U.S. Route 30 in Oregon

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U.S. Highway 30

US 30 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by ODOT
Length477.02 mi[1] (767.69 km)
(using the entire Huntington Highway through Lime)
Tourist
routes
Lewis and Clark Trail
Major junctions
West end US 101 in Astoria
Major intersections
East end I-84 / US 30 at the Idaho state line
Location
CountryUnited States
StateOregon
CountiesClatsop, Columbia, Multnomah, Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam, Morrow, Umatilla, Union, Baker, Malheur
Highway system
OR 27 OR 31

U.S. Route 30 (US 30) in the U.S. state of Oregon is a major east–west United States Numbered Highway that runs from its western terminus in Astoria to the Idaho border east of Ontario. West of Portland, US 30 generally follows the southern shore of the Columbia River; east of Portland, the highway has largely been replaced with Interstate 84 (I-84), though it is signed all the way across the state, and diverges from the I-84 mainline in several towns as a de facto business route. (The state of Oregon does not sign Interstate business routes; instead, it uses the designations US 30 and Oregon Route 99 [OR 99; along the I-5 corridor] for this purpose.) Out of all the states US 30 traverses, it spends the most time in Oregon. At 477.02 miles (767.69 km), it is also the longest road in the state.

Route description

End US 30 marker, Astoria

Astoria to Portland

1937 sketch including Columbia River Highway (now US 30) as it passes west of Sauvie Island, northwest of Portland

US 30 begins in Astoria, at an intersection with US 101. US 101 southbound from the intersection goes down the length of the Oregon Coast while northbound US 101 crosses the Astoria–Megler Bridge into Washington. US 30 proceeds east through the intersection, through downtown Astoria, and then along the southern bank of the Columbia River.

East of Astoria, US 30 is known as the Lower Columbia River Highway No. 2W, a designation which it carries until Portland.

Between Astoria and Portland, the highway passes through (or by) numerous Columbia River towns, such as Svensen, Knappa, Wauna, and Westport. In Westport, one can use the Wahkiakum County ferry to cross the Columbia River to Puget Island and Cathlamet, Washington.

Continuing east, the highway passes through the communities of Woodson and Clatskanie. East of Clatskanie, the highway runs inland from the river a bit, approaching the town of Rainier.

Just before Rainier is an interchange providing access to the Lewis and Clark Bridge, which crosses the Columbia River to Longview, Washington. After Rainier, the highway turns south, following a bend in the river, and runs parallel to I-5 (which is across the river on the Washington side). Towns along the way include Goble, Deer Island, Columbia City, and St. Helens.

South of Deer Island, US 30 becomes an expressway, known locally as St. Helens Road. The highway proceeds through the towns of Warren, Scappoose, and Burlington (as well as passing by the access road to Sauvie Island) before entering Portland. East of Scappoose is the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette rivers.

Portland area

In northwest Portland, US 30 is sandwiched between Forest Park to the west and the Willamette River to the east. South of the Linnton area, US 30 Bypass (US 30 Byp.; Northeast Portland Highway No. 123) heads east across the St. Johns Bridge. US 30 continues south along St. Helens Road and then later on Yeon Avenue through an industrial area as it approaches Downtown Portland. On the edge of Downtown Portland, US 30 briefly becomes a freeway, utilizing part of the route of the canceled I-505, until its interchange with I-405 at the western end of the Fremont Bridge.

US 30 crosses the Fremont Bridge (along with I-405) on the Stadium Freeway No. 61; at the eastern end of the bridge, it joins I-5 south for approximately one mile (1.6 km) on the Pacific Highway No. 1 and then joins the Banfield Expressway (I-84), where it becomes the Columbia River Highway No. 2. For the remainder of its route in the Portland area, US 30 shares an alignment with I-84. I-84 passes through the eastern Portland suburbs of Fairview, Wood Village, Gresham, and Troutdale in this fashion. US 30 Byp. rejoins US 30 in Wood Village.

US 30 Business (US 30 Bus.) was a spur from US 30 Byp. northeast of Downtown Portland, across I-84/US 30 to OR 99E east of Downtown Portland, just east of the Burnside Bridge. It has not rejoined US 30 on its west end since US 30 was moved onto I-405 and I-5 around Downtown Portland.

East of Portland

Historic US 30 sign

US 30 runs mostly along I-84 in Oregon east of Portland, diverting to short segments of the old surface route to act as a business or scenic route for I-84:

The sections concurrent with I-84 are part of the Columbia River Highway No. 2 west of US 730 at Boardman and part of the Old Oregon Trail Highway No. 6 east of US 730.

There is also a US 30 Bus. signed in the Ontario area. This is part of the Olds Ferry-Ontario Highway No. 455.

