Travel question--re SH 98 to Hattisburg (Mobile, Jackson: construction, restaurants, law)

[loves2read]

We have been driving back and forth to FL from DFW TX area for a year now and using I-10 from Lafayette through Mobile into Lake City FL and going south and vice versa...
I-10 from Lake City to Mobile is not problem really but the run from Mobile to Lafayette is just horrible...

The last time there were three wrecks that slowed down traffic and made driving even more dangerous with people trying to jump into spots to eak out a milimeter of improvement for 10 min then jumping back...

This time we are considering going north from Mobile on SH 98 to Hattisburg, taking SH 49 from there to Jackson and catching I-20 into Dallas...

We came that way years ago when going to DisneyWorld with the kids but don't remember much (except ginormous rain storm outside Hattisburg) and wouldn't be that relevant if we did...

Anyone have insight about quality of road surface, construction WEST/NORTH bound, speed traps or anything else to know before we make the trip next week?

[Mobilemom52]

I'm sure that there are folks who are far more familiar than I with that route; however, I did make the Mobile - Shreveport portion of that trip recently. You always need to be careful on what we refer to "Bloody 98", as it seems to have more than its fair share of accidents. The trip to Hattiesburg is boring (my daughter attended So. Miss for a year, so we made that trip often) but we didn't encounter any difficulties. Hwy. 49 was uneventful, at least for us, though there has been some flooding as a result of the horrible rain the area had a few days ago. Here is a helpful website that gives traffic conditions: US 49 Traffic Conditions Mississippi

I don't blame you for trying to avoid the portion of I-10 you mention. We go back and forth to Baton Rouge frequently, and everything always grinds to a halt in BR, with at least one huge slowdown either Eastbound or Westbound every trip.

[txtoal]

My spouse is from Mobile so we make the trip frequently between FW and Mobile. Since we go so much, I always ask if we can switch up the drive because I get bored to tears with the same redundant drive over and over. We usually go to Mobile first and then 85 miles northeast to see family so our routes are almost always different going there and back.

The quickest way is the route you suggested. 98 out of Mobile to Hattisburg, 49 to Jackson and I-20 to DFW. The drive is really boring but almost always uneventful.
Another option is from 45 out of Mobile to Meridian, MS to I-20 to DFW as well, it's a little further, about 30 minutes difference but same thing, boring and uneventful.
As for speed traps, I can't think of any....in fact, we rarely see any law enforcement except in towns/cities or on 1-20 and no construction that I recall but as for road surface, you might encounter some bad/uneven road surface. Jackson and Shreveport IMO have some crappy roads, especially on I-20.

I try to convince my husband to take different routes to get a change of scenery and see new things....sometimes I'm successful, other times I am not. We almost always go the route from Shreveport to Lafayette to Mobile so I can get a daiquiri at a drive through, as well as some other stops but you are right, the traffic is almost always bad.

We've even gone 84, the El Camino Corridor....now that is a looooong drive.

[unstoppablemobile]

Another option (2 of em really) is I-10 westbound to Hwy 49 (Biloxi) northward to Hattiesburg. Or even further west to Slidell I-12 begins and west to Hammond then north at Hammond on I-55 to Jackson and then on your original route. I do admit, the drive from Denham Springs (just east of BR) to west of the Mississippi is HELL on Earth! But travel that way..yes you'll spend 45 minutes more on the road but you can try the following: (April/May: Sold in Hammond, Ponchatoula, Amite...Ponchatoula Strawberries...best there is, (May til August) Lots of locations in St Tammany/Tangipahoa for Washington Parish watermelons...they are loooong and so dang sweet. Also in Hammond, you have (all 3 on two of the main 4-lane highways there and 5 mins from I-55) three unique and they are totally different in style and taste BBQ restaurants. Hi-Ho BBQ (which is not like any BBQ you have ever tried..you'll love it (like I do!) or hate it), Old McDonalds (the bbq hamburger is the s***!), and Voo Doo. Also traveling west...if you choose not to get that far west, visit Grand Bay and the farmers stands with their great watermelons and mouth watering tomatoes just a mile north of I-10, and visit Sam's Super Burger...there is one 2 miles north or south of I-10 at the Grand Bay exit..best dang fast food in the entire area bar none!

[Mobilemom52]

Originally Posted by unstoppablemobile

Another option (2 of em really) is I-10 westbound to Hwy 49 (Biloxi) northward to Hattiesburg. Or even further west to Slidell I-12 begins and west to Hammond then north at Hammond on I-55 to Jackson and then on your original route. I do admit, the drive from Denham Springs (just east of BR) to west of the Mississippi is HELL on Earth! But travel that way..yes you'll spend 45 minutes more on the road but you can try the following: (April/May: Sold in Hammond, Ponchatoula, Amite...Ponchatoula Strawberries...best there is, (May til August) Lots of locations in St Tammany/Tangipahoa for Washington Parish watermelons...they are loooong and so dang sweet. Also in Hammond, you have (all 3 on two of the main 4-lane highways there and 5 mins from I-55) three unique and they are totally different in style and taste BBQ restaurants. Hi-Ho BBQ (which is not like any BBQ you have ever tried..you'll love it (like I do!) or hate it), Old McDonalds (the bbq hamburger is the s***!), and Voo Doo. Also traveling west...if you choose not to get that far west, visit Grand Bay and the farmers stands with their great watermelons and mouth watering tomatoes just a mile north of I-10, and visit Sam's Super Burger...there is one 2 miles north or south of I-10 at the Grand Bay exit..best dang fast food in the entire area bar none!

That's one way to deal with a long, boring drive... eat your way there!!!

[brownbagg]

mobile to hattiburg is a nice ride since it been made four lane all the way. twoo hour ride, not much traffic. its nice