Remnants of Portland's Unbuilt Freeways

[@DocPlays]

It was certainly strange to see my route to work being described documentary style

[@makaylaserniotti1474]

Or the route heading back home to my parents place, they live in Columbia County which is accessible by us highway 30 lol.

[@openlink9958]

lol

[@LuisReyes-pd5rm]

you haven to be able and not be a question 😅of how you want the rest ❤😂😢😢😮😅🎉

[@LuisReyes-pd5rm]

😅😅😅😅😅

[@LuisReyes-pd5rm]

​@@makaylaserniotti1474 😮

[@stevewages]

I had always wondered about these “stubs”, particularly the one you can see on the I5 south > I84 ramp. Thanks for filling in the history!

[@JoshuaRes]

Same!

[@Rckstrroma5]

Definitely

[@doc3162]

I always wondered about that too. This was a fascinating look at Portland's past. I love history and this just put history of the freeway system in my pea brain.

[@NICKRITZER]

I've always thought that would be a neat place to park in the evening and just sit

[@FirstPersonLife]

not from portland but i think my favorite aspect of city planning is, by far, being able to see remnants of the past shine through, as well as the remnants of the future (in cases where things were planned ahead)

[@stevenpdx]

The unbuilt freeways of Portland have always fascinated me, and I was thrilled to stumble across this video. Absolutely top-notch in every aspect.

[@OREGONGAMER503]

I always wondered why Powell had those weird parking lots. All those homes destroyed for a parking lot.

[@juice-d5v]

Based

[@LifeTourist0]

I was just talking about this yesterday

[@Damaniel3]

Same. I grew up a few blocks south of Powell and went to Kellogg Middle School, and I always wondered why they were there. Later on I learned about the Mt Hood Highway, but never put 2 and 2 together at the time. This explanation makes perfect sense.

[@swayze_mane]

thats what i was just sayin!

[@fredmeyer369]

Crazy - I've been living here for 10 years and always noticed that stuff and was like "Eh - weird but whatever". Now I know why.

[@christiannecas8075]

Damn, I was literally wondering about the ghost ramps the other day. As a Portland resident, I truly appreciate this informative and well produced video

[@thihal123]

Yes, this is a very well produced video

[@nateb4543]

Been driving by those for 20 years, always wondered but never looked it up

[@dickhitswater4836]

I was born and raised in Portland and always wondered about those. A couple weeks ago my daughter and I were commuting to work together and she asked what they were, I’m glad that I can now give her a accurate answer.

[@larrybruce4856]

Just an interesting tidbit. The Marquam bridge was Earthquake retro-fitted, (upgraded) around 1980 due to the possibility of the upper level "pancake collapse" similar to what took place in San Francisco during the 1980 Earthquake. The Marquam bridge and a few of downtown Portland bridges sit on soft earth/fill and prone to liquafaction (water creating a quicksand sinking effect) sinking during Earthquakes.

[@RoadGuyRob]

I lived in Northeast Portland 15 years ago. It's great to learn the deep story behind all the ghost ramps. Peter, if I ever make a Portland trip, we should absolutely collaborate!

[@justinsprout7611]

That would be a great video!

[@fullname9338]

yes please

[@3bydacreekside]

Hey would you consider covering the new parkway that opened up south of Pittsburgh?

[@Gdhebdhgd123]

Hi

[@cjtj4700]

14:38 Early 1980's my grandfather, R.I.P., almost drove off that stub with me and my 2 younger brothers in his car!! All 3 of us were yelling "GRANDPA! STOP!!!" We screeched to a stop....in the stub!!! I remember that there was only a chain link fence sealing off the end, and thinking to myself "Really? What's the point?!?"" LOL

[@peterdibble]

Oh wow! Thank goodness for concrete barriers blocking them off now!

[@Krystalmyth]

I'd have launched off that deck least twice by now.

[@IsaacPoopsAlot]

@@peterdibble something must've happened :flushed:

[@anastasiamadeit9617]

I know, I always thought so. A fence?

[@watershed44]

@@IsaacPoopsAlot I would put money on it that someone actually did drive off that ramp at some point.

[@stevenpdx]

I've always been interested in Portland's unbuilt freeways. This is definitely the most comprehensive look into the freeway revolts of the 70s and the remnants we can still find. Love it.

[@anthonybanchero3072]

The remnants of Seattle’s unbuilt Thompson Expressway finally succumbed to expansion of the freeway it was supposed to interchange with.

