SR 7 begins at the Calexico East Border Station, which is open from 6 am to 10 pm, seven days a week.[3] Just north of the border, the highway splits into two roads to pass through the customs checkpoints: the fork to the west is for cars, and the fork to the east is for commercial vehicles. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) considers the western fork for cars as the SR 7 spur route, while the eastern fork is part of SR 7 proper. At their junction, the western fork passes over the other fork at the northern end and merges into that highway.
From the border to I-8, SR 7 is an expressway known as Orchard Road. Before reaching I-8, SR 7 travels north and has an at-grade intersection with SR 98 and a few other roads. At its northern end, SR 7 turns into County Route S32 (still Orchard Road) as it intersects with I-8. The entire route runs through the Sonoran Desert and is built to expressway standards.[4]
The route was constructed to allow commercial traffic to travel between Mexico and the United States.[5] SR 7 is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System,[6] and is part of the National Highway System,[7] a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by the Federal Highway Administration.[8] In 2013, SR 7 had an annual average daily traffic (AADT) of 2,450 at the Calexico inspection station, and 15,900 at Menvielle Road along the spur, the latter of which was the highest AADT for the highway.[9]
SR 7 sign
History
SR 7 was added to the state highway system in 1990,[2] and to the Freeway and Expressway System in 1998.[10] The segment from the Mexican border to SR 98 was completed by March 1996 to expressway standards;[11] this cost $9.1 million (about $16.3 million in 2023 dollars)[12] to complete. However, the border crossing was not opened until December 2, 1996, due to delays in constructing the Mexican portion of the border crossing.[13] Because of the 1994 economic crisis in Mexico, there were insufficient funds to complete the road leading to the border facility on the Mexican side, as well as the Mexican border facility itself.[14] The segment from SR 98 to I-8 began construction in March 2004 at a cost of $64.5 million (about $99.7 million in 2023 dollars);[12] and, it was completed in mid-2005.[15]
Postmiles were measured based on the road's original alignment and do not necessarily reflect current mileage. The "S" prefix refers to the spur route that splits off at the Calexico East Port of Entry to pass through the western customs checkpoints for cars.[9][16] The entire route is in Imperial County.
^ abCalifornia 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.
^"Article 2 of Chapter 2 of Division 1". California Streets and Highways Code. Sacramento: California Office of Legislative Counsel. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
^Federal Highway Administration (March 25, 2015). National Highway System: California (South)(PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
^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.
^ abcCalifornia Department of Transportation (2013). "All Traffic Volumes on CSHS". Sacramento: California Department of Transportation.
