I just read Portland is on their 34th straight day of riots, and we're taking the clan to the coast near Cannon Beach, coming from Utah on I-84. The shortest route has us passing through Portland. Would you recommend that, or look for a bypass route?

Jump on the 205 South and avoid the city completely.

Hwy 20 or 26 are good for that trip. No need to go by way of Portland.

Jim

Portland is an avoid at all cost city form me even when there are no riots. Spent a lot of time there for work and there just isn't anything about the city that I like. The coast is fantastic though, enjoy your trip!

I make the drive from Utah to Oregon/Washington frequently (3 times last year) to climb the Cascade Volcanoes, and have avoided Portland every single time the past couple of years.

26 passes through Hood NF which is beautiful. But it then goes straight through Portland... So you may want to detour around the city.

I love the drive on 20 as you're getting close to Bend with Three Sisters & Mt Bachelor on the horizon.

84 through the Gorge with Mt Hood in front of you is beautiful. As mentioned, jump onto 205 before you hit Portland.

All the rioting and insanity is happening in downtown Portland and a few other locations in North and northeast portland, and almost exclusively in the late afternoon and evenings. Weekends have had a few earlier protests but the earlier they are the more peaceful they seem to be.

If you're coming in on I-84 and want to avoid it all take I-84, then go south on I-205 to I-5, go north on I-5 to hiway 217 north, and then continue until you get to get to hiway 26 westbound. Hiway 26 will take you to the coast and cannon beach.

This route will add about 45 minutes to your trip but you won't come within 5 miles of any protest or riot activity.

As a general rule, if you stay out of the Portland city core you won't see any of the BS. This is one of the reasons why I will never live in Portland or Multnomah county.

Enjoy your trip!

quote:

Originally posted by Beancooker:
Jump on the 205 South and avoid the city completely.

I forgot about 205. This would also be the quickest way if you are in a hurry. Personally, I like 20 because of the scenery but it will add a little more time for the trip.

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo54:

quote:

Originally posted by Beancooker:
Jump on the 205 South and avoid the city completely.

I forgot about 205. This would also be the quickest way if you are in a hurry. Personally, I like 20 because of the scenery but it will add a little more time for the trip.

Jim

I used to travel from Olympia Washington to Roseburg Oregon regularly. The 205 was my saving grace. I was able to avoid all the bullshit. It also kicked me back on I-5 early enough that I could take exit 283? (Wilsonville Road) And get lunch at the Oswego Grill. Their address is 30080 Boone’s Ferry Road. If you’re looking for an amazing lunch or dinner, I highly recommend this place.

Thanks everyone. Sounds like 205 is the way to go. Have protesters in Portland been shutting down the freeways, or is that just a Seattle thing?

The protesters are mainly downtown and are not going to interfere with you driving one bit.

The biggest suck factor is timing for traffic delays.

Safe travels~

Fly over Angels 33, carpet bomb, egress.

Save time and drive through. Just make sure the tank is full and no bathroom breaks needed.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
Fly over Angels 33, carpet bomb, egress.

Ha Ha, yes this

I'd avoid it personally. I'm down that way for work next week and wont be going through Portland.

Easy route.
I84 to the 181'St Ave exit 13.
in Gresham.
181 to Powell (hwy 26) and take that all the way to the coast.

So far that route is clear, my neighbor drives that daily.

Don't forget that when you get onto Highway 26 to make a stopover at Camp 18 - don't eat beforehand, then you can try a cinnamon bun the size of a child's head.

This is a timely question. My wife and kids are flying in to PDX on the 25th and then heading up to see family. I'll be following a week later. I'm hoping things will be better or at least clear by then.

The protesters aren't messing with the freeways, they're all (or mostly, anyway) int the downtown area on the west side of the Willamette River. I-84 will take you to the east bank of the river, then take I-5 just across the river, then on to I-405 very briefly before getting onto Hwy 26 westbound (Sunset Highway). 26 will take you to all the way to Cannon Beach.

From the airport, get on I-205 southbound, then I-84 westbound and do the same.

Highway 26 over Mount Hood is a nicer drive, but will be a little slower and will still dump you into east Portland. From there you can take I-205 south to get to I-5.

Highway 20 is further south than 26 and will take you to the Salem area, but it means driving across central Oregon which will be slower yet. From Salem, I-5 will get you back up to Portland, then grab either I-405 or Hwy 217 to the Sunset Highway (217 angles northwest and will bypass the entire downtown area).

Portland has always been weird. But it used to be fun weird. Now it’s just sad and depressing weird. My wife grew up in Camas, Washington across the river from Portland. We’d go into the city and experience the fun weird, especially for a country boy from NC. Based off of info from my wife’s remaining family I’d avoid it.

quote:

Originally posted by powermad:
Easy route.
I84 to the 181'St Ave exit 13.
in Gresham.
181 to Powell (hwy 26) and take that all the way to the coast.

So far that route is clear, my neighbor drives that daily.

not a bad plan since the Ross Island Bridge hasn't been blocked yet like the other bridges.

But the turn from 6th ave to I-405 is tricky and if you end up in the wrong lane and miss the I-405 turn, you end up right at Portland State Univ. which could be bad news.

If it were me, I'd think about taking 205 north to hiway 14, then coming back on I-5, then 405 then 26, but if it's rush hour, then forget about that. Not sure if that's faster or slower than taking 205 south. I suppose Google maps could help with that question, but the north via hiway 14 route is certainly shorter.

ETA: Just don't plan to fill your tank while on the Washington side of the river. Its all self serve there and there are no attendants to fill your tank, so you have to get out of your car and fill the tank yourself. For this reason, I never buy gas in Washington.

Pro-Tip -- get off at the Banks, OR exit and fill your tank, before you go any further west. No gas stations in Cannon Beach as of right now. There are few if any past Banks.