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Pole Line Road (Fresno County and Merced County)

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Pole Line Road is an approximately 7.5-mile rural highway which fronts the California Aqueduct and Interstate 5 in Fresno County and Merced County.  Pole Line Road was originally constructed in the early 20th century as a roadway from the Oil City near Coalinga to Oil Pump Station #5 west of Mercy Springs Road.  The highway was truncated to Nees Avenue and Mercy Springs Road (California State Route 165) as part of the construction of the Dos Amigos Pumping Plant circa 1963-1966.  




Part 1; the history of Pole Line Road

Pole Line Road was constructed sometime between 1914 and 1920 as a western flank of San Joaquin Valley.  The Pole Line Road originated in the Oil City north of Coalinga in the Kettleman Hills of Fresno County.  From the Kettleman Hills the highway fronted utility lines and an oil pipeline towards an oil pumping station located a short distance west of Mercy Springs Road (now California State Route 165) in Merced County.  

The Pole Line Road can be seen branching in both directions of Nees Avenue (denoted by blue pin) west of Firebaugh on the 1921 United States Geological Survey map of Laguna Seca Ranch.


The Pole Line Road can be seen on the 1922 United States Geological Survey map of Charleston School continuing northwest of the Fresno/Merced County line to Mercy Springs Road (denoted by blue pin). 



The same 1922 map shows Pole Line Road continuing northwest of Mercy Springs Road and crossing Ortigalita Creek (denoted via blue pin).


The 1920 United States Geological Survey map of Carrisalito Spring displays the Pole Line Road terminating near Oil Pump Station #5 of the Central Valley Pipeline.  This pump station is located at the intersection of what is now Mervel Avenue and Arburua Road.  


The 1935 Division of Highways map of Fresno County displays Pole Line Road originating at California State Route 33 (Derrick Avenue) near the Oil City in Township 18 South, Range 15 East.  The corridor is shown to largely follow a straight northwest trajectory towards the Merced County line at Township 12 South, Range 11 East.




Pole Line Road was truncated to the most traveled portion of the corridor between Nees Avenue-Mercy Springs Road circa 1963-1966 amid construction of the Dos Amigos Pumping Plant.  Said pumping plant is part of the California Aqueduct and provides fluid head for water to flow 95 miles south towards Coastal Branch split near Kettleman City.  Modern Pole Line Road is one of the few reliably maintained frontage roads of Interstate 5 in San Joaquin Valley.  



Part 2; a drive on Pipe Line Road

Northbound Pipe Line Road begins via a right-hand turn from Nees Avenue approaching the California Aqueduct in Fresno County.  


Northbound Pipe Line Road quickly enters Merced County.  






Pipe Line Road crosses over the California Aqueduct and intersects Eagle Field Road.  What is now Eagle Field was activated on June 24, 1943, as an Army Airfield.  Eagle Field was assigned to the West Coast Training Center and had three turf runways.  The airfield would be deactivated before World War II ended in December 1944.  Following the war the field was repurposed numerous times and recently was purchased by Eagle Field LLC during early 2025. 






Pole Line Road crosses the California Aqueduct again within view of the Dos Amigos Pumping Plant. 








The Dos Amigos Pumping Plant from Interstate 5. 


Pole Line Road continues north to a terminus at California State Route 165.  Traffic can make a left-hand turn to take a short jog to Interstate 5.  






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