[@chrisw443]

The only one I wish was built was the one that cuts through hayden island, to the us 30 industrial area and through the west hills to beaverton, three bridges across the Columbia and high speed transit on all three would solve so many issues without destroying actual neighborhoods. it would cut traffic and transit times to vancouver in half

[@MrWiseinheart]

Yep I was thinking the same, the much needed bridge to Washington state.

[@nwsportstilidie]

Might also help if light rail went across the Columbia River.

[@richardlevin4488]

I was salivating when I heard about that one, at the very least we need another bridge from marine drive to Hayden island so that going to best buy after 2 pm is a realistic goal

[@surelyyoujokemeinfailure7531]

They would probably have to cut deep into the hills of Forest Park (or tunnel beneath, not sure if that would even work) to mitigate the steep twisty slopes there. The way it is now, if you're trying to get from Beaverton to Gresham at 3:30pm (or vice versa) your destination is practically on the other side of the moon in terms of transit time.

[@ThePatriot167]

Great job putting this together, really well made.

[@mjfreespirit]

Totally agree. Fantastic job on this.

[@d.diggler9936]

As a life long Portland resident, I always wondered about the unfinished freeway ramps.

[@Nailima_]

As a kid i was always confused about the ramp stubs as i thought that they were going be building more road there in the future. I now know that those were all from a time long since passed. Thanks for making these awesome videos!

[@RobertERider]

Love the video. As a lifelong Portland resident, I can't get enough of watching and learning about Portland.

[@TheCatherineCC]

Not sure how I watched a video about a park and ended up binge watching your entire channel, but it was a good evening :) Thank you for your borderline obsessive research and work on producing these pieces!

[@robertg5451]

Milwaukee WI had the same thing happen. Only about 45% of the proposed freeways were built. Pretty much for the same reasons. We had stubs all over the place. In fact one such stub was actually used in the Blues Brothers movie. At least it got some use.LOL

[@artbyty]

Wow lived here my whole life and never knew many of these details. Always knew the overpass stubs where for canceled freeways but really cool to know the how's and why's.

[@OregonBuildingRailfan]

Woah! Thats a lot of information I didn't know. The only one I heard about before was the Mt. Hood. Thanks for sharing!

[@peterdibble]

Glad to hear it was educational, thanks for watching!

[@swooshdave]

I always wondered about that strange bow in the road on 26 before you got to Sandy. Now I know.

[@email4664]

@@peterdibble Yours is by far, the best documentary on Portland that I have seen. Thanks for the effort

[@dantupper1784]

This was great!- my Grandpa, like lots of others locally, was a bridge builder. He had papers on a few proposed local bridges- one between Hwy 14 and I-84 in the Camas/Washougal to Troutdale area. The other sounds like part of the 'Gateway Express' plan- a bridge to connect the Ports of Vancouver and Portland- making both more competetive. Third one was very uncertain- variation og 'Gateway Expressway' headed northward from St Johns bridge to connect to 78th & I-5/Hwy99 in Hazel Dell. The east end of 78th was designed as a 'Expressway' in the late '50's early '60's but not completed for decades. Grandpa had saved articles about these large local projects for years. Thanks!

[@filanfyretracker]

oh wow I didnt know they had an I-84 in the west, Only ever knew of the one that went through Connecticut.

[@dantupper1784]

@@filanfyretrackerSouthside of Columbia River east of Portland Ore, covers the Columbia River Gorge, heads east toward Ontario, Ore into Idaho. From there I do not know.

[@warped2875]

@@filanfyretracker It used to be called I-80N(north), that branched off from the I-80 at Salt Lake City, I-80 still takes a southerly route through Nevada, on to San Francisco. I-80N(north) was changed to I-84 in 1980, and goes north out of Utah, through Idaho, and on in to Portland along the Columbia River on Oregon's northern border. The change had something to do with new Federal guidelines on the highway numbering system.

[@wilbur9416]

I often wondered what was up with the unfinished highways in Portland growing up. Thanks for breaking it down and letting us know

[@barrettpolychronis2833]

I'm a 32 year old who was born and raised here. This upload was so interesting. Thank you Pete

[@JD-nt8ui]

I had just moved here when I started noticing the ramp stubs driving around. What a well thought out, researched, and composed video. Thank you!

[@email4664]

We have some pretty cool folks here.

