Texas State Highway 186


State Highway 186 is a state highway in the Lower [Rio Grande Valley|Rio Grande Valley] in Hidalgo and Willacy counties in Texas, United States, that connects U.S. Route 281, future Interstate 69C, and Farm to Market Road 1017 in Linn with the Gulf of Mexico at Port Mansfield.

Route description

SH 186 begins at an intersection with US 281 and FM 1917 in Linn in Hidalgo County.
File:Willacy courthouse.jpg|thumb|left|Historic Willacy County Courthouse, located along SH 186 in Raymondville, July 2008
From its western terminus SH 186 travels to the southeast, passing a section of the Rio Grande Valley [National Wildlife">Lower Rio Grande Valley">Rio Grande Valley [National Wildlife Refuge], before turning to a more easterly path and crossing into Willacy County. SH 186 runs along Hidalgo Avenue in Raymondville, where it crosses Interstate 69E / U.S. [Route 77 in Texas|U.S. Route 77]. Continuing to the east, the highway passes to the south of the city of San Perlita before turning to the northeast and passing through an unincorporated section of the county. In Port Mansfield, SH 186 intersects the short Farm to Market Road 606 near its eastern terminus; the highway continues one block past this point before ending at Laguna Madre.

History

SH 186 was designated on December 8, 1932 along a route from Linn to Raymondville. On July 15, 1935, the west end was shortened to the Willacy County line as that section had not yet been built. On August 1, 1936, this section was restored. On July 25, 1939, it was extended east to San Perlita. On May 31, 1973, the portion of SH 186 from San Perlita southward was transferred to FM 2209. SH 186 was signed, but not designated, along FM 497 instead. SH 186 was extended to its current eastern terminus in Port Mansfield on August 29, 1990, replacing FM 497.