History

Interstate 505

LocationPortland
Length3.17 mi (5.10 km)
NHSEntire route

Sections of the highway between The Dalles and Ontario generally follow the route of the Oregon Trail, which was used in the 19th century by U.S. settlers to reach the Willamette Valley.[2] US 30 was created as part of the initial U.S. Numbered Highway System adopted by the American Association of State Highway Officials on November 11, 1926. The number was assigned in place of US 20, which had originally been planned for the corridor in Oregon, after objections from the state government.[3] The new national highway incorporated portions of existing state roads, including the Historic Columbia River Highway, which was constructed between 1913 and 1922 through the Columbia River Gorge.[4][5]

Before the Banfield Expressway was built, the Portland section of US 30 ran on St. Helens Road to the Willamette Heights section of Portland, then on Wardway Street, then Vaughn Street, then Northwest 18th & 19th avenues, then Burnside Street, and then Sandy Boulevard toward Troutdale. Several sections of the old highway use brown road markers with "Historic US 30" that were installed in the 21st century.[6] The Interstate Highway System, approved by the federal government in 1956, included construction of a freeway in Oregon along the US 30 corridor between Portland and Ontario; it was later numbered I-80N (now I-84).[7][8] The Oregon state government unsuccessfully proposed an extension to cover the rest of US 30 between Astoria and Portland in the 1950s and 1960s,[9][10] which was two lanes wide and in need of funding for improvements.[11][12]

The 104-mile (167 km) Astoria–Portland section had been rebuilt with fewer curves by the 1960s but remained congested due to its use as a tourist route as well as a bypass of US 99 (and I-5) upon the removal of tolls from the Lewis and Clark Bridge near Longview, Washington.[10][11] In 1969, the state government announced plans to widen the highway between Burlington and the Columbia County border but declined to fund further projects in favor of improvements in the Portland area.[13] The state later withdrew its proposals to upgrade the entire section to an expressway, stating that US 30 was meant to serve local traffic and could be improved to a four-lane highway instead.[14] A project to widen US 30 near Scappoose and Warren in the 1970s was delayed by a decade due to disagreements between the state and local governments over its routing and an attempt to build a full bypass.[15] The highway remained slightly more accident-prone than others in Oregon; from 1987 to 1992, a total of 22 crashes on 50 miles (80 km) of US 30 in Columbia County resulted in 26 deaths and 769 injuries.[16]

In 1988, US 30 was realigned along Northwest Yeon Avenue in Portland to alleviate residential congestion.[17] The new route utilized an interchange with I-405 that was intended for a proposed I-505.[18] The proposed Interstate was intended to be a 3.17-mile (5.10 km) freeway spur in northwest Portland that would have connected I-405 to St. Helens Road, the latter being the original route for US 30. Funding for the freeway was withdrawn by the city government in November 1978, as it would have required condemnation and rerouting streets on a swath of land through the Northwest Industrial neighborhood.[19] The federal government formally approved the project's cancelation in December 1979 and reallocated funds to other transportation improvements in the area.[20][21]

In the 2010s, the city of Scappoose proposed the construction of a bypass to carry US 30 around the city.[22] A similar proposal was defeated in 1971 following protests from residents over its disruption to future potential development. The $5.5-million (equivalent to $31.7 million in 2023[23]) allocation for the bypass project was redistributed by the state to improve other sections of US 30 in Columbia County.[24]

Major intersections

CountyLocationmi[1]kmExitDestinationsNotes
ClatsopAstoria0.000.00
US 101 / Lewis and Clark Trail to US 26 – Seaside, Ilwaco, Long Beach
Westport26.8143.15Westport Ferry Road – Wahkiakum County Ferry
ColumbiaClatskanie35.7757.57
OR 47 south – Mist, Vernonia, Jewell
Rainier47.7276.80Longview, Seattle (via Lewis and Clark Bridge)Interchange
St. Helens
US 30 Bus.

US 30 Bus.
Multnomah83.2133.9 OR 127 (Cornelius Pass Road)
Portland89.34143.78

US 30 Byp. east (St. Johns Bridge) / Lewis and Clark Trail
93.91151.13Nicolai Street – Montgomery Park
93.91151.13Western end of freeway
94.19151.58Vaughn StreetWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
94.52–
94.81
152.12–
152.58


I-405 south to US 26 – Portland City Center, Beaverton, Salem
Western end of I-405 overlap
95.05152.97Fremont Bridge over the Willamette River
95.30153.37Kerby AvenueEastbound exit and westbound entrance
95.30–
95.73
153.37–
154.06