[@dennissvitak5475]

My grandfather was born in Portland, Oregon, in 1879. When he was 52, my mother was born, in 1932, also in Portland. I was born in Portland, in 1956.

[@russellwboss]

With all due respect, it's very boomer-fied to think this is a worthwhile contribution to the discourse.

[@GregsWorkshopOregon]

The Kirby ramp does provide an essential and quick connection to Emanuel. I’m glad it’s there.

[@danepcarver4951]

Lived in Hillsboro until 2019. I used that Kirby ramp many times to go to the American Red Cross Blood Center(the biggest in the Nation) both to donate platelets and volunteer to deliver critical blood products to the hospitals throughout Oregon.

[@clydehdoctor2590]

Originally the Kirby exit was supposed to be restricted for Emanuel's use only but a pesky citizen successfully sued to open it up to all traffic. I've used it dozens of times over the year both for access to the Red Cross blood donation center and to North Portland. It's also the best connection to Northeast Portland and eastbound along Fremont street.

[@surferdude44444]

As a long time SW PDX resident skier, the thought of going nonstop from deep southwest to Sandy was very appealing to me. Still is.

[@beyo5]

As a professional driver, the Westside Bypass should have been built from Vancouver's Fruit Valley industrial area, giving Portland a third Interstate Bridge, through the North Portland industrial area, over the West Hills to connect with Hwy 26W. Too much traffic from Tualatin Valley has to go through downtown (and the Vista Ridge Tunnel) creating a daily rush hour clog. Also, if Marine Drive was widened and extended for truckers from I5 to Troutdale, lots of East-West trucking could be diverted from I84 in the city and be connected with the Westside Bypass. I'll bet we could do it with as much financing as putting in the multi-billion dollar MAX extension through Tigard that would end up narrowing Barbur.

[@makaylaserniotti1474]

I like this. It would also have very minimal impact on what already exists, especially along marine drive.

[@Xanthelei]

Any widening would need to happen on the south side of Marine Drive, since there are the boathouse communities and a few individual homes on the north side. Shouldn't be too hard to do aside from the area by Goodwill, most of it is basically buffer land anyway. For that matter, finding a way for Marine Drive to join up with 205 instead of funneling traffic onto Airport Way would ease a lot of the problems there too. So much Troutdale traffic uses Marine Drive to skip past the inevitable backup on 84 and I'm sure the businesses hate it.

[@RH-cv1rg]

@UCalPEhPB0upFK7zm0Lh0xIw What a re-write of history. In 1872, when Ben Holladay built Portland's first streetcar line. The Portland Street Railway’s streetcars went two-miles along 1st Street, from Northwest Glisan Street to Southwest Porter Street. By 1888, four more companies had lines in Portland, and another opened a line in East Portland and Albina. Citizens also had horses, another way to travel. They had bikes and Portland had sidewalks. If you look around town you will see rings on the curbs of sidewalks so people could tie up their horses, BEFORE cars. Here is a link to the sidewalk rings that were in Portland in the 1800s. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse_rings_in_Portland,_Oregon Portland was also a big bike town in the 1890s Here is another link showing Portland had bike shops and active cyclists in 1892 BEFORE the car. www.pdxmonthly.com/news-and-city-life/2019/05/think-portland-is-obsessed-with-bikes-today-meet-the-wheelpeople-of-1890s-stumptown So they had mass transit, they had bikes, and they had sidewalks. Nice attempt to revise history to fit your narrative.

[@gibsonclan1able]

WHAT!? Widen Marine drive and make the bicycle riders (who don’t pay road tax) actually have to use the designated paths that the DOT built for them using gas tax money!? Preposterous!

[@W7ENK]

​@@gibsonclan1able As a "bicycle rider" who also owns and drives a motor vehicle, I absolutely do pay road taxes, thank you very much. Maybe you'd be surprised to know that somewhere around 90% of cyclists in the State of Oregon also own cars, making your point moot. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@jefffinkbonner9551]

A documentary like this would be really fascinating for Seattle. I-5 through that town is....interesting. So many bottlenecks, ramps everywhere in downtown, switching-directional express lanes; plus, the SR 509/ 99/ 599 freeways changing over to a surface street in the south end industrial area just screams unfinished freeway that must have a backstory to it. And of course the Alaskan Way viaduct now tunnel could be its own show. Very nicely done video!

