History California State Route 111

sr 111 first proposed in 1930s due area s growth bought on southern pacific railroad.

a 1993 rerouting of highway takes drivers away historic center of palm springs, meets original alignment business route 111 few miles further south.

the northern terminus busy in 1950s before construction of freeway visitors returning home los angeles might have waited long 2 hours make left turn on two-lane road once multiplexed highways 60, 70 , 99.

in 1995, caltrans allowed relinquish portion of route 111 through city city maintain. legislature opted make act urgency statute , effective immediately, local governments improve traffic bottlenecks along route possible. legislative definition of route amended in 1996 exclude portions in rancho mirage , cathedral city, had both been relinquished. cathedral city completed pedestrian-friendly redesign in 1998. stretch through rancho mirage has coachella valley s synchronized traffic lights; set 45 mph (70 km/h).

a 2003 law did not change route, clarified former highway through cities not taken state, , repealed section added in 1995 allowing relinquisment city. subsequently, in 2005, legislature allowed relinquishment within indian wells, indio, , palm desert, subject same conditions, , condition cities must maintain signs route. la quinta added list of eligible cities in 2007. of late 2007, none of these 4 cities have taken on maintenance of route 111.

in november 2005, signs on verbenia avenue @ highway s northern terminus , along interstate 10 replaced reflect street s name change haugen-lehmann way , honoring 2 riverside county sheriff s deputies gunned down sniper on street in 1997.

in similar move in december 2005, stretch of sr111 through la quinta named deputy bruce lee memorial highway . lee riverside county deputy sheriff in city many years , killed in 2003 during altercation mentally disturbed suspect. suspect able take lee s baton during altercation , used bludgeon officer.

after being imperial avenue in calexico road named imperial pioneers expressway , victor veysey expressway in imperial county, several parts of route on sea level or under sea level similar sr 86 outside of brawley