End of US highway 331 |
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Summa
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1952-present
Mileage: in 1989 AASHTO listed a figure of 155 miles for US 331. That closely matches our own 2020 measurement, which yielded 151.8 miles (reroutings and realignments likely explain the difference).
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There was a different US 331 included among the original routes of 1926.
Today's US 331 was commissioned much later; its north end is in Montgomery. Today it comes in from the south on Court Street, and ends at the intersection with South Boulevard. This photo shows a sign assembly posted on the approach to that intersection: 
Nitzman, 2000 (unchanged as of 2014)
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That is because there are too many other routes to mention them all on the assembly erected at South Blvd itself... which, at that point, serves as US 80-82:
Karners, Apr. 2014
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That shot was looking north on Court, at the South Blvd junction. Note the slot for an arrow below the US 331 sign: from 1979 until 1990 -- instead of "End 331" -- it read "North 331 (right arrow)." US 331 continued to the right there for about a half-mile, and then north again on Norman Bridge Road (more about historic endpoints on the Montgomery page). Here is the signage for the current north beginning of US 331 from the perspective of both eastbound and westbound traffic:
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Nitzman, Dec. 2009
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There, South Blvd. continues into the background, while US 331 begins to the south on Court. Drivers making that turn immediately see the first southbound confirming marker:
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Karners, Apr. 2014
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From Montgomery, US 331 heads southward to the Gulf, through only small towns and rural areas. The south end of US 331 is at its junction with US 98, outside Santa Rosa Beach. Here are a few shots taken heading west on US 98 (more info about Florida's colored shields on this page):
Summa, 1978
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McDonald, Oct. 2004
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Nitzman, Oct. 2016
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Here we are looking the opposite direction (east on US 98):
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McDonald, Oct. 2004
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Nitzman, Oct. 2016
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US 331 begins to the left; travelers who take that turn will soon see the first northbound reassurance marker:
Nitzman, July 2006
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Nitzman, Oct. 2016
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Heading the opposite direction from there are these signs at the south end of US 331. Despite the name, this is not exactly located on a "beach", nor are we in a "town". This area has a "Santa Rosa Beach" postal address, but the center of that unincorporated community is a couple miles west (right) from this junction. It is not actually on a beach, either; the Gulf of Mexico is about two miles straight ahead (as the crow flies). As the car drives, the closest beach access would be to go right, and then south to Blue Gulf Beach (about three miles), or left and then south to Grayton Beach (about four miles):
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McDonald, Oct. 2004
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Nitzman, Oct. 2016
Research and/or photo credits: Jake Bear; Adam Froehlig; Brent Ivy; Karin and Martin Karner; Larry McDonald; Alex Nitzman; Dale Sanderson; Michael Summa
Page originally created 2000;
last updated Nov. 28, 2021.
last updated Nov. 28, 2021.
