California State Route 86

Infobox road
state=CA
type=SR
route=86
section=386
maint=Caltrans

---

length_mi=90.67
length_ref= [http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/structur/strmaint/brlog2.htm January 1, 2006 California Log of Bridges on State Highways] ]
length_round=2
established=1964 renumbering (from US 99) [http://cahighways.org/081-088.html#086 California Highways: State Route 86] ]
direction_a=South
terminus_a=jct|state=CA|SR|111 near Calexico
junction=jct|state=CA|I|8 in El Centro
jct|state=CA|SR|78 in Brawley
direction_b=North
terminus_b=jct|state=CA|SR|111|BL|10|dab2=Indio in Indio
previous_type=SR
previous_route=85
next_type=SR
next_route=86S

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.

This route is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System [http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=shc&group=00001-01000&file=250-257 CA Codes (shc:250-257)] ] .

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"Fact|date=December 2007) 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.

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."

References

External links

* [http://www.westcoastroads.com/california/ca-086.html California @ WestCoastRoads.com - State Route 86]
* [http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/sr86 Caltrans: Route 86 highway conditions]
* [http://www.cahighways.org/081-088.html#086 California Highways: SR 86]