California State Route 88

State Route 88 (SR 88), also known as the Carson Pass Highway, is a state highway in the U.S. state of California. It travels in an east–west direction from Stockton in the San Joaquin Valley, crossing the Sierra Nevada at Carson Pass, and ending at the Nevada state line, whereupon it becomes Nevada State Route 88, eventually terminating at U.S. Route 395.
Unlike other two-lane California highways through the mountains (Routes 4, 108 and 120), Route 88 stays open through winter, except during the worst snowstorms, making it the third major route through the mountains, after Interstate 80 and U.S. Route 50. In fact, Route 88 over the Carson Pass is designated as Alternate U.S. 50, such that it may be used during floods of the American River Canyon.
Route description.
SR 88 begins just outside Stockton as Waterloo Road, heading northeast towards Waterloo. The highway turns north at Waterloo, and SR 88 continues north to an intersection with SR 12, where the latter runs concurrently. SR 88 continues through Lockeford and Clements before continuing into Amador County. Continuing northeast, SR 88 intersects the southern terminus of SR 124 and is joined by SR 104 before passing through the town of Sunnybrook. SR 104 leaves SR 88 prior to the community of Martell, SR 88 continuing to Martell, where it joins with SR 49 and shortly thereafter turning south, running concurrently with SR 49 to the city of Jackson. In Jackson SR 88 turns northeast again leaving SR 49 at the intersection of SR 49, SR88 and Peek Street. The highway continues northeast through Pine Grove, Pioneer, Buckhorn, Cooks Station, and Ham's Station before entering the state game refuge. SR 88 continues paralleling the county line with El Dorado County in Eldorado National Forest before passing by Silver Lake and Kirkwood, where SR 88 crosses into Alpine County.
In Alpine County, SR 88 continues by Caples Lake before running concurrently with SR 89 until Woodfords. The highway continues through Paynesville before entering Nevada as Nevada State Route 88. Route 88 is one of only three routes to continue with the same route number after crossing into Nevada, the others being Routes 28 and 266.
SR 88 is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System, and is part of the National Highway System, a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by the Federal Highway Administration. It is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System; however, it is only a scenic highway as designated by Caltrans from the Dew Drop ranger station to the Nevada state line, meaning that it is a substantial section of highway passing through a "memorable landscape" with no "visual intrusions", where the potential designation has gained popular favor with the community. The Carson Pass Highway is also designated as a National Forest Scenic Byway.
The road is kept open all winter but can be subject to restrictions or short-term closure due to snow (including avalanches) or ice.
Historical landmarks.
Listed in order from west to east.
History.
A portion of Route 88 (from Antelope Springs to the border) started as the Amador/Nevada Wagon Route, a toll road completed in 1862, which was a major thoroughfare through the mountains, as California sent timber, food, and particularly gold to the east during the Civil War. Completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad in 1869 greatly decreased traffic on the wagon road.
The original highway number was 8 in Amador County. Old CA-8 overlaps present CA-88 from Alpine County to Jackson but continues south to Mokelumne Hill, then to Valley Springs and other points south. Present 88 follows a portion of old SR 104 but diverges just south of Ione.