US 101 is designated as the Oregon Coast Highway No. 9 (see Oregon highways and routes), as it serves the Oregon Coast region. Much of the highway runs between the Pacific Ocean and the Oregon Coast Range, thus US 101 is frequently mountainous in character. For most of its length it is a two-lane undivided highway. Many parts of the highway are subject to closure due to landslides caused by excessive rainfall, and in many parts of the coast, US 101 is the only viable route connecting certain coastal communities. Thus, in many cases when landslides block US 101, the detour requires traveling inland over the Coast Range to alternative north–south routes in the Willamette Valley and then back west over the Coast Range again.
US 101 is often the main street through coastal towns in Oregon, which can cause significant traffic delays. This is especially true in Lincoln City, where geography and tourism combine to create traffic problems.
Route description
Brookings to Coos Bay
The run of US 101 in Oregon (from south to north) starts at the border with California, south of the twin cities of Brookings and Harbor (and north of Crescent City, California). The highway is mostly a two-lane road, running along the Southern Oregon coastline. Access to this section (other than 101) is via U.S. Route 199 or Oregon Route 42. Access is also possible through National Forest Route 23 (NF-23 - Bear Camp) but that route is not maintained through the winter months.[2]
The stretch of US 101 between Brookings and Gold Beach includes the highest bridge in Oregon, the Thomas Creek Bridge. With its roadbed at 345 feet (105 m) above Thomas Creek, it is the 15th highest bridge in the U.S.
North of Bandon, US 101 heads inland for a while, while a spur route provides access to the Charleston Peninsula. Approaching the city of Coos Bay, US 101 becomes an expressway after an interchange with Oregon Route 42, then soon enters the downtown core. It continues through Coos Bay (the city) along the western edge of Coos Bay (the bay), soon entering the city of North Bend. North of North Bend, it crosses over the bay on the Conde McCullough Memorial Bridge, followed by a second bridge over Haynes Inlet.
Coos Bay to Lincoln City
View from Cape Perpetua lookout of Highway 101 winding along the Oregon coast south of Cape Perpetua
The next stretch of US 101 (between Florence and Newport) closely follows the coastline, providing a wide view of the ocean. Towns between these two cities include Yachats, Waldport, and Seal Rock. Eventually, the highway crosses the Yaquina Bay Bridge into Newport. Just before the bridge lies the Oregon Coast Aquarium; on the other side of the bridge is the famed Newport waterfront. Also in Newport, US Route 20 has its western Terminus at US 101.
The next stretch of 101, between Newport and Lincoln City, is rather mountainous, as the Coast Range protrudes into the ocean. Cities on the route include Depoe Bay, Otter Rock (accessible via a side road), and the Gleneden Beach/Salishan area, famed for its resorts. Near Siletz Bay is the abandoned community of Kernville, followed by Lincoln City.
Lincoln City to Astoria
US 101 through downtown SeasideUS 101 at the Astoria-Megler Bridge, heading northUS 101 & Business 101 sign
The stretch of US 101 through Lincoln City is infamous for its clogged traffic;[citation needed] the city is over seven miles (11 km) long (but only a few blocks wide in spots), and is sandwiched between the ocean on the west, and Devils Lake and mountains to the east. In many parts of town, the highway is a two-lane road. Adding to the traffic is a casino in the northern part of town. Much of the traffic departs US 101 north of Lincoln City, at an interchange with Oregon Route 18.
North of Tillamook, the highway passes on the eastern shore of Tillamook Bay, through towns such as Bay City and Garibaldi, before reuniting with the ocean. It then continues north along the Pacific through towns such as Rockaway Beach and Nedonna Beach; the next major towns are Nehalem and Manzanita, both on Nehalem Bay. The highway then continues north along the coastline through rugged terrain until it reaches the city of Cannon Beach. Unlike most coastal cities in Oregon, a bypass (in two-lane freeway configuration) was built around Cannon Beach; US 101 follows the bypass alignment. A few miles north of Cannon Beach is an interchange with U.S. Route 26, followed by the city of Seaside. (Until recently, U.S. 26 continued north towards Astoria, sharing an alignment with US 101; however ODOT truncated U.S. 26 to its current terminus at the interchange with 101 several years ago.)
The Oregon Coast had historically been isolated and relied on boats and beach routes as their primary means of inter-city transportation. Plans to build an automobile highway were formed in the early 20th century and formalized as the Roosevelt Coast Military Highway, which was approved for construction in 1919 as part of a statewide highway development program funded by a one-cent gas tax. Construction of the highway began in 1921 and was later designated as part of US 101 in 1926 and renamed the Oregon Coast Highway in 1931.[3][4]
The highway originally had six ferry crossings at major rivers and bays that were operated by private companies until their acquisition by the state government in 1927. The state ran these ferries on extended schedules to cope with demand, but they proved inadequate for the growing number of motorists on the coast.[3]: 11 A set of five bridges designed by state engineer Conde B. McCullough and funded by the federal government's New Deal programs were constructed between 1934 and 1936 to replace the ferries.[5] The Oregon Coast Highway was declared complete on October 3, 1936, at a cost of $25 million to construct.[3]: 14–15
The state government built several new sections of US 101 in the 1950s and 1960s as part of a $30 million modernization program that shortened the length of US 101 by 25 miles (40 km).[6] These projects reconstructed 165 miles (266 km) of the highway to more modern standards,[7] including 53-mile (85 km) of new highway from Brookings to Gold Beach that opened in December 1961 and eliminated 398 existing curves.[8][9] A direct route from Bandon to Coos Bay to bypass Coquille opened in December 1960;[10] the old alignment serving Coquille was re-designated as OR 42 and OR 42S.[11] US 101 was realigned between Seaside and Astoria in 1964 using a new bridge over Youngs Bay.[12][13]
^ODOT - Salem Headquarters, Right of Way Engineering (August 4, 2017). "History of State Highways in Oregon"(PDF). www.oregon.gov/ODOT. State of Oregon. p. 9-1. Retrieved March 27, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)