Interstate 205 Oregon / Washington

Interstate 205 Oregon
OR 212 at I-205 - Clackamas

Interstate 205 is generally a six lane freeway that bypasses Portland by way of Oregon City and Portland International Airport. The right of way for I-205 is wide enough to accommodate future expansion. 08/27/06

Overview

Interstate 205 is the eastern bypass of the Portland metropolitan area. The mileage based exit numbering system continues from Oregon north into Washington. Fully opened in 1983 with the opening of the Glenn Jackson Bridge over the Columbia River, the first section of Interstate 205 to begin construction was the bridge over the Willamette River in West Linn, in 1968.

To avoid the Interstate Bridge north of downtown Portland on Interstate 5, I-205 is a recommended alternate route for through traffic.

History

Construction of Interstate 205, the East Portland Freeway, was delayed throughout the 1970s as a result of a series of challenges related to the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).1 Nevertheless, I-205 was completed in stages:

  • 1968-1970: Willamette River Bridge opened in West Linn on May 28, 1970
  • 1974: freeway from Interstate 5 northeast to West Linn and Oregon City opened in Clackamas County
  • 1974-1978: controversy erupts over Multnomah County segment, with protests made to the Environmental Quality Commission. A compromise crafted by Glenn L. Jackson (Oregon Transportation Commission Chair) was reached between the various parties involved: community groups, environmentalists, and governmental agencies. By 1978, Interstate 205 construction was allowed to continue after a nearly five-year hiatus.
  • 1978-1979: most controversial segment of Interstate 205 in Multnomah County constructed as a six-lane facility with fewer interchanges and fewer lanes than originally proposed; rights of way reserved for a busway
  • December 1982: Glenn L. Jackson Bridge over the Columbia River opened, thus completing the Oregon section of Interstate 205. This bridge was featured on the cover of that year’s Oregon Official State Map.
  • 1983: Washington section of Interstate 205 completed, thus finishing the bypass route

Interstate 205 was the last spur or bypass Interstate route to be constructed in Oregon.

Route Information

  • North End – Salmon Creek, WA

  • South End – Tualatin, OR

  • Total Mileage – 36.64

Mileage

Oregon – 26.07

  • Cities – Portland, Milwaukie, Parkrose

  • Junctions – I-5 I-84

Washington – 10.57

  • Cities – Vancouver

  • Junctions – I-5

Source: December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

I-205 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)

Source: 2017 Transportation Volume Tables – Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT)
2017 AADT – WSDOT Traffic Data Geoportal

 Photo Guides

North End I-5 – Salmon Creek, Washington

I-205 North at I-5

Exit 36 leaves I-5 north for NE 134th St at Salmon Creek, Washington

The final exit from Interstate 205 north ahead of return to I-5 connects with NE 134th Street at the census designated place of Salmon Creek. 07/16/23

I-205 north end at Salmon Creek, WA

An entrance ramp from NE 139th Street converges with I-205 where traffic merges onto Interstate 5. 07/16/23

I-5 South at I-205

I-5 south at I-205 - Salmon Creek, WA

Southbound Interstate 5 at Exit 9 for NE 179th Street to Mount Vista. I-205 splits with the freeway next in 1.5 miles. Photo by Doug Kerr (09/09/09).

I-5 south at I-205 - Salmon Creek, WA

Interstate 205 provides a bypass of Downtown Portland for points east along I-84. A scenic freeway, I-84 straddles the south banks of the Columbia River east to The Dalles. Photo by Doug Kerr (09/09/09).

I-5 south at I-205 - Salmon Creek, WA

Exit 7 separates from I-5 south for I-205 to Washington State University at Vancouver, Portland International Airport (PDX) and I-5 south of Portland to Salem, Oregon. Photo by Doug Kerr (09/09/09).

I-205 North End Throwback

I-205 north at NE 134th St in 2009

The replacement of the sign bridge at Exit 36 dropped Washington State University (WSU) at Vancouver for the last exit from I-205 northbound. Photo by Doug Kerr (09/09/09).

Removed end shield for Interstate 205 north

Long removed, this end shield for I-205 appeared at the wye interchange with Interstate 5 northbound. Photo by Chris Elbert (05/28/05).

South End I-5 – Tualatin, Oregon

I-205 South at I-5

I-205 south at I-5 - Tualatin, OR

Interstate 205 advances west from Stafford to I-5 and the city of Tualatin. Photo by Doug Kerr (09/05/09).

I-205 south at I-5 - Tualatin, OR

Interstate 205 concludes as traffic separates for I-5 north back toward Portland and I-5 south to Salem, Eugene and Medford. Photo by Doug Kerr (09/07/13).

I-5 North at I-205

Two miles south of I-205 along I-5 north at Elligsen Rd

Exit 286 leaves I-5 north to Stafford and North Wilsonville. The ensuing interchange connects with Interstate 205 northbound. 07/16/23

I-5 straddles the Tualatin, Oregon city line north to I-205.

Previous guide signs for Interstate 205 referenced The Dalles (via I-84 east) and Seattle, Washington (via I-5 north). 07/16/23

Diagrammatic sign showing the Portland, Oregon Interstate system

This sign displays the Portland Interstate network prior to the split of I-205 from I-5 north. 07/16/23

I-205 branches east from I-5 to Stafford and Oregon City, OR
Exit 288 departs I-5 north for Interstate 205 at Tualatin, OR

Interstate 5 northbound at the directional T interchange (Exit 288) with I-205. 07/16/23

I-5 South at I-205

I-5 south at I-205 - 2006

1.5 miles ahead of Exit 288 for I-205 north on Interstate 5 southbound. 08/27/06

I-5 south at I-205 - 2006

Continuing south, the succeeding exits on I-5 link with Tualatin / Sherwood and Interstate 205 north. 08/27/06

I-5 south at I-205 - 2005

Three lanes advance south beyond I-205 toward Salem, Eugene, Medford, and California while two lanes connect with the Portland bypass to West Linn and Oregon City. Photo by Chris Elbert (04/30/05).

I-5 south at I-205 - 2006

Exit 288 leaves I-5 south at the Sagert Street over crossing in Tualatin. Interstate 205 heads eastward six miles to West Linn and eight miles to Oregon City before turning north to Clackamas and east Portland. 08/27/06

I-205 South End Throwback

I-205 south at I-5 - 2005

Interstate 205 at the Prosperity Park Road underpass prior to six lane expansion west to I-5. Photo by Chris Elbert (04/24/05).

I-205 south at I-5 - 2005

The mainline defaulted I-205 south onto Interstate 5 toward Salem while a third lane opened for I-5 northbound to Tigard and Portland. Photo by Chris Elbert (04/24/05).

Sources:

  1. Interstate 50th Anniversary: The Story of Oregon’s Interstates.

Page updated October 5, 2023.