California State Route 86
Encyclopedia
State Route 86 is a north–south state highway
in the southeastern desert
region of Southern California
, United States
. It runs from State Route 111, near the Mexican border crossing at Calexico, north through the Imperial Valley via El Centro and Brawley, and around the west side of the Salton Sea
into the Coachella Valley
. It joins State Route 111 at Coachella and heads into Indio, ending at the intersection of Indio Boulevard and Avenue 46, where SR 111 turns west onto Avenue 46. (The locally-maintained Interstate 10 Business continues northwest on Indio Boulevard, as did SR 86 before that road was removed from the state highway system.)
The legal definition of SR 86 takes it to Interstate 10 in Indio. The route has not done this since it was truncated to Avenue 46, but the State Route 86S
expressway
, which will replace SR 86 around the east side of Coachella and Indio, does reach I-10.
.
SR 86 begins at an intersection with SR 111 just east of the town of Heber
as Heber Road. After traveling west through Heber and intersecting CR S31, SR 86 turns north and enters the city of El Centro
as 4th Street, having an interchange with I-8. Passing through downtown El Centro, SR 86 intersects Main Street (CR S80) before curving to the west as Adams Avenue. The highway continues north on Imperial Avenue before entering the city of Imperial
and passing by Imperial County Airport
. SR 86 continues north through Imperial before leaving the city limits.
North of Imperial, SR 86 intersects CR S27 before making a turn to the northeast and entering the city of Brawley
. It passes to the west of downtown as Western Avenue before turning west onto Main Street and running concurrently with SR 78. SR 78 and 86 turn northwest before passing through the city of Westmoreland and intersecting CR S30. After briefly turning west, SR 78 and 86 turn northwest again and pass through Elmore and Kane Spring
before SR 78 turns west towards San Diego County
and SR 86 continues northwest along the western edge of the Salton Sea
, intersecting CR S22. SR 86 passes through Torres Martinez Indian Reservation and Coolidge Spring before entering Riverside County
.
Just north of the county line in Oasis, SR 86S continues north on an expressway, bypassing Indio
and Palm Desert
and connecting directly to I-10. SR 86 leaves the expressway and continues west on 81st Street and then northwest on Harrison Street. SR 86 continues northwest to the southern terminus of SR 195 before passing through One Hundred Palms and Sandy Korner, near the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport
. SR 86 then enters Coachella
, passing through downtown before running concurrently with SR 111 as Grapefruit Boulevard. SR 86 and 111 have been decommissioned in the city of Indio, but the routing continues as Indio Boulevard all the way to I-10.
Originally a part of U.S. Route 99 until the 1960s, the northern end of 86 was widened and rerouted through the new and rather unusually numbered "86S Expressway" (for "supplemental") soon after the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA), making Highway 86 a four- or six-lane highway for most of its length. Since it is easier to enter California from the Imperial Valley rather than through San Diego, 86 sees a great deal of truck traffic to and from Mexico, earning it still another nickname, "The NAFTA Highway". Unfortunately, the new highway has proven to be at least as dangerous as the old alignment owing to much the same problems of poorly marked and uncontrolled side roads. A rash of fatal crashes in early 2005 has prompted the city of Coachella to push Caltrans for the installation of at least two more traffic signals on 86S.
{| class=wikitable
!County
!Location
!Postmile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=15|Imperial
IMP R0.00-67.82
|
|R0.00
|Heber Road
|Continuation beyond SR 111
|-
|
|R0.00
|
|
|-
|Heber
|2.08
|
|
|-
|rowspan=3|El Centro
|bgcolor=#ddffdd|6.01
|bgcolor=#ddffdd| – Yuma
, San Diego
|bgcolor=#ddffdd|Interchange; south end of I-8 Bus. overlap
|-bgcolor=#ddffdd
|L7.31
|
|South end of CR S80 overlap
|-bgcolor=#ddffdd
|L8.53
7.31
|
|North end of CR S80 / I-8 Bus. overlap
|-
|Imperial
|10.82
|
|
|-
|
|15.32
|
|
|-
|Brawley
|bgcolor=#ddffdd|20.63
|bgcolor=#ddffdd|
|bgcolor=#ddffdd|South end of SR 78 overlap
|-
|rowspan=2|Westmorland
|
|
|
|-
|27.51
|
|
|-
|
|bgcolor=#ddffdd|43.56
|bgcolor=#ddffdd|
|bgcolor=#ddffdd|North end of SR 78 overlap
|-
|Salton City
|56.12
|, Anza-Borrego
, Park Headquarters
|
|-
|
|63.63
|Brawley Avenue – Salton Sea Beach
|
|-
|Desert Shores
|66.14
|Desert Shores Drive
|
|-
|rowspan=8|Riverside
RIV 0.00-G22.85
|
|R3.48
|
|
|-
|
|5.75
|
|
|-
|
|12.28
|66th Avenue
|Former SR 231
|-
|rowspan=2|Coachella
|bgcolor=#ddffdd|20.52
|bgcolor=#ddffdd|
|bgcolor=#ddffdd|South end of SR 111 overlap
|-bgcolor=#ddffdd
|rowspan=2|
|rowspan=2|.svg.png)
Dillon Road (I-10 Bus. east), Avenue 48 to I-10
– Desert Center
, Blythe
|rowspan=2|South end of I-10 Bus. overlap
|-
|rowspan=3|Indio
|-bgcolor=#ddffdd
|G22.85
|
|North end of SR 111 overlap
|-
|G22.85
|
|Continuation beyond SR 111; former SR 86 north
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in the southeastern desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
region of Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It runs from State Route 111, near the Mexican border crossing at Calexico, north through the Imperial Valley via El Centro and Brawley, and around the west side of the Salton Sea
Salton Sea
The Salton Sea is a shallow, saline, endorheic rift lake located directly on the San Andreas Fault, predominantly in California's Imperial Valley. The lake occupies the lowest elevations of the Salton Sink in the Colorado Desert of Imperial and Riverside counties in Southern California. Like Death...
