California State Route 98 is a fifty-seven-mile State Highway located in Imperial County. California State Route 98 begins at Interstate 8 near Coyote Wells and loops back to Interstate 8 via Calexico. California State Route 98 is one of the original Sign State Routes which were announced during August 1934. The blog cover depicts the beginning of California State Route 98 at US Route 80 near Coyote Wells during 1958. The map below is California State Route 98 as seen on the 1938 Division of Highways Map when the western terminus was located in Seeley.
The history of California State Route 98
The history of California State Route 98 begins during 1933 when Legislative Route Number 202 (LRN 202) was added to the State Highway System. The original definition of LRN 202 was as follows:
1. LRN 12 (US Route 80) near to Seeley to LRN 26 (US Route 99) near Calexico
2. LRN 26 (US Route 99) near Calexico to LRN 27 (US Route 80) near Midway Wells
The addition of LRN 202 to the State Highway System was featured in the April 1933 California Highways & Public Works. The initial length of the two segments of LRN 202 is stated to be 42 miles.
LRN 202 can be seen for the first time on the 1934 Division of Highways Map.
The entirety of LRN 202 was announced as being assigned as California State Route 98 in the August 1934 California Highways & Public Works.
The initial routing of California State Route 98/LRN 202 is displayed on the 1935 Division of Highways Map of Imperial County. California State Route 98/LRN 202 can be seen originating at US Route 80/LRN 12 at Seeley and heading directly south via Drew Road. California State Route 98/LRN 202 can be seen turning eastbound towards Calexico where it intersected US Route 99/LRN 26 at Imperial Avenue. California State Route 98/LRN 202 can be seen following US Route 99/LRN 26 south on Imperial Avenue, 3rd Street and Heffernan Avenue. From Heffernan Avenue California State Route 98/LRN 202 departed Calexico eastbound via 2nd Street, Anza Road and Barbra Worth Road towards Bonds Corner. From Bonds Corner California State Route 98/LRN 202 continued east to a terminus at US Route 80/LRN 27 at Midway Wells.
The January 1935 California Highways & Public Works announced California State Route 98/LRN 202 was budgeted to be straightened east of Bonds Corner.
The May 1936 California Highways & Public Works featured the completion of a new alignment of California State Route/LRN 202 east of Bonds Corner. The new alignment of California State Route 98/LRN 202 east of Calexico opened to traffic on May 3rd. The new alignment of California State Route 98/LRN 202 east of Bonds Wells is noted to follow the All American Canal and cross sand dunes.
The February 1937 California Highways & Public Works announced a contract to construct the realignment of California State Route 98/LRN 202 east of Calexico.
The new alignment of California State Route 98/LRN 202 can be seen departing east of Calexico and US Route 99 via Birch Street on the 1938 Division of Highways Map. Modern Yuha Cutoff can be seen connecting California State Route 98/LRN 202 directly west towards US Route 80/LRN 12 near Coyote Wells.
The July/August 1955 California Highways & Public Works announced a paving contract for California State Route 98/LRN 202 from US Route 80/LRN 12 near Coyote Wells east towards Drew Road.
The May/June 1957 California Highways & Public Works announced California State Route 98/LRN 202 was moved to a channelized intersection at US Route 80/LRN 12 near Coyote Wells.
The intersection of California State Route 98 and US Route 80 appears in the November/December 1958 California Highways & Public Works.
California State Route 98/LRN 202 and the Yuha Cutoff are described in detail in the November/December 1958 California Highways & Public Works.
During the 1964 State Highway Renumbering the Legislative Route Numbers were dropped in favor of Sign Route designations. Thusly, California State Route 98 was defined as "Route 8 near Coyote Wells to Route 8 near Midway Wells via Calexico." The legislative definition of California State Route 98 appears on the 1964 Division of Highways Map.
The original routing of California State Route 98 on Drew Road was assigned Imperial County Route J29 during 1970. 1972 Legislative Chapter 1216 relaxed the definition of the eastern terminus of California State Route 98 as "Route 8 via Calexico."
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