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California State Route 198

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State Route 198 marker
State Route 198
Map
SR 198 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by Caltrans
Length141.273 mi[1] (227.357 km)
(plus about 8.5 mi (14 km) on SR 33)
Major junctions
West end US 101 near San Lucas
Major intersections
East endGenerals Highway in Sequoia National Park
Location
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountiesMonterey, Fresno, Kings, Tulare
Highway system
← SR 197→ US 199
SR 198 between San Lucas and Coalinga
Looking west on Route 198 a few miles west of Coalinga, California

State Route 198 (SR 198) is an east–west state highway in the U.S. state of California that runs from U.S. Route 101 (US 101) south of King City to Sequoia National Park. It connects the California Central Coast to the mid–Central Valley through Hanford and Visalia, although the most developed portion is in the Central Valley itself. SR 198 intersects the major north–south routes in the Central Valley, including Interstate 5 (I-5), SR 33, and SR 99.

The highway that would become SR 198 was approved for construction in the 1910s through three bond issues, and was added to the state highway system in 1934. Parts of the highway were upgraded to freeway during the 1960s. Another portion was converted to an expressway in between Hanford and Visalia, and was completed in late 2012.

Route description

[edit]

The road begins at a remote interchange with US 101 south of King City in the Salinas River Valley. Leaving US 101, SR 198 passes through the Priest Valley, climbs the Diablo Range as a two-lane road and crosses over an unnamed pass. It then descends along Warthan Canyon to the town of Coalinga in the agricultural Central Valley, where it briefly runs concurrently with SR 33 and crosses the Anticline Ridge. On both sides of Coalinga the road passes through the enormous Coalinga Oil Field.[2]

SR 198 then intersects Interstate 5 (I-5) in Fresno County near the Harris Ranch Airport before becoming a freeway west of Lemoore. The landscape becomes a bit less rural as it goes through Hanford and passes near the Hanford Municipal Airport, where it continues as a four-lane expressway from the intersection with SR 43 until SR 198 encounters a freeway-to-freeway interchange with SR 99 as it enters Visalia, the largest city it passes through, and goes by the Visalia Municipal Airport. It remains a freeway until east of Visalia, intersecting SR 65 and passing by College of the Sequoias. SR 198 starts to climb the forested Sierra Nevada and ends at the Sequoia National Park boundary, near Lake Kaweah, where the road continues through the park as the Generals Highway.[2] This is one of the main routes providing access to Sequoia National Park, the other being SR 180 to the north.[3]

SR 198 is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System,[4] and east of I-5 is part of the National Highway System,[5] a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by the Federal Highway Administration.[6] SR 198 is eligible to be included in the State Scenic Highway System,[7] but it is not officially designated as a scenic highway by the California Department of Transportation.[8]

History

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All of SR 198 was added to the state highway system in the three bond issues floated to pay for the construction of the system. The first bond issue, approved by the state's voters in 1910, included the road from Visalia west to Hanford, connecting the two county seats with the central north–south highway (Route 4, now SR 99). As part of the 1916 bond issue, the route was extended west from Hanford through Coalinga to the coast trunk highway (Route 2, now US 101) near San Lucas, and assigned it the Route 10 designation. The third bond issue, passed in 1919, included a further extension east from Visalia to Sequoia National Park.[9] The entire length of Route 10 was marked as Sign Route 198 in 1934.[10] This number was adopted legislatively in the 1964 renumbering.[11] The portion east of Interstate 5 near Coalinga was added to the California Freeway and Expressway System in 1959,[12] and parts of it have been built as such.

As early as 1938, Visalia identified the need for a highway through the city.[13] Due to congestion along SR 198 through Visalia, the California Highway Commission announced in June 1950 plans to convert Mineral King Avenue into a limited-access freeway.[14] After objection from the Visalia city council over the width of the right-of-way, the state temporarily halted its plans.[15] In December 1950, the California Highway Commission condemned a Safeway store under construction in the proposed right-of-way, signaling that the state was continuing with its plans despite the city's objections.[16] Over the next few years, the state continued acquiring property in the city. By 1956, the condemnations had affected roughly 180 people.[17][18] In October 1956, the California legislature approved $1.1 million toward building a four-lane divided highway way along SR 198, beginning with a 4.1 mi (6.6 km) portion connecting SR 99 with downtown Visalia.[19] The legislature also approved funding toward acquiring the right of way for extending the highway east of Visalia toward Farmersville.[20] The projected cost in 1958 of the entire freeway east of Visalia was $13 million, and was scheduled to be completed by 1964.[21] As construction of the new highway began, Visalia residents protested the removal of oak trees for the project; as a result, the plans were adjusted to avoid cutting down the trees.[22][23] On May 29, 1958, the first portion of the freeway opened.[24]

