Talk:Harbor Drive

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History

Latest comment: 15 years ago4 comments3 people in discussion

Here's a 1950s map that shows it (either not as a freeway or badly-drawn): [1][2] It also shows Interstate Avenue as a freeway from the Steel Bridge to Tillamook Street; part of the Broadway Bridge interchange remains.

A 1954 USGS topo also shows that it is not a freeway; median breaks are at Clay, Columbia (US 26 east), Jefferson (US 26 west), and Pine. In 1946 its north end was at Front and Vine.

Dates on the remaining bridges are as follows:

1934-35: improvements to Barbur Boulevard
1946-49: Ross Island Bridge interchange, including Barbur Boulevard and Arthur Street
1958: Hawthorne Bridge west end interchange
1958: new Morrison Bridge including west end interchange (old one is shown on the maps)
1950: south end of Steel Bridge
1952: north end of Steel Bridge
1949-50: Broadway Bridge east end interchange

So it looks like Harbor Drive was not a full freeway until about 1958? --NE2 15:59, 2 April 2008 (UTC)Reply

Full freeway might be a stretch. It turned, jogged, and dipped every few blocks. There were buildings with near-zero clearance alongside. The lanes were narrow and the divider seemed to droop into the inner lane. The buildings were uninspired plain concrete slabs, butted against each other. It kinda felt like a semi-tunnel, or trench since you couldn't see the river, at least not from a car. Traffic moved along, like 35-45 mph, unlike the grid streets. Even in the day, I remember it being pretty busy. —EncMstr 18:42, 2 April 2008 (UTC)Reply

Was there any cross traffic, or was everything handled by on- and off-ramps? --NE2 10:02, 3 April 2008 (UTC)Reply

The southern half of Harbor Drive (about a mile) still exists, but has been renamed. It has an expressway feel to it. The portion of Harbor Drive which was removed is a different story. It ran along the west bank of the Willamette River (so no streets to the east). My recollection was it had intersections nearly every block (or at least every fourth block). Any ramps would have been for the various bridges. Posted speed was around 40 mph. It was nearly identical to the adjacent and parallel Front Avenue. I never thought of Harbor Drive as a freeway, nor ever heard anyone refer to it as such. The “freeway” was always I-5. The suggestion that this downtown city street was a freeway is an exaggeration. -- Rainy Day (talk) 21:50, 11 July 2009 (UTC)Reply

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