Transportation

There’s only one road off Hayden Island – Interstate 5, the main Interstate Highway on the West Coast. The freeway is ALWAYS congested, funneling traffic from SR-14 in Washington and I-84 in Oregon, as well.




The 8 mile commute to downtown Portland now can take 45 minutes rather than 10 minutes just a few short years ago.


In 2017, Portland commuters lost 50 hours in congestion, the 12th worst out of 297 cities in USA, according Inrix and the 40th worst in the world.


Congestion on I-5 is always top of mind to residents. Ten years ago, discussion began about a new bridge and wider freeway. But the Columbia River Crossing proposal suffered a slow and painful death in 2014 with few mourners.


Let’s review the history and imagine the future of transportation in the Portland region. We don’t claim any particular expertise in civil engineering. This is a survey of past efforts and future possibilities.