It serves as a bypass route for trucks taking US 95 past Hawthorne in either direction, as US 95 itself goes through that community.

The highway begins southeast of Hawthorne and deviates from US 95 passing to the east of the city.

The highway enters Hawthorne city limits before reaching its northern junction with US 95.

[2] The bypass was proposed in the early 1980s to divert trucks carrying hazardous cargo from entering Hawthorne.

Mineral County officials rejected the first two designs submitted by the Nevada Department of Transportation before accepting a third in 1982, despite reluctance from business owners over fears of lost tourist traffic.