[@Thunderbuck]

Funny I should stumble across this, as I'd just finished reading Robert Caro's excellent book The Power Broker, which detailed Robert Moses' terrible damage to New York, so kudos for finding that interview footage. Clearly his influence spread far beyond New York and even the US.

[@vince1638]

watch "The Forgotten story of Harbor Drive". That was really nuts.

[@torinoscj]

I grew up in south east Portland near 111th and Holgate. Ed Benedict state park and the tri met bus barns are where all houses that were destroyed for the Mt. Hood freeway. When I was a kid, my mom and I would go and dig up flowers and plants from the removed house's lots and take them home. There are still rose bushes and rhubarb plants living today from those homes.

[@Kurorahk]

Happy to finally know about what those stubs were, I always found history of construction projects and communities so fascinating so thank you for your excellent work.

[@atoz1to9ization]

I've always been confused by all those weird stubs on the highways. But this gives me a ton of respect for the older generations of Portland

[@webpa]

The "older generations" caused the disaster that is still called Portland.

[@ayatollahlalalola]

It's sad to see what became of the lower Eliot neighborhood. If you pause the video at 15:13 the house with the dark roof at the top center of the frame (on the left side of the road) survived to this day while all other surrounding properties were destroyed. Today it's 2725 N Kirby Ave and is surrounded by freeway, pbot lots, and parking garages for the hospital.

[@bcshelby4926]

...interesting presentation. Used to live off Division on 30th and frequently cut through Piccolo park to 26th and Clinton. Didn't realise that little park was a "side effect" of the Mt. Hood Freeway project. The segment of Division between SE 20th and SE 50th is a thriving commercial corridor that wouldn't exist if the freeway were built, and likely the house I rented a room in, would have been demolished decades ago.

[@dano8080]

Mount Hood Freeway... the one that got away. Excellent video.

[@tungstentaco495]

I remember my dad really looking forward to the Mt Hood Freeway. But all these years later, I'm just learning that it's path would have gone right through my neighborhood and about 800 feet from my house. Yikes.

[@iambrandonpoo]

This was so informative and interesting. Really enjoyed this content and the visuals with it

[@frankosoriano2406]

I am neither from Portland or the US, but man was this still an interesting and very informative watch. Great job dude!

[@peterdibble]

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@Aethelbeorn]

I live in Portland on mid Stark St. and this was an interesting and very informative watch.

[@djtdub1]

Great video. Another aspect to Mount Hood Freeway history is the lower-rent 'freeway house.' The State of Oregon(the future ODOT?) essentially became the landlord of the houses in the unbuilt freeway right of way. I knew someone who lived in one. -How long did this arrangement actually last? -Did these houses revert back to their prior owners? Or were they sold or auctioned to new owners?

[@peterdibble]

Interesting! I wasn't aware of all that.

[@theresamagladry1158]

I was a child in the 70s. We drove through Portland every summer for our vacation. I remember being fascinated by what I called, "The bridges to nowhere." Thanks for explaining that odd childhood mystery!

[@jamieross5292]

Thank you for such a well produced video. The period correct video footage was great.

[@jkoeger]

This was extremely enjoyable to watch. I was so excited it was 24 mins long. Thank you!

[@ultimattwhat]

Finding this a bit late, thanks for the information. I've lived here all my life and have wondered about those abandoned onramps for ages.

[@BellaMirelli]

Omg literally same!!! I've seen them all around, on the Freemont bridge, the I84/I5 interchange

[@StefanMilo]

I’m so glad they didn’t build that rose city free way. As a European resident of Portland it is so crazy to me that the I5 runs along the river. River banks are such premium locations for shops and parks and housing.

[@memathews]

Check the video in this channel that discussed the freeway that was removed from the waterfront on the west side of the river and you'll understand why the easier placement is better. I agree, not perfect, but better.

[@KarelPKerezman]

Having walked underneath a lot of those "stubs," this was absolutely fascinating to me. Thank you, excellent work!

[@Eric_Stoneheart420]

this actually answers alot of personal questions i had. from certain parts of Gresham to strange roads in downtown, remanents can still be found.