I-5 north – Seattle
Eastern end of I-405 overlap; western end of I-5 overlap
96.29154.96302ABroadway, Weidler Street – Rose Quarter, Portland City Center
96.60155.46Oregon Convention Center, Rose QuarterWestbound exit only
96.73155.67
I-5 south – Beaverton, Salem, Portland City Center
Eastern end of I-5 overlap; western end of I-84 overlap
97.19156.41 OR 99EEastbound entrance only
97.65157.151Lloyd CenterWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
98.89159.15133rd AvenueEastbound exit and westbound entrance
99.28159.782César E Chávez Boulevard, 43rd AvenueFormer US 30 Bus.
100.42161.61358th AvenueEastbound exit and westbound entrance
100.99162.534Halsey Street, 68th AvenueEastbound exit only
101.74163.735 OR 213 (82nd Avenue)Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
102.49164.946
I-205 south – Salem
Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
102.59165.107Halsey Street – Gateway DistrictEastbound exit only
103.32166.288
I-205 north / Lewis and Clark Trail – Seattle, Portland Airport
Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
103.47166.529102nd Avenue – ParkroseEastbound exit and westbound entrance
103.83167.109 I-205 – Seattle, SalemWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
Fairview108.81175.1114Fairview Parkway (to US 30 Byp. west)
Dodson129.54208.4735Historic Columbia River Highway west – Ainsworth State Park
Hood RiverCascade Locks137.78221.74
I-84 east – The Dalles
Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; eastern end of I-84 overlap
138.24222.48Bridge of the Gods – Stevenson
139.06223.80Forest Lane (Historic Columbia River Highway east)
139.89225.13
I-84 west – Portland
Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; western end of I-84 overlap
141.87228.3247Forest Lane (Historic Columbia River Highway west) – Herman CreekWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
Hood River156.37251.65
I-84 east / Lewis and Clark Trail – The Dalles
Eastern end of I-84 overlap
157.81253.9713th Street (OR 281)
158.95255.81 OR 35 / Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail east – Odell, Parkdale, Mount Hood
Hood River159.27–
159.53
256.32–
256.74

I-84 west / Lewis and Clark Trail / Hood River Bridge – Portland, Bingen, White Salmon
Western end of I-84 overlap
WascoMosier164.47264.69
I-84 east / Lewis and Clark Trail – The Dalles
Eastern end of I-84 overlap
164.84265.28Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail west
Rowena173.83279.75
To I-84 – The Dalles, Hood River, Mayer State Park
176.55284.13
To I-84 – Port of The Dalles
The Dalles181.19291.60 I-84 / Lewis and Clark Trail – Pendleton, Portland, Port of The DallesInterchange
183.16294.77
To I-84
Interchange
184.66297.18
US 197 south – Dufur, Bend
Western end of US 197 overlap
184.90–
185.15
297.57–
297.97


I-84 west / US 197 north / Lewis and Clark Trail – The Dalles, Portland, Yakima
Eastern end of US 197 overlap; west end of I-84 overlap
195.06313.9297 OR 206 – Celilo Park, Deschutes State Park
Sherman202.48325.86104 US 97 – Yakima, Bend
GilliamArlington235.74379.39137 OR 19 – Arlington, Condon
245.27394.72147 OR 74 – Ione, Heppner
Morrow265.87427.88168 US 730 / Lewis and Clark Trail – Irrigon
Umatilla277.37446.38179
I-82 west – Hermiston, Umatilla, Kennewick
280.78451.87182 OR 207 – Hermiston, Lexington
286.76461.50188
US 395 north – Stanfield, Echo, Hermiston
Western end of US 395 overlap
291.45469.04193Echo Road (Lexington–Echo Highway) – Echo, Lexington
Pendleton305.02490.88

I-84 east / US 395 south – La Grande
Eastern end of I-84 overlap
307.13494.28
OR 37 north – Holdman
307.66495.13

To US 395 south – Pilot Rock, John Day
308.97497.24


OR 11 south to I-84 / US 395 – Portland, La Grande
Western end of OR 11 overlap
309.67498.37
OR 11 north – Milton-Freewater, Walla Walla
Eastern end of OR 11 overlap
310.38499.51Mission Road – Mission, Indian Agency, GibbonInterchange; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
311.65501.55
I-84 west – Portland
Western end of I-84 overlap; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
314.33505.87216Milton-Freewater, Walla Walla (OR 331)
Union351.11565.06252 OR 244 – Starkey, Ukiah
357.47575.29
I-84 east – Baker City, Ontario
Eastern end of I-84 overlap; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
La Grande359.74578.95
OR 82 to I-84 – Elgin, Wallowa Lake
362.86–
363.27
583.97–
584.63


I-84 west / OR 203 south – Pendleton, Union
Western end of I-84 overlap
North Powder383.52–
383.70
617.22–
617.51