into the Coachella Valley
Coachella Valley
Coachella Valley is a large valley landform in Southern California. The valley extends for approximately 45 miles in Riverside County southeast from the San Bernardino Mountains to the saltwater Salton Sea, the largest lake in California...
. It joins State Route 111 at Coachella and heads into Indio, ending at the intersection of Indio Boulevard and Avenue 46, where SR 111 turns west onto Avenue 46. (The locally-maintained Interstate 10 Business continues northwest on Indio Boulevard, as did SR 86 before that road was removed from the state highway system.)
The legal definition of SR 86 takes it to Interstate 10 in Indio. The route has not done this since it was truncated to Avenue 46, but the State Route 86S
State Route 86S (California)
State Route 86S is an expressway in the U.S. state of California that runs through the Coachella Valley. In the future this will become State Route 86; however, this is currently a bypass of it. State Route 195 was supposed to be removed from the state highway system when this road was completed...
expressway
Limited-access road
A limited-access road known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway , including limited or no access to adjacent...
, which will replace SR 86 around the east side of Coachella and Indio, does reach I-10.
Route description
SR 86 is part of the California Freeway and Expressway SystemCalifornia Freeway and Expressway System
The California Freeway and Expressway System is a system of existing or planned freeways and expressways in the U.S. state of California. It is defined by the Streets and Highways Code.-List of roads in the system:*State Route 1 *State Route 2...
.
SR 86 begins at an intersection with SR 111 just east of the town of Heber
Heber, California
Heber is a census-designated place in Imperial County, California. Heber is located north-northwest of Calexico. The population was 4,275 at the 2010 census, up from 2,566 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Heber is located at ....
as Heber Road. After traveling west through Heber and intersecting CR S31, SR 86 turns north and enters the city of El Centro
El Centro, California
El Centro is a city in and county seat of Imperial County, the largest city in the Imperial Valley and the east anchor of the Southern California Border Region, and the core urban area and principal city of the El Centro metropolitan area which encompasses all of Imperial County. El Centro is also...
as 4th Street, having an interchange with I-8. Passing through downtown El Centro, SR 86 intersects Main Street (CR S80) before curving to the west as Adams Avenue. The highway continues north on Imperial Avenue before entering the city of Imperial
Imperial, California
Imperial is a city in Imperial County, California. Imperial is located north of El Centro. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 14,758. It is part of the El Centro metropolitan area. The City of Imperial is a bustling center in the Imperial Valley due to its central location in The...
and passing by Imperial County Airport
Imperial County Airport
Imperial County Airport , also known as Boley Field, is a public airport located partially in the city of Imperial and partially in an unincorporated area in Imperial County, California, United States. The airport is located 0.94 miles south of the central business district of Imperial. The...
. SR 86 continues north through Imperial before leaving the city limits.
North of Imperial, SR 86 intersects CR S27 before making a turn to the northeast and entering the city of Brawley
Brawley, California
Brawley is a city in Imperial County, California, United States. Brawley is located north of El Centro. The population was 24,953 at the 2010 census, up from 22,052 at the 2000 census. The town has a significant cattle and feed industry, and hosts the annual Cattle Call Rodeo. Year-round...