[@bradmiley]

Thank you Peter and crew for another excellent documentary. As a "road historian" and hobbyist, I find "never were" or "almost" motorways/freeways incredibly fascinating. At one point, it appeared as though the asphalt belts would eventually encircle the every town, city, country - even continents! But the great expansions of the 50s/60s gave way to protests and ecological movements of the 70s/80s, and the immense projects were postponed, changed, postponed, and eventually... completely abandoned. As an example, there were plans to build a huge set of interlinking motorways cutting huge slices through the centre of London! Today, such an idea is hard to believe, but the enthusiasm for Inner City/Urban Motorways ignored the destruction and concomitant blights of pollution and the creation of stranded concrete islands, unreachable and only accessible via car. This was part of that excited, prosperity focused optimism that dissolved like a souffle in a dark cupboard once the 70s brought in recessions, economic collapse, strikes, tensions, and mass unemployment. At least we still have the maps! Thanks once again for an entertaining and informative look at what Portland almost had 😊

[@Errr717]

I lived in Aloha in the late 70's/early 80's and I always got confused when I got near Portland where all the bridges are. I actually drove around in circles trying to get off the freeway to get to downtown. Now I know why.

[@frederickbooth7970]

That`s happened to us too!

[@Errr717]

@@frederickbooth7970 LOL Nice to hear I wasn't the only one.

[@hannahheutte9473]

I thought my dreams of a portland jay forman would never be answered. Im going to binge all these videos today

[@brianellison3525]

Seattle had a bunch of those dead end ramps through the 80's. They got used in a couple movies, and in a poster add for union labor that read "Would the last one leaving seattle, please turn out the lights"

[@jonathanlanglois2742]

We've got several of those in Montreal as well. There's a few unused viaducts and highways that end rather abruptly. There's an entire right of way which is still reserved to this day although the plans have most definitely fallen through.

[@mocha2259]

not gonna lie that freeway to Gresham would save so much time

[@mocha2259]

@Kyle Korona fair enough

[@SL420-]

Strange thought: more highways being the cure to problems caused by highways and car dependence. It might save you some time at the cost of some of everyone else's time and quality of life.

[@profligatepassages]

​@SL420- true never really thought of it that way. I guess the thought being that if one time saver saves more people time than costs them time then it's worth it I suppose. Generally there are negatives to everything, surprised this slipped my mind honestly I had mostly only considered the eye sores and lack of connecting roads when interstates cut through things.

[@sweendawg7274]

Why would you lie?

[@RLDenham]

​​@@SL420- The concept of a hwy is not the real problem it is a hwy which does not meet the needs of the comuninity. The failed logic of car haters use regarding the build it & they will come ligic highlights their anti car authoritarianism. Some think people really think the majority would prefer to walk bike or bus everywhere & the only reason they don't is infrastructure which is silly others know the truth & they want to force people to use car alternatives because they know they won't get their way by providing choices & "education".

[@russellwboss]

As an Oregon history "buff" and infrastructure enthusiast, these are very informative videos you have here. Really glad I found them.

[@Steinwelt]

I very much adore your transport related videos!

[@FreewayBrent]

Fantastic video; I will share this in a few groups. The relative lack of freeways in and around Portland, coupled with its explosive growth over the past few decades largely explains why its existing freeways are so terribly congested during peak hours...but, it's very clear that Portland's neighborhoods would have been split up in ways that would have resulted in a less livable city than it is today.

[@compdude100]

It probably wouldn't have been so badly congested if they made the freeways that did get built wider than just 3 lanes in each direction. Seattle's are mostly at least three lanes wide in each direction, with many sections being 4-5 lanes in each direction. Heck, even the Rose Quarter widening project where they're widening that stupidly narrow 2-lane section of I-5 has faced a lot of opposition but at least that's getting built in the near future.

[@YowzaBowzaWowza]

You’re half right.

[@peskypigeonx]

@@compdude100 Induced demand dude lol

[@compdude100]

@@peskypigeonx Yeah I know that now but not when that comment was posted a year ago lol

[@birdrocket]

@@compdude100character growth, nice

[@garyruss3529]

Knew about all of these except for the Powell Blvd narrow parking lots & the route 26 split in Gresham. Lived out there for years & never really thought about it. Excellent documentary.

[@jasonpdsi]

Peter, I'm not exactly sure what your background is with the city of Portland but your documentaries (or at least the two I've seen so far) are fantastic. I love this historical look at the city. Especially in light of recent events.

[@butchsg80]

These videos are so great. I appreciate the history lesson Peter!