In May 1959, the California Division of Highways announced a plan to rebuild 7.6 mi (12.2 km) of SR 198 in eastern Tulare County; the older roadway would be submerged under the Terminus Dam, which was later finished in 1962.[25] In July 1959, the state announced plans to build a freeway through Hanford.[26] Later that year in November, state officials announced plans that a portion of the SR 198 freeway in Visalia would be buried in a trench from Mooney Avenue to Ben Maddox Way, eliminating the need to construct overpasses.[27] In November 1960, the California legislature authorized $3.4 million toward obtaining right-of-way in both Visalia and Hanford.[28] The relocated roadway around Terminus Dam opened in January 1961.[29] Also that month, the construction of the freeway east of Visalia to Road 192 was approved, with the remainder of the freeway unplanned at that time as contingent on the routing of SR 65. The latter road was originally planned as a freeway along the eastern side of the county, a project that was ultimately canceled.[30][31][32] In February 1962, a large rockslide near the Terminus Dam forced drivers to temporarily use the old route, which was not removed after its relocation.[33] In November 1962, California awarded the $1.95 million construction contract to finish the freeway through Visalia.[34] In June 1965, the new freeway from Lemoore to Hanford opened,[35] which was later extended through Hanford in 1967.[36] In July 1965, the new freeway through Visalia opened.[37]

The California Division of Highways unveiled plans in September 1969 to rebuild the SR 198 interchange with SR 99.[38] CALTRANS approved the $8.9 million project in 1975, which was completed in 1977.[39][40] Ahead of the completion in 1972, a 2 mi (3.2 km) portion of SR 198 was expanded to four lanes from the 99 interchange, west to Road 68.[41]

Construction began in November 2009 on a project to widen a two-lane, 10-mile (16 km) section of SR 198 between SR 43 and SR 99 into a four-lane expressway. The $60 million project was completed in December 2012.[42]

Future

[edit]

The Kings County Association of Governments has plans to improve the state highways within the county. Developers are interested in building distribution warehouses in Kings County because of its strategic location midway between the Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas, but they are currently turned off by the lack of freeway access. For SR 198, the plan is to extend the freeway segment from Naval Air Station Lemoore to I-5. However, Kings County voters have shown little interest in passing any transportation taxes to fund these projects.[43]

Major intersections

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Except where prefixed with a letter, postmiles were measured on the road as it was in 1964, based on the alignment that existed at the time, and do not necessarily reflect current mileage. R reflects a realignment in the route since then, M indicates a second realignment, L refers to an overlap due to a correction or change, and T indicates postmiles classified as temporary (for a full list of prefixes, see California postmile § Official postmile definitions).[1] Segments that remain unconstructed or have been relinquished to local control may be omitted. The numbers reset at county lines; the start and end postmiles in each county are given in the county column.

CountyLocationPostmile
[1][44][45]		Exit
[46]		DestinationsNotes
Monterey
MON R0.00-25.79		San LucasR0.00Lockwood-San Lucas Road, Bunte RoadContinuation beyond US 101
R0.11 US 101Interchange; west end of SR 198; US 101 exit 273
​14.00
 SR 25 north – Pinnacles National Park, Hollister		Southern terminus of SR 25
Fresno
FRE 0.00-42.73		Coalinga22.37

 Polk Street to SR 33 south – Stratford, Taft
22.65
15.71[N 1]


 SR 33 south (Fifth Street) to I-5 south / Coalinga Plaza (Fifth Street)		West end of SR 33 overlap
​24.32[N 1]
22.66


