U.S. Route 90

U.S. Route 90 is an east-west United States highway. Despite the "0" in its route number, US 90 never was a full coast-to-coast route; it has always ended at Van Horn, Texas. A short-lived northward extension to Pine Springs, Texas lasted less than a year, and the signs on that segment were likely never changed.

On August 29, 2005, substantial portions of the highway in Mississippi and Louisiana were destroyed due to Hurricane Katrina.

Termini

As of 2004, the highway's eastern terminus is in Jacksonville Beach, Florida at an intersection with Florida State Road A1A three blocks from the Atlantic Ocean. Its western terminus is in Van Horn, Texas at an intersection with Interstate 10 and Texas State Highway 54. US 90 formerly terminated at its junction with US 80, however the western segments of that highway have been decommissioned in favor of Interstate 10 and Interstate 20.Endpoints of US highways

Alternate routes

U.S. Route 90 Alternate in Texas has an eastern terminus in Houston. Its western terminus is west of Seguin, near San Antonio. While the main line of US 90 parallels Interstate 10, passing through Luling, Alternate US 90 veers to the south to serve Gonzales, Hallettsville, Rosenberg, Richmond, Sugar Land, Stafford, and Missouri City. From there, the route parallels US 59 towards Houston, where Alternate US 90 is a major arterial route.

In the State of Florida US 90 shifts south in Escambia County towards Pensacola while Alternate US 90 stay to the north of the city. This is also known as Nine Mile Road and is heavily traveled. After Hurricane Ivan destroyed the I 10 Bridge in Northwest Florida, traffic jams on this road could be as long as 2 hours trying to cross the Escambia bridge between Santa Rosa county and Escambia.

States traversed

The highway passes through the following states:

Florida
Alabama. U.S. 90 is paired with unsigned State Route 16 throughout Alabama.
Mississippi
Louisiana
Texas

Cities traversed

Intersections

U.S. Highway 90 Business
U.S. Highway 11 in New Orleans, Louisiana
I-10 in New Orleans, Louisiana
I-510 in New Orleans, Louisiana

Hurricane Katrina

The US 90 bridge between Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi and Pass Christian, Mississippi, as well as the bridge between Biloxi, Mississippi and Ocean Springs, Mississippi was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. Part of Highyway 90 was damaged along the Causeway on Mobile Bay in Baldwin County, AL. Sections of the highway in Harrison County, Mississippi , including other bridges and much of the roadbed, was damaged or destroyed. The Rigolets Bridge across the Chef Menteur Pass in New Orleans East was damaged and remains closed as of February of 2006. Some sections of the highway in New Orleans, Louisiana were unpassable under flood waters for weeks due to the general flooding of that city; see Effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans. The Crescent City Connection bridge over the Mississippi River in New Orleans, also known as Business US 90, remained intact and was the only usable route out of that city in the immediate aftermath of the storm, but was blocked off by Jefferson Parish and Gretna law enforcement officials in a politically controversial move.

As of March 2006, Mississippi Department of Transportation officials have finalized plans for the Biloxi-Ocean Springs replacement. The bridge will be 85 feet tall at its highest point and will carry six lanes and two emergency lanes.

As of April 12, 2006, construction is underway on the replacement for the Bay St. Louis bridge.^* It will have four lanes and two emergency shoulders. It will also stand 85 feet high at its highest point.

Miscellaneous

US 90 has seven exits on Interstate 10 in the State of Florida.

Related US Routes

References and external links

US-90 Photo Website, by John Preble

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