[@aaronellingsen5404]

The mt hood hwy should have been built. It would alleviate so much of the snarled traffic that the inner Banfield currently sees. Also, another bridge that crosses from lake Oswego-ish to somewhere in Milwaukie seems like it would have been a good idea too. Even with the recent upgrade, Sellwood is still a traffic nightmare. Great video, BTW. I look forward to watching more.

[@lelandsparks4823]

I live near that section of route 26 mention in the mount hood freeway part. It have always confused me why it was built that way with no road coming in.

[@keithmiller2714]

This answered many questions I’ve had for many, many years. Very well done.

[@Freewayjim]

Nicely done sir! enjoyable and highly informative.

[@johnley4720]

Absolutely superb history of transportation in the Portland metropolitan area. THANK YOU!

[@davidh4109]

the west side routes would be handy right now.

[@magmastered]

That is an incredible level of production quality. The sheer amount of archive material. Subscribed.

[@gravit8ed]

solid research and reporting here! I've driven thousands of miles of delivery in and around portland and the...frustrating things all make sense now. At least they got the rural chunk of the Hood route done first, I can't imagine trying to get out that way on the older roads. Big picture though, if they'd have finished the hood highway that whole area would be prime right now. Good work

[@RD2564]

Beautiful video. Very good video footage available of historic Portland from the 50's and 60's.

[@A.Very.BoredHuman]

It's so cool to see my home state on KZbin I live north of Portland and I recognize almost every bridge

[@brohiggins9332]

So well done! You see PDX's history and explanation. Memories

[@mpz375]

Great content. Born and raised in Portland and I always wondered about all this stuff, from the stubs to the stupid skinny parking lots on Powell. Thank you and great job.

[@michaelprasuhn6590]

I paused at 15:14 and assuming that's I5 and Russell street running left to right across the bottom, the only structure from that photograph that is still standing today is the I5 itself. All of those houses are gone, either to hospital, freeway, or industrial usage.

[@sarad9791]

Been living in the Metro area for 45 years. For some reason, I always thought the freeway system here was older. Unfortunately, the system has not grown with the population expansion.

[@spuwho]

This video on Portland is a small representation of what many major metro area was struggling within in the post WW2 auto transportation boom. You could duplicate this video for many, many cities that have the same legacy. The Interstate Highway System wasn't designed to improve interurban travel, it was designed to facilitate interstate travel. But because the political power resided in the cities where the most tax payers were, the focus was always getting more limited access lanes into the city centers. While not all highway planners were racist in their motives, the availability of cheap land was of high priority along with urban renewal. Areas that were seen as blighted just happened to also be cheap to acquire. But these were neighborhoods that simply lived at a different income level and the consequences of pushing people out was not completely understood at the time. The 'greater good' was always outweighing the individual good (or neighborhood good) when these plans were developed. Fortunately every town found a way to cope with these changes in their own unique ways. It's too bad Portland allowed their extensive trolley system to be torn out after 1936. The right of ways for these systems would have made a great foundation for a future public transit system.

[@paulj6756]

As what happened with Chicago's Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) and the University of Illinois Circle Campus.

[@spuwho]

@@paulj6756 Chicago, Seattle, Memphis, St Louis, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Indianapolis, all have legacy urban freeway issues, many are seen today with ghost ramps.

[@Gizathecat2]

Hello from Washington State! I lived in the Seattle area in the sixties and seventies. Two freeways/expressways were halted by community protest. The RH Thompson expressway would have gone through through the Madison Valley and part of the beloved Arboretum. Madison Valley was home to many racial minorities who didn’t like the idea their neighborhood having a freeway running through it. The Evergreen Point bridge had ramps to nowhere that would eventually connect to the Thompson expressway. They would remain until the bridge underwent major renovations in the 2010s. The ghost ramps to nowhere are now gone. Another freeway was announced in about 1968 that would have gone through the eastern part of Bellevue, a suburb on the east side of Lake Washington. My mother was involved in the fight to stop it, seeing as how it would have run less than a mile east of our house! She and all the neighbors attended a meeting regarding the freeway. I recall her telling me about how the planners and engineers explaining the freeway would be “beautiful” or something like that. As if on cue the angry neighbors all broke out in laughter! Nothing came of it. My old neighborhood is still there.

[@stan4d1969]

As an Oregon native I love your videos!

[@magsd5234]

Thank you Mr. Peter Dibble! I have been so curious about these projects!

