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Nevada State Route 118

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Nevada State Route 118 is an approximately 3.48-mile rural highway located in Churchill County.  Nevada State Route 118 begins at Harrigan Road (former US Route 50 and current Nevada State Route 115) and extends eastward along Wildes Road to New River Canal at the northern boundary of Naval Air Station Fallon.  This corridor was originally designated in 1939 in Nevada State Route 62 which served the air station radio range.  The current highway number of 118 was designated as part of the 1976 Nevada State Highway renumbering.  




Part 1; the history of Nevada State Route 118

Nevada State Route 118 follows Wildes Road east from Schurz Highway (US Route 95) from the outskirts of Fallon.  Wildes Road was constructed alongside the L Line Canal which connects to Stillwater Slough.  

Wildes Road can be seen alongside L Line Canal east from Fallon to Stillwater Slough on the 1908 United States Geological Survey map of Carson Sink.  Wildes Road is shown to cross the Old Carson River channel near Harmon Road.


The predecessor designation to Nevada State Route 118 was Nevada State Route 62.  Nevada State Route 62 first appears on the 1940 Nevada Department of Highways map and was commissioned in 1939.  Nevada State Route 62 began at US Route 50 (Harrigan Road) and followed Wildes Road approximately 3.5 miles to the east. 


The 1951 United States Geological Survey map of Carson Sink displays the terminus of Nevada State Route 62 at New River Canal.  Wildes Road is shown to continue a short distance east to the Naval Auxiliary Air Station Fallon radio range. 


The 1957-1958 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial reported as having conducted a study and contracted to realign US Route 50 north of Naval Auxiliary Air Station Fallon.  The purpose of the realignment was to permit runway expansion over Berney Road.  The project was requested and fully funded by the Navy.  



The new then new alignment of US Route 50 bypassing Naval Auxiliary Air Station Fallon was completed in 1959.  The new realignment followed Williams Avenue east from Maine Street in downtown Fallon and bypassed the air station to the north.  US Route 50 consolidated back in with the existing Austin Highway near Grimes Point east of the air station.  

The then new alignment of US Route 50 east of Fallon bypassing Naval Auxiliary Air Station can be seen on the 1960 Nevada Department of Highways map.  A portion of Nevada State Route 42 east of downtown Fallon was repurposed as part of the realignment US Route 50. 


The 1969 Nevada Department of Highways map of Churchill County displays Wildes Road as having been extended from the terminus of Nevada State Route 62 to US Route 50.  The non-State Highway portion of Wildes Road is shown to be a gravel surface.  


On July 1, 1976, the Nevada State Highway Renumbering took place.  Nevada State Route 62 was renumbered as Nevada State Route 118.  The modern State Highway corridor has never been extended eastward to US Route 50. 



Part 2; a drive on Nevada State Route 118

Nevada State Route 118 begins on Wildes Road east of Harrigan Road (Nevada State Route 115). 


Nevada State Route 118 departs the Fallon area heading eastward and intersects Pasture Road.  Pasture Road is signed as being the primary access route to Naval Air Station Fallon.  







Nevada State Route 118 terminates along Wildes Road at New River Canal.  Wildes Road continues for approximately 2 miles east to US Route 50.  


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