The route loosely paralleled the northern end of the Salton Sea, passing through farmland for its entire length.

[12][13] The western part of the road, known as the Box Canyon road, from Mecca to Blythe served as part of US 60 and US 70 until it was eventually bypassed in favor of a more direct route to Indio, diverging at Shavers' Summit.

Between 1934 and 1936, US 60 and US 70 had made the shift north towards Indio, and the portion between US 99 and Mecca was paved.

Initial opposition was later overcome after the road was washed out during a storm and forced motorists to take refuge in the nearby foothills.

[16] In the 1940s, the highway continued due west of Mecca to end at an intersection with US 99, rather than turning south.

[18] State Senator Nelson S. Dilworth proposed legislation to require the road from Banning through Idyllwild to Mountain Center (now SR 243) to be added to the state highway system if SR 195 was removed, as the two were of roughly the same length, but the latter remained in the system.

[1] Segments that remain unconstructed or have been relinquished to local control may be omitted.