[@RedNekLvr22]

As a trucker who has been through Portalnd many times, I can easily see the benefit each freeway would've given the city. It's sad how totally inadequate the existing freeways are now, considering Portland's growth. Some will say freeways divide communities. I would argue that having nothing but surface streets divided cities also. Who wants to drive 45 minutes down some surface street to a particular area of town that might have taken only 20 of a freeway? It makes people not want to venture to other parts of the city, turning each neighborhood into its own bubble area. Dividing cities can come in many different forms. Bottom line? Everyone likes freeways as long as they shoulder none of the sacrificing it takes for them to be built.

[@peterdibble]

Well said. NIMBYism is a pretty interesting aspect of this sort of city planning, and without fail it always comes up in the history of these freeway projects.

[@filanfyretracker]

that is just it, people want more of them if they drive that route. But I doubt any of them would willfully give up their land for one to be built.

[@nathanholland3235]

The majority of people in Portland don’t want freeways in the city, be they NIMBY, environmentalist, urbanist or someone else. Portlanders generally want transit, biking, and walkability. Many are actively trying to get 405 and 5 downtown torn out (routing down 205). I like that about living here. It’s just a different constituency of people that self selected to live in a city that values biking instead of freeways. Houston or LA or Tucson are the opposite. I understand why it would be annoying as a truck driver who moves freight to form the backbone of our country (maybe ban/toll cars on urban interstates?) but as someone from freeway heavy St. Louis, I can say with confidence that communities here are healthier and more vibrant precisely because people stay, shop, and play local. It’s not like you can’t go anywhere because you don’t have a freeway, it takes a little longer and you think twice about whether you really need to make that trip to Fred Meyer or wherever. With walking and biking to work and my local store, I never have to worry about congestion. It’s just not a thing for those modes of transportation, and as an added bonus, I’m much healthier and happier because of how I get around (lost 60 lbs since moving here). I was also annoyed with Portland when Insisted on using my car to go everywhere, but then I tried something new and never went back. Just keep an open mind :)

[@NB1980]

@@nathanholland3235 I totally get that, but as another truck driver, if I have to make a delivery and it takes me an hour just to go 5 miles, I'm not going to want to deliver to that city ever again.

[@nathanholland3235]

@@NB1980 I respect that, which is why more people need to get out of their cars. Less cars=less traffic, meaning our roads can work and truck drivers can do their jobs better

[@liljake8504]

I worked security in several HOA's in the Gresham Butte area, the proposed route for the Mount Hood Freeway cuts right through one of the HOA's. Needless to say if that plan would have gone through that area wouldn't have developed the way it did and I wouldn't have worked out there. Amazing video.

[@steveeddy6876]

Wow Portland has a lot of Freeways and Bridges what a great video 👍

[@sierraarmstrong5163]

Literally love love love your videos so much. Your research is top tier. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge

[@kebler823]

The region needs a I-5 bypass from north of Vancouver going south to Hillsboro area and reconnect near Wilsonville! Keep the just passing thru traffic out of the metro core!

[@peterdibble]

This idea was actually considered! If you do a Google image search for "1969 Portland transportation plan" there's a fascinating map of what was planned to be built by 1990. Essentially I-205 would have continued in a big loop around the west side from Tualatin to Vancouver.

[@davidchristensen6908]

I had a family member responsible for buying up property along the mt. Hood freeway project for the state of Oregon. When it was canceled he sold off all the property the state bought making a tidy bit of profit on almost every purchase. He worked for state hwy division. At this time state hwy go 100% of the gas tax and had money to do projects. Until the gas tax was added into the general fund and state hwy had to beg for funds from then on

[@jodeeclarklompa852]

I remember my parents talking about this and then me, as a young adult, living through many of changes and projects. Fascinating and fun video. Thank you for this review of Portland history.

[@OliverAsis]

Absolutely wonderful work with this Peter!!!

[@roycereidnm]

I'd always wondered why my street has no structures built between the 1930's and late 80's. I'm in the middle of a proposed freeway corridor!

[@viniciusmendonca7002]

such a high quality video!!! Love it, you deserve a lot more views

[@sycocysx]

Beautifully crafted video! You will be big sometime soon, I am sure

[@torinemerson8665]

Thank you. You cleared up questions that I have had all my life. Some of this I knew, but none in that much detail.