I-84 east / OR 237 – Baker City, North Powder
Eastern end of I-84 overlap
BakerBaker City403.17648.84

OR 7 north to I-84 – Richland, La Grande, Hells Canyon
Western end of OR 7 overlap
403.41649.23
OR 7 south – Salisbury, Unity, John Day
Eastern end of OR 7 overlap
405.84653.14
I-84 west – La Grande
Western end of I-84 overlap
441.58710.65
I-84 east – Ontario
Eastern end of I-84 overlap; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
444.84715.90 I-84 – Baker City, OntarioInterchange
Malheur452.67728.50
I-84 west – Baker City
Western end of I-84 overlap
455.55733.14356 OR 201 – WeiserFormer US 30N east
473.93762.72374

OR 201 (US 30 Bus. east) to US 20 / US 26 – Ontario, Weiser, Vale
Ontario476.02–
476.28
766.08–
766.50





I-84 east / US 30 Bus. west to US 20 / US 26 – Boise, Ontario, Vale
477.02767.69
US 30 east – Fruitland
Bridge over the Snake River (state line); continuation into Idaho
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Oregon Department of Transportation, Public Road Inventory Archived 2008-02-24 at the Wayback Machine (primarily the Digital Video Log), accessed March 2008
  2. ^ "Centennial Questions". The Oregon Statesman. May 29, 1959. p. 4. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Weingroff, Richard (June 27, 2017). "What Is The Longest Road in the United States?". Ask the Rambler. Federal Highway Administration. Archived from the original on June 19, 2018. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  4. ^ Gottberg Anderson, John (January 5, 2014). "Oregon's scenic byways: Gorge to coast and mountains to desert, these roads cover the state". Bend Bulletin. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  5. ^ Hadlow, Robert W. (February 4, 2000). "National Historic Landmark Nomination: Columbia River Highway". National Park Service. pp. 11–12, 14–15. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  6. ^ Wells, Shannon (August 2, 2010). "Signs point to highways historic significance". The Outlook. Archived from the original on January 1, 2024. Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via NewsBank.
  7. ^ "Officials OK Redesignation Of Highway 30". La Grande Observer. United Press International. July 7, 1958. p. 8. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Widening of Highway 30 Link Speeded Under 11 Contracts With More to Be Let Soon". The Oregonian. February 6, 1959. p. 18.
  9. ^ "Highway 30 Plan Gains Approval". The Oregonian. February 23, 1957. p. 6.
  10. ^ a b "Prospects Slim For Listing Highway 30 As Interstate". Longview Daily News. May 25, 1967. p. 5. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ a b "Road Aid Sought By State". The Oregon Journal. July 26, 1968. p. 6.
  12. ^ "Freeway Development To Astoria Is Advocated". Longview Daily News. United Press International. October 9, 1964. p. 8. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Spiro, Richard (December 31, 1969). "Lower 'high priority' awarded Highway 30 by Gov. Tom McCall". The Daily News. p. 5. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Sprio, Richard (May 20, 1972). "Highway 30 to switch from two to four lanes". The Daily News. p. 19. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Spiro, Richard (February 9, 1978). "OK for highway widening through Scappoose gets 'unenthusiastic' approval". The Daily News. p. 7. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Lindsley, Cathy (March 16, 1993). "Five years, 26 deaths — Morticians know: Highway 30 is deadly". The Daily News. p. A1. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ Federman, Stan (May 5, 1988). "Summer 1988 to be fairly free of road hassles". The Oregonian. p. C2.
  18. ^ Jeffries, Pat (February 1, 1983). "Freeway extension will displace homes, businesses". The Oregonian. p. B2.
  19. ^ Mantia, Patty (December 12, 1978). "I-505: the little freeway that wasn't". The Oregonian. p. B7.
  20. ^ Kramer, George (May 2004). The Interstate Highway System in Oregon: A Historic Overview (PDF) (Report). Oregon Department of Transportation. pp. 68–72. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 18, 2018. Retrieved March 30, 2021 – via Oregon State Library.
  21. ^ "Goldschmidt releases funds". The Oregonian. December 15, 1979. p. C10.
  22. ^ Del Savio, Anna (April 29, 2021). "County applies for Highway 30 bypass funding". Columbia County Spotlight. Archived from the original on October 11, 2022. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  23. ^ Johnston, Louis; Williamson, Samuel H. (2023). "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved November 30, 2023. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
  24. ^ Federman, Stan (March 31, 1971). "Tiny Scappoose Wins Fight To Keep Highway Funds At Home". The Oregonian. p. 18.


U.S. Route 30
Previous state:
Terminus
Oregon Next state:
Idaho