 SR 33 north (Coalinga-Mendota Road) to I-5 north / Shell Road – Mendota, Los Banos, Fresno		East end of SR 33 overlap
​26.81 I-5 (West Side Freeway) – Sacramento, Los AngelesInterchange; I-5 exit 334
​34.66 SR 269 (Lassen Avenue) – Five Points, Huron
Kings
KIN 0.00-28.33		Lemoore Station3.01Lemoore NAS (Reeves Boulevard)
​West end of freeway
4.9973Stratford (Jackson Avenue)Eastbound signage
Avenal (Avenal Cutoff Road)Westbound signage
LemooreR8.9077 SR 41 – Lemoore, Paso Robles, Fresno
​7819th Avenue
R10.567918th Avenue, Lemoore Avenue – Central Lemoore
​R12.1181Houston Avenue, D Street – Lemoore
ArmonaR14.778314th Avenue – Armona
R15.7584Hanford-Armona Road, 13th Avenue – Armona
HanfordR16.918512th Avenue
R17.918611th AvenueEastbound exit and westbound entrance
R18.387ARedington Street – Central HanfordWestbound exit and entrance
R18.5187Douty Street – Central HanfordNo westbound exit
R18.9687B10th AvenueWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
​Short gap in freeway
R20.9889 SR 43 – Selma, Corcoran
​​East end of freeway
Tulare
TUL 0.00-44.16		​​West end of freeway
VisaliaR3.83101 SR 99 – Los Angeles, SacramentoSigned as exits 101A (south) and 101B (north) westbound; former US 99; SR 99 north exits 96-97, south exit 97
R4.80102Plaza Drive (CR J19)
5.76103Shirk Road
6.76104Akers Street
7.76105ADemaree Street
R8.75105B
 SR 63 south (Mooney Boulevard) – Tulare		West end of SR 63 overlap
R9.97107A
 SR 63 north (Court Street) – Cutler, Orosi, Kings Canyon, Central Visalia		East end of SR 63 overlap
R10.73107BBen Maddox Way – Woodlake
R11.72108
 SR 216 east (Lovers Lane / CR J15) – Visalia		Western terminus of SR 216
​R13.74110Road 156 – Ivanhoe
FarmersvilleR14.65111Farmersville Boulevard (CR J23)
​​East end of freeway
​R18.76
 SR 65 south (Road 196 / CR J27) – Exeter, Lindsay, Porterville		Northern terminus of SR 65 south segment
​R19.76
 SR 245 north / Road 204 – Woodlake, Kings Canyon		Southern terminus of SR 245
Lemon Cove27.96
 SR 216 west – Woodlake		Eastern terminus of SR 216
Sequoia National Park boundary44.16Generals HighwayEast end of SR 198; continuation beyond the Sequoia National Park boundary
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
  1. ^ a b Indicates that the postmile represents the distance along SR 33 rather than SR 198.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c California Department of Transportation. "State Truck Route List". Sacramento: California Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (XLS file) on September 5, 2015. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
  2. ^ a b "State Route 198" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  3. ^ Staff. "Directions – Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks". National Park Service. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  4. ^ "Article 2 of Chapter 2 of Division 1". California Streets and Highways Code. Sacramento: California Office of Legislative Counsel. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  5. ^ Federal Highway Administration (March 25, 2015). National Highway System: California (South) (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
  6. ^ Natzke, Stefan; Neathery, Mike & Adderly, Kevin (June 20, 2012). "What is the National Highway System?". National Highway System. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  7. ^ "Article 2.5 of Chapter 2 of Division 1". California Streets & Highways Code. Sacramento: California Office of Legislative Counsel. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  8. ^ California Department of Transportation (August 2019). "Officially Designated State Scenic Highways and Historic Parkways" (XLSX). Sacramento: California Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
  9. ^ Howe & Peters, Engineers' Report to California State Automobile Association Covering the Work of the California Highway Commission for the Period 1911-1920, pp. 11-16
  10. ^ Dennis, T.H. (August 1934). "State Routes Will Be Numbered and Marked with Distinctive Bear Signs". California Highways and Public Works. 11 (8): 20–21, 32. ISSN 0008-1159 – via Archive.org.
  11. ^ California State Assembly. "An act to add Section 253 and Article 3 (commencing with Section 300) to Chapter 2 of Division 1 of, and to repeal Section 253 and Article 3 (commencing with Section 300) of Chapter 2 of Division 1 of, the..." 1963 Session of the Legislature. Statutes of California. State of California. Ch. 385 p. 1185.
  12. ^ California State Assembly. "An act to amend Sections 306, 320, 332, 351, 362, 365, 369, 374, 382, 388, 397, 407, 408, 409, 410, 415, 422, 435, 440, 446, 453, 456, 460, 467, 470, 476, 487, 492, 493, 494, 506, 521, 528, and 529..." 1959 Session of the Legislature. Statutes of California. State of California. Ch. 1062 p. 3112.: "Route 10 from Route 238 [I-5] near Coalinga to Sequoia National Park."
