State Route 211

California 211 begins at Exit 692 from U.S. 101 by taking over Eel River Drive (which changes into Fernbridge Drive). Initially California 211 travels due south on Fernbridge Drive (Old U.S. 101) through the town of Fernbridge, then turns west to cross the Eel River. This mileage sign provides the distance to Ferndale, five miles.

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At the stop sign ahead, California 211 will turn west onto the Fernbridge, while Fernbridge Drive continues south to merge onto U.S. 101 at Exit 691. Since access at Exit 691 is limited (directional interchange), it is fair to describe all of Fernbridge Drive between Exits 691 and 692 as part of California 211.

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Southbound California 211 enters the town of Fernbridge. At this intersection, California 211 turns southwest to Ferndale. Continue straight ahead to merge back onto U.S. 101 south.

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Upon turning at the stop sign, California 211 ascends across the Eel River. This bridge, built in 1911, is historical and features multiple concrete arches to carry the state highway across the massive river. Note the mileage for California 211 (78.56 miles), which includes quite a bit of the unconstructed state route south of Ferndale.

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The speed limit on the "Queen of Bridges" is only 40 miles per hour due to the lack of shoulders and narrow lanes.

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After ascending the Fernbridge, California 211 crosses the wide Eel River. Note the change in bridge railings that is visible at this point on the bridge.

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Straight and flat across the Eel River, the Fernbridge is approximately 1320 feet (nearly a quarter of a mile) long. This reinforced concrete arch span bridge is considered to be one of the world's longest and is the oldest still in use.¹

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The floods of 1964, which destroyed multiple bridges upriver along the Eel River, did not destroy the Fernbridge. Debris from upriver could pass between the wide arches. About seven months before this photo was taken (December 2005), the Fernbridge was threatened by floodwaters due to the heavy rains of that year, but the bridge survived unscathed.

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The Fernbridge descends back to land, and California 211 travels southwest to Ferndale.

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After leaving the Fernbridge, southbound California 211 passes through farmland and ranches as it heads toward Ferndale. The speed limit increase to 55 miles per hour for the final distance into town.

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Southbound California 211 approaches Waddington Road, which travels south to Grizzly Bluff Road.

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Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) power lines cross over California 211 as the highway approaches Ferndale.

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A California 211 south reassurance shield is posted shortly thereafter as the state highway continues to Ferndale.

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The next intersection along southbound California 211 is with Goble Lane.

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California 211 crosses the Old River on these two bridges.

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Southbound California 211 approaches Port Kenyon Road, which travels west to serve farm and ranch access northwest of the city of Ferndale.

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Shortly thereafter, California 211 south approaches Market Street north to Port Kenyon Road and Van Ness Avenue west.

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California 211 enters the city of Ferndale. As of the 2000 Census, 1,388 people called Ferndale home. The city lies at the end of the state highway and north of the Lost Coast, which is only accessible by local roads. The city is a general law city incorporated in 1893. The speed limit of California 211 (Main Street) drops to 25 miles per hour.

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California 211 (Main Street) passes through residential areas south ahead of the Ferndale business district.

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The entire city of Ferndale is a historic area. Victorian homes line Main Street, and a variety of shops, restaurants, and inns line the street.

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Passing by the Victorian structures that make this city so special and unique in Northern California, SR 211 follows Main Street southwest to Downtown Ferndale.

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SR 211 west concludes at the end of Main Street and the intersection with Ocean Avenue and Francis Street.

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Northwest from Ferndale, Ocean Avenue changes into Centerville Road en route to Centerville Beach County Park at the Pacific Ocean.

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Wildcat Avenue stems south to Mattole Road from Ocean Avenue just west of SR 211 (Main Street). Mattole Road travels south from Ferndale to the Lost Coast. This road is not for the faint of heart - there are limited services, and the road is a long, slow trip.

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An arch for the communities of Capetown and Petrolia stands at the corner of Ocean Avenue and Wildcat Avenue south in Ferndale. Mattole Road traverses Bear River Ridge southwest to Capetown, then straddles the Pacific Coast from south of Cape Mendocino. The road turns inland to Petrolia across McNutt Gulch. Mattole Road links with Wilder Ridge Road at the town of Honeydew.

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California 211 north begins at the intersection of Ocean Avenue and Main Street at the south end of the historic downtown area.

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The first three blocks of SR 211 along Main Street north pass through historic Downtown Ferndale.

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Northbound California 211 (Main Street) meets Herbert Street at this intersection in Ferndale.

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The first reassurance shield for California 211 appears along Main Street north between Van Ness Avenue and Market Street.

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Northbound California 211 at Sage Road and Coffee Creek Road.

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After crossing the Old River bridge, SR 221 curves northeast into the intersection with Goble Lane north and Waddington Street south.

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California 211 spans the Eel River northeast across the historic Fernbridge.

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Built in 1911, the Fernbridge features multiple concrete arches that support the deck taking the state route across carry the Eel River near Singley Bar.

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The north end of the Fernbridge enters the unincorporated community of Fernbridge adjacent to a creamery.

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SR 211 makes an unmarked turn onto Fernbridge Drive west to U.S. 101 at Singley Road. Fernbridge Drive is the pre-freeway alignment of U.S. 101.

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Market Street and Port Kenyon Road form an old alignment of California 211, which was originally signed as California 1. This remnant postmile marker is located along Market Street just north of California 211 near Ferndale. When California 1 was rerouted to end at U.S. 101 at Leggett in 1984, the unconstructed portion of California 1 and this orphaned stretch from Ferndale northeast to Fernbridge was redesignated as California 211. At the same time, California 1 was rerouted onto former California 208 from the coast to Leggett in Mendocino County.

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