[@dashytbytch3]

omg! i'm from pdx born & raised & i've been obsessed w those ramp stubs for years!! thank you for this video!!❤❤❤❤

[@06racing]

Just to let you know, You can always fall back on doing this type of video for all the cities in the world if you need to. 😎

[@CreativeMindsAudio]

I’d love more public transit to serve these areas. Like let’s get some heavy rail/subways here. But glad i have some info about the i84 to i5 ghost ramps.

[@SavageScientist]

Im from New Orleans and planning to move to Seattle this year. And it seems all cities have some type of freeway battle. This is interesting and Portland is one of the most beautiful cities i ever seen.

[@YowzaBowzaWowza]

Must be our unique type of drug addict / mental case / derelict and their subsidized squalor all over the city!

[@robertcope9494]

It was mentioned that I-205 was controversial in construction. Sure it was "not in my backyard". But today when I-5 is blocked off in Portland or the Portland to Vancouver bridge is blocked of. The I-205 is a welcome go around the city of Portland and that another bridge is available. Additionally there is so much traffic in Portland that going around is the best thing to do.

[@Ironcabbit]

All that traffic is the result of having essentially one east-west freeway (that was insufficient for the amount of traffic when it was completed) and difficult interchanges on its two north-south freeways surrounding the downtown area.

[@josephs2679]

Great flick. I’ve lived in Vancouver my whole life and while Portland’s traffic is awful in the day, it is an extremely beautiful drive at night.

[@Hakuwoodworks]

Thank you for putting this together. I often have wondered what the plan was for some of those stubs. I will say that another route to Vancouver is still desperately needed.

[@XXelpollodiabloXX]

It would be cool to get a west side bypass, but I don't think it will ever happen. If my opinion counted for anything, I'd say make the route a limited access route so that it does nothing but go from 26 across to I5, probably south of Ridgefield, but north of the 205/5 merge. 217 isn't far enough west, so extending it north wouldn't make sense. You'd run right into St. Johns, even if you could find an acceptable way through Forest Park. (Tunnel maybe?) So that means Cornelius Pass is the most likely candidate. Cut across Sauvie Island, across the river, and around Felida. The only interchange would be at Hwy 30. Other than that, the only way on or off is at 26 or I5. But, like I said, it won't happen, even if Hillsboro and Ridgefield continue to grow like they are now.

[@brendalarson6054]

Love your content dude. I did research on the Portland freeway stumps a few years ago and your videos have completed my journey. Thank you.

[@fiercenet]

Growing up as a kid in Portland I still remember the freeway offramps that just ended in sheer drop-offs... I think there's still two of them on the 84 to I5 interchange. Crazy they were left for decades with not much more than a fence protecting them.

[@zatchg1212]

Fascinating. I live in the Portland metro area. These additional freeways would be very helpful today. The area desperately needs wider freeways, and additional bridges connecting Vancouver and Portland as well.

[@phoq8880]

I moved to Portland in 1991. I always wondered what was up with those ghost ramps. And also why the 405 turned into just a regular street at nw yeon. Thanks for answering these mysteries

[@CrazyBear65]

The problem with highways is they take people's land. I was born in Pittsburgh in 1965. I watched the streetcars go away. I watched the city and the county take people's land. And people fought. It took years for them to sieze everyone's land, but they did it, and they raised taxes, which nobody wanted, and they built their expressway. I now reside in Virginia. I'm watching the same shit happening here. They keep widening the interstates, to accommodate more traffic, which statistically only creates more traffic. The us highways and state highways in rural areas were planned for eventual further expansion. As more people move further out from the stink and filth of the city, and farmers get old and sell their land to developers, the McMansions pop up, and the cul-de-sacs, and the townhouse complexes, and the _yuppies_ start moving in, and what once was the sticks becomes outer yuppydom. Then shopping centers pop up where there used to be cornfields. And yuppies bitch about the deer eating their ornamental plants. But the deer were here first. You're in tieir backyard, not the other way around. Bitching about fossil fuels and pollution and we're killing our homeworld, but y'all are living in con-damn-miniums that used to be _somebody's farm!_ Y'all are sitting at a Starbucks that used to be pasture land. The creeks were diverted and mostly run underground in culverts now. And there's a ten lane interstate where Grampa's junkwoods used to be. And none of y'all prissy-ass yuppies give a fuck.

[@kellysmith8565]

While I've always wondered about the ramp stubs, learning the reason why Powell Blvd in SE has the little parking lot strips. Very informative and well done.

[@JustSumChillAlien]

Love learning about road infrastructure with good presentation like this. You've earned a sub.