its backed up for 2 miles. That pushes local commuter traffic down on the Govt. Street to the little tunnel and by 5:30, its all a backed up mess. Until the get the new I-10 Mobile River Bridge built, there is no good solution.

Luckily, I am going counter-flow and my ride home is normally smooth.

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Thanks for the heads up. I was actually planning to get off I-10 at the Broad Street exit in Mobile, just before the tunnel, but it sounds like I need to really be watching the traffic on Google maps to see whether that will really save me any time. We will be coming through on Saturday, probably around 2pm, so I will be in the herd of cars heading to the beach spots.

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Originally Posted by CarlF

10 years, even 5 years ago, I would agree. Now it starts backing up on Thursday and Friday around noon and is really horrendous by 4:30, a big linear parking lot by 5:15.

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How bad are Saturdays? We took the tunnel the first 2 years and because I insisted on driving decently far the first day, we were able to hit the tunnel around noon on Saturday. The past 2 years we took the ferry. The problem with the ferry is that in order to avoid a very very long wait, you have to arrive by noon. If you arrive by noon, you will be across the bay in FM by 1pm and then you have 3 hours until the rental house is open to you. We did that last year and just hit the beach, but it wasn't ideal having to find a place to change. So this year I expect we will be hitting the tunnel around 2pm, if I had to guess.

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Originally Posted by CarlF

10 years, even 5 years ago, I would agree. Now it starts backing up on Thursday and Friday around noon and is really horrendous by 4:30, a big linear parking lot by 5:15.

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Even the Cochran-Africatown Bridge to the Blakeley side slows to a snails pace at this time.

I try not to drive eastbound on Saturdays during summer. That said, I don't think noon on Saturday will be that bad. If you make it Broad St., you're almost to the tunnel anyway.

Have fun going down highway 49 in Mississippi. I thought Louisiana roads were bad till I went through there back in October. You might need a new suspension for your vehicle by the time you get through it.

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Originally Posted by Rockinchef88

Have fun going down highway 49 in Mississippi. I thought Louisiana roads were bad till I went through there back in October. You might need a new suspension for your vehicle by the time you get through it.

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That is not what I want to hear! Part of me was wondering if we should just take I-20 all the way to Meridian, MS and then take 45 down to Mobile. But I haven't seen anyone suggest that route yet for people coming from the west. Everyone says to take 20 to Jackson and then 49 down to Hburg.

At 4:00 pm today, east bound I-10 was already backed up 1.5 miles at the tunnel and not much better in the bridge after you get out of the tunnel. And today is Wednesday.

Sounds like the making of a Chevy Chase movie.

When I go up to Clarke County, I go on up the Beach Express, then take 59 up to Bay Minette so I can cross back to the west on I65 over the Dolly Parton bridges. I've been stuck on the I 10 Bayway parking lot too many times, and heaven forbid there's a wreck instead of just normal traffic backup. Glad I don't have to deal with it eastbound.

Oops. Didn't mean to hijack the thread away from how to get to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach/Ft. Morgan. Just sayin' that I hate the I 10 Bayway. Will never, never, never, ever use it to evacuate from a storm.

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Originally Posted by john g

Sounds like the making of a Chevy Chase movie.

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http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com...tid=5050&stc=1

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Originally Posted by mforbesiii

That is not what I want to hear! Part of me was wondering if we should just take I-20 all the way to Meridian, MS and then take 45 down to Mobile. But I haven't seen anyone suggest that route yet for people coming from the west. Everyone says to take 20 to Jackson and then 49 down to Hburg.

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FYI 45 from Meridian to the Alabama line is all new construction 4 lane. No stop lights, 65 mph, and in better shape than I 20 even. Bypasses all the small towns till you get to Bama. You can make good time from Meridian to Mobile that way. I avoid 49 whenever possible, though that might be a little shorter for you. Too many small towns and stoplights for me, and as was said the road itself stinks.

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Originally Posted by MSBassist

FYI 45 from Meridian to the Alabama line is all new construction 4 lane. No stop lights, 65 mph, and in better shape than I 20 even. Bypasses all the small towns till you get to Bama. You can make good time from Meridian to Mobile that way. I avoid 49 whenever possible, though that might be a little shorter for you. Too many small towns and stoplights for me, and as was said the road itself stinks.

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I second taking 45 down from Meridian. Its a nice easy drive and its a great road til you get to the Alabama line. Its not all that far on the two lane and you will be able to cut across to I65 easily. Then I 165 and you will be able to choose either the old tunnel or the I 10 tunnel if you want to go that way or take I 65 north and hit hwy 59 down to I 10. I would definitely recommend taking the beach express. Its a lot faster and not nearly as many stop lights.

I'll third US45 from Meridian, but go on the I-165 spur and take the Bridge (marked as Hazmat route, I think it's exit 2 off 165. You'll get on I-10 east of the tunnels.

On a Saturday I would not take 59. From I-10 take either AL181 to 98 to CR65 to CR10, or the Beach Express.

Edit: BTW, take 158 (Industrial Pkwy) from US45 to I-65.

Edit2: Gas stations are not plentiful on US 45. Fill up in Meridian.

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Originally Posted by frednic

I'll third US45 from Meridian, but go on the I-165 spur and take the Bridge (marked as Hazmat route, I think it's exit 2 off 165. You'll get on I-10 east of the tunnels.

On a Saturday I would not take 59. From I-10 take either AL181 to 98 to CR65 to CR10, or the Beach Express.

Edit: BTW, take 158 (Industrial Pkwy) from US 45 to I-65.

Edit2: Gas stations are not plentiful on US 45. Fill up in Meridian.

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That's a good route to avoid the heavy traffic on the main hiways.
But you can avoid the tunnels altogether by taking the Hwy 43 (Hazmat) exit off the I-165 and crossing the Mobile River on the Cochran Bridge (Alt 90)
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.7401...0271447,12.79z

This rejoins Hwy 90/98 just east of the Bankhead tunnel and you can stay on that road (taking Hwy 31 East) from Spanish Fort all the way to Hwy 181.

It's an even better return route to avoid delays on I-10 westbound during peak traffic slowdowns ;-)

Pier#r, since you travel that frequently, would you take 181 or the Beach Express on a Saturday?

Hwy 181 usually isn't overly congested except north of Hwy 90.
There are several lights in that stretch but traffic rarely STOPS like it can on the other corridors.

Coming down on a Saturday the Beach Express may be a timesaver (over Hwy 59 or the 181 route) but IMHO it's not worth driving the extra miles east unless you are going into Orange Beach and then you still have to deal with Hwy 180 traffic.
Best bet is to try and avoid 'peak' traffic times whenever possible ;-)

We have a house that is 3 blocks from Tacky Jacks in Gulf Shores and we always take the beach express all the way to I10. Don't know if I'll live long enough to ever see it but am looking forward to the day when it goes al the way to I65.