  13. ^ "City Stands Pat On M.K. Plans; State Director Supports Scott". Visalia Times-Delta. October 17, 1950. p. 1. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  14. ^ "Mineral King To Be 6-Lane Freeway". Visalia Times-Delta. June 28, 1950. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  15. ^ "Highway Commission Postpones Mineral King Freeway Action". Tulare Advance-Register. September 23, 1950. p. 3. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  16. ^ "State Votes Safeway Store Condemnation". Visalia Times-Delta. December 14, 1950. p. 1. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  17. ^ "Land Parcels on Freeway Route Cited in Action". Visalia Times-Delta. August 14, 1953. p. 1. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  18. ^ "Condemnation Suits Started for Freeway". Tulare Advance Register. September 7, 1956. p. 1.
  19. ^ "Mineral King Will Be Four-Laned". Tulare Advance Register. October 19, 1956. p. 1.
  20. ^ "Hearing Scheduled on Freeway Plans For Highway 198". Lindsay Gazette. January 24, 1957. p. 1. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  21. ^ "$13 Million Freeway Outlined". Los Angeles Times. September 19, 1958. p. 24.
  22. ^ "The Will of the People is Triumphant". Hanford Sentinel. May 10, 1957. p. 6. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  23. ^ "Mineral King Freeway Plan Has Meeting". Tulare Advance-Register. July 13, 1957. p. 2. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  24. ^ "Visalia Freeway Opened to Traffic". Hanford Sentinel. United Press International. May 29, 1958. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  25. ^ "County Project Up for June Bid". Madera Tribune. United Press International. May 6, 1959. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  26. ^ "State Aides Talk to Freeway Property Owners About Sale". Hanford Sentinel. July 3, 1959. p. 1. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  27. ^ "State to Build Underpass Section on Highway 198". Lindsay Gazette. United Press International. November 26, 1959. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  28. ^ "Highway Commission Adopts Budget for Key Projects Across Valley". Atwater Signal. November 3, 1960. p. 10.
  29. ^ "New Road Around Terminus Reservoir to Open Tomorrow". Lindsay Gazette. January 19, 1961. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  30. ^ "Highway Route 198 East of Visalia Is Approved". Los Angeles Times. January 20, 1961. p. 27.
  31. ^ "Lindsay-Wood Lake Highway Meetings to be in March". Tulare Advance Register. February 13, 1961. p. 3. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  32. ^ "Freeway 65 Assn. hears talk by district engineer". Lindsay Gazette. July 15, 1970. p. 1. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  33. ^ "Huge Rock Slide Blocking 198". Tulare Advance-Register. February 13, 1962. p. 1. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  34. ^ "Mineral King Job Awarded". Tulare Advance Register. November 19, 1962. p. 8. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  35. ^ "Chamber Roads Meeting". Hanford Sentinel. June 29, 1965. p. 2. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  36. ^ "Project Here Proceeding". Hanford Sentinel. February 25, 1967. p. 2-B. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  37. ^ "'Visalia trench' Freeway Opens". Tulare Advance-Register. July 15, 1965. p. 9.
  38. ^ "Plaza Interchange hearing Sept. 30". Tulare Advance Register. September 20, 1969. p. 1. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  39. ^ "Plaza bid gets okay from state". Tulare Advance-Register. August 4, 1975. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  40. ^ "Plaza detour announced". Hanford Sentinel. October 31, 1977. p. 11. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  41. ^ "Highway budget includes local construction". Lindsay Gazette. October 25, 1972. p. 4. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  42. ^ Eiman, Mark (December 19, 2012). "Caltrans celebrates Hanford Expressway opening". The Sentinel. Hanford, California. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
  43. ^ Nidever, Seth (September 7, 2013). "Road map for the future?". The Sentinel. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  44. ^ California Department of Transportation (July 2007). "Log of Bridges on State Highways". Sacramento: California Department of Transportation.
  45. ^ California Department of Transportation, All Traffic Volumes on CSHS, 2005 and 2006
  46. ^ California Department of Transportation, California Numbered Exit Uniform System, State Route 198 Freeway Interchanges, Retrieved on 2009-02-07.
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