. It passes to the west of downtown as Western Avenue before turning west onto Main Street and running concurrently with SR 78. SR 78 and 86 turn northwest before passing through the city of Westmoreland and intersecting CR S30. After briefly turning west, SR 78 and 86 turn northwest again and pass through Elmore and Kane Spring
Kane Spring, California
Kane Spring is an unincorporated community in Imperial County, California...
before SR 78 turns west towards San Diego County
San Diego County, California
San Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...
and SR 86 continues northwest along the western edge of the Salton Sea
Salton Sea
The Salton Sea is a shallow, saline, endorheic rift lake located directly on the San Andreas Fault, predominantly in California's Imperial Valley. The lake occupies the lowest elevations of the Salton Sink in the Colorado Desert of Imperial and Riverside counties in Southern California. Like Death...
, intersecting CR S22. SR 86 passes through Torres Martinez Indian Reservation and Coolidge Spring before entering Riverside County
Riverside County, California
Riverside County is a county in the U.S. state of California. One of 58 California counties, it covers in the southern part of the state, and stretches from Orange County to the Colorado River, which forms the state border with Arizona. The county derives its name from the city of Riverside,...
.
Just north of the county line in Oasis, SR 86S continues north on an expressway, bypassing Indio
Indio, California
Indio is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, located in the Coachella Valley of Southern California's Colorado Desert region. It lies east of Palm Springs, east of Riverside, and east of Los Angeles. It is about north of Mexicali, Baja California on the U.S.-Mexican border...
and Palm Desert
Palm Desert, California
Palm Desert is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, in the Coachella Valley, approximately east of Palm Springs. The population was 48,445 at the 2010 census, up from 41,155 at the 2000 census...
and connecting directly to I-10. SR 86 leaves the expressway and continues west on 81st Street and then northwest on Harrison Street. SR 86 continues northwest to the southern terminus of SR 195 before passing through One Hundred Palms and Sandy Korner, near the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport
Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport
Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport is a public airport located in Thermal, California, 20 miles southeast of Palm Springs.Built during World War II and used by both the US Army and US Navy, Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport has had several name changes. As a civilian facility, it was called...
. SR 86 then enters Coachella
Coachella, California
Coachella is a city in Riverside County, California; it is the easternmost city in the region collectively known as the Coachella Valley...
, passing through downtown before running concurrently with SR 111 as Grapefruit Boulevard. SR 86 and 111 have been decommissioned in the city of Indio, but the routing continues as Indio Boulevard all the way to I-10.
History
In the late 20th century, 86 had a rather notorious reputation for frequent and often fatal collisions. For much of its length, especially between the southern tip of the Coachella Valley to the Imperial County line, 86 was a two-lane road with easy access from rural side roads. A driver trying to pass might find himself headed straight for the side of another vehicle pulling out from one of the side roads. This reputation earned 86 the nickname "Blood Alley".Originally a part of U.S. Route 99 until the 1960s, the northern end of 86 was widened and rerouted through the new and rather unusually numbered "86S Expressway" (for "supplemental") soon after the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement
North American Free Trade Agreement
The North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada – United States Free Trade Agreement...
(NAFTA), making Highway 86 a four- or six-lane highway for most of its length. Since it is easier to enter California from the Imperial Valley rather than through San Diego, 86 sees a great deal of truck traffic to and from Mexico, earning it still another nickname, "The NAFTA Highway". Unfortunately, the new highway has proven to be at least as dangerous as the old alignment owing to much the same problems of poorly marked and uncontrolled side roads. A rash of fatal crashes in early 2005 has prompted the city of Coachella to push Caltrans for the installation of at least two more traffic signals on 86S.
Major intersections
- Note: Except where prefixed with a letter, postmiles were measured in 1964, based on the alignment as it existed at that time, and do not necessarily reflect current mileage. The numbers reset at county lines; the start and end postmiles in each county are given in the county column.
{| class=wikitable
!County
!Location
!Postmile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=15|Imperial
Imperial County, California
Imperial County is a county located in the Imperial Valley, in the far southeast of the U.S. state of California, bordering both Arizona and Mexico. It is part of the El Centro Metropolitan Area, which encompasses all of Imperial County. The population as of 2000 was 142,361. The county seat is the...
IMP R0.00-67.82
|
|R0.00
|Heber Road
|Continuation beyond SR 111
|-
|
|R0.00
|
|
|-
|Heber
Heber, California
Heber is a census-designated place in Imperial County, California. Heber is located north-northwest of Calexico. The population was 4,275 at the 2010 census, up from 2,566 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Heber is located at ....
|2.08
|
|
|-
|rowspan=3|El Centro
El Centro, California
El Centro is a city in and county seat of Imperial County, the largest city in the Imperial Valley and the east anchor of the Southern California Border Region, and the core urban area and principal city of the El Centro metropolitan area which encompasses all of Imperial County. El Centro is also...
|bgcolor=#ddffdd|6.01
|bgcolor=#ddffdd| – Yuma
Yuma, Arizona
Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of the state, and the population of the city was 77,515 at the 2000 census, with a 2008 Census Bureau estimated population of 90,041....
