 State Route 186 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algodones Road | ||||
 SR 186 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained byCaltrans | ||||
| Length | 2.070 mi[1] (3.331 km) | |||
| Existed | 1972[2]–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end | Mexican border nearAlgodones | |||
| North end |  I-8 nearWinterhaven | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | California | |||
| Counties | Imperial | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
State Route 186 (SR 186), also known asAlgodones Road, is astate highway in theU.S. state ofCalifornia that connectsInterstate 8 (I-8) inImperial County with theU.S.–Mexico border near theColorado River. Its southern terminus is at theAndrade Port of Entry, which connects it toLos Algodones, Baja California, and its northern terminus is nearWinterhaven, California, in the location of Araz Junction. The route is only 2.070 miles (3.331 km) long, heading along the length of theAlamo Canal and theAll-American Canal within the boundaries of theFort Yuma-Quechan Reservation. The route was assigned in 1972 in Imperial County, and the interchange with I-8 was constructed a year later.
SR 186 begins at theUnited States–Mexico border (near Avenue International) in the community ofLos Algodones. The route heads to the northeast along the Alamo Canal and crosses the center of the Fort Yuma-Quechan Reservation. Most of the surroundings of SR 186 are desolate, compared to the developed region across the border in Mexico. The highway continues northward, crossing theAll-American Canal, where it turns to the north. SR 186 continues northward to an interchange withI-8 inAraz Junction, where the route terminates at the northbound ramps. The route continues northward as locally maintained Araz Road.[3] Near the interchange is acasino operated by theQuechanNative American tribe that opened in 2009.[4]
SR 186 is part of theNational Highway System,[5] a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by theFederal Highway Administration.[6] In 2014, SR 186 had anannual average daily traffic (AADT) of 3,800 vehicles at the southern end, and 8,200 vehicles at the junction with I-8, the latter of which was the highest AADT for the highway.[7]
A road south from the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway to the Mexican border just west of theColorado River existed by 1917[8] and was paved between 1956 and 1965.[9][10] The Andrade Port of Entry at the southern end of the highway was built in 1970.[4] The current alignment of SR 186 was assigned in 1972 by theCalifornia State Legislature.[2]
There are two bridges along the alignment of SR 186. The first one to be constructed was a concrete slab bridge over the All-American Canal, which opened in 1938. The bridge is 140.09 feet (42.70 m) long and is considered unable to sustain the traffic it was designed to handle.[11] The second bridge is located at the interchange with I-8 in Araz Junction. This bridge, constructed in 1973 (a year after the route was assigned), is a 227.03-foot-long (69.20 m) concrete box beam structure. This structure, unlike the other, is recorded as being in usable shape.[12]
The entire route is inImperial County.
| Location | mi [1][7][13] | km | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | 0.00 | 0.00 | Mexico–United States border (Andrade Port of Entry) | Continues beyond theinternational border as Calle 2 | |
| Araz Junction | 2.07 | 3.33 | I-8 | Northern terminus; exit 166 on I-8 | |
 CR S24 (Araz Road) | Continuation beyond I-8; Araz Road is the former US 80 | ||||
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