, San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
|bgcolor=#ddffdd|Interchange; south end of I-8 Bus. overlap
|-bgcolor=#ddffdd
|L7.31
|
|South end of CR S80 overlap
|-bgcolor=#ddffdd
|L8.53
7.31
|
|North end of CR S80 / I-8 Bus. overlap
|-
|Imperial
Imperial, California
Imperial is a city in Imperial County, California. Imperial is located north of El Centro. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 14,758. It is part of the El Centro metropolitan area. The City of Imperial is a bustling center in the Imperial Valley due to its central location in The...
|10.82
|
|
|-
|
|15.32
|
|
|-
|Brawley
Brawley, California
Brawley is a city in Imperial County, California, United States. Brawley is located north of El Centro. The population was 24,953 at the 2010 census, up from 22,052 at the 2000 census. The town has a significant cattle and feed industry, and hosts the annual Cattle Call Rodeo. Year-round...
|bgcolor=#ddffdd|20.63
|bgcolor=#ddffdd|
|bgcolor=#ddffdd|South end of SR 78 overlap
|-
|rowspan=2|Westmorland
Westmorland, California
Westmorland is a city in Imperial County, California. Westmorland is located southwest of Calipatria, The population was 2,225 at the 2010 census, up from 2,131 at the 2000 census...
|
|
|
|-
|27.51
|
|
|-
|
|bgcolor=#ddffdd|43.56
|bgcolor=#ddffdd|
|bgcolor=#ddffdd|North end of SR 78 overlap
|-
|Salton City
Salton City, California
Salton City is a census-designated place in Imperial County, California. The population was 3,763 at the 2010 census, up from 978 at the 2000 census. It is the largest Imperial County development on the Salton coast. It is part of the El Centro, California Metropolitan Statistical Area...
|56.12
|, Anza-Borrego
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is a state park located within the Colorado Desert of Southern California. The park takes its name from 18th century, Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and borrego, the Spanish word for bighorn sheep...
, Park Headquarters
|
|-
|
|63.63
|Brawley Avenue – Salton Sea Beach
Salton Sea Beach, California
Salton Sea Beach is a census-designated place in Imperial County, California. Salton Sea Beach is located southeast of Desert Shores, The population was 422 at the 2010 census, up from 392 at the 2000 census. It is part of the El Centro, California Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:The...
|
|-
|Desert Shores
Desert Shores, California
Desert Shores is a census-designated place in Imperial County, California. It is located on Salton Sea west-northwest of Calipatria. It is part of the El Centro, California Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,104 at the 2010 census, up from 792 at the 2000...
|66.14
|Desert Shores Drive
|
|-
|rowspan=8|Riverside
Riverside County, California
Riverside County is a county in the U.S. state of California. One of 58 California counties, it covers in the southern part of the state, and stretches from Orange County to the Colorado River, which forms the state border with Arizona. The county derives its name from the city of Riverside,...
RIV 0.00-G22.85
|
|R3.48
|
|
|-
|
|5.75
|
|
|-
|
|12.28
|66th Avenue
|Former SR 231
|-
|rowspan=2|Coachella
Coachella, California
Coachella is a city in Riverside County, California; it is the easternmost city in the region collectively known as the Coachella Valley...
|bgcolor=#ddffdd|20.52
|bgcolor=#ddffdd|
|bgcolor=#ddffdd|South end of SR 111 overlap
|-bgcolor=#ddffdd
|rowspan=2|
|rowspan=2|
Interstate 10 in California
Interstate 10 , the major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States, runs in the U.S. state of California east from Santa Monica, on the Pacific Ocean, through Los Angeles and San Bernardino to the border with Arizona...
– Desert Center
Desert Center, California
-"Desert Steve" Ragsdale:The town was founded in 1921 by Stephen A. Ragsdale, also known as “Desert Steve”, and his wife, Lydia. Ragsdale was an itinerant preacher and cotton farmer, originally from Arkansas. In 1915, he left his farm in the Palo Verde Valley along the Colorado River to attend to...
, Blythe
Blythe, California
Blythe is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, in the "Palo Verde Valley" of the Lower Colorado River Valley region, an agricultural area and part of the Colorado Desert along the Colorado River. Blythe was named after Thomas Blythe, a gold prospector who established primary...
|rowspan=2|South end of I-10 Bus. overlap
|-
|rowspan=3|Indio
Indio, California
Indio is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, located in the Coachella Valley of Southern California's Colorado Desert region. It lies east of Palm Springs, east of Riverside, and east of Los Angeles. It is about north of Mexicali, Baja California on the U.S.-Mexican border...
|-bgcolor=#ddffdd
|G22.85
|
|North end of SR 111 overlap
|-
|G22.85
|
|Continuation beyond SR 111; former SR 86 north