US highway endpoints in Astoria, OR
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1927-present
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Astoria is well-known among road enthusiasts, because it marks the west end of US 30: the only remaining US highway that has always run from coast-to-coast (from the time US routes were commissioned in 1926 to the present day). And then, in 1952, the west end of US 30 became the west beginning of US 26, and vice-versa. An intriguing place. But things have changed a lot over the years: for one thing, the impressive Astoria-Megler Bridge over the Columbia River was not built until 1966. So for 40 years the west endpoint of US 30 was at a different location than its current terminus:
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c. 1966, ODoT
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At the time, today's bridge was under construction, and also shown on that map is the ferry line that was used to get traffic across to Washington before the bridge's completion. So originally the west end of US 30 was at its junction with US 101 at the 14th Street Ferry Terminal. This photo was looking north on 14th:
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Elbert, Nov. 2004
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The cross road here is Marine Drive. Originally, the west beginning of US 30 was to the right. To the left was southbound US 101, and northbound US 101 had to use the ferry that docked here. Ahead, from the north side of Marine, some old pilings and other structures are still visible:
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Elbert, Nov. 2004
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That is all that remains of the old ferry landing (the land visible in the distance is in Washington; the river is about 4 miles wide at this point). In this next photo we are looking the opposite direction (south on 14th):
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Elbert, Nov. 2004
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That is the view a traveler would have seen as they drove off the ferry: eastbound US 30 was to the left on Marine, and southbound US 101 continued to the right. Also to the right (after 1952) was the west beginning of US 26. Here we are looking west on Marine at 14th:
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Elbert, Nov. 2004
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That was the original west end of US 30. Northbound US 101 used the ferry to the right, and southbound was straight ahead. Also ahead, for about 14 years, was the west beginning of US 26. Originally Marine probably ran both directions. But at some point (certainly by the time of the map above), Marine was changed to westbound only (as it is yet today); eastbound traffic was directed onto Commercial Street (the next block south of Marine). This photo was taken looking east on Commercial at 14th:
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Elbert, Nov. 2004
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After the one-way couplet was implemented, that was northbound US 101, which turned left there to get to the ferry. That intersection then would have marked the west end of US 26, and eastbound US 30 began straight ahead. After the bridge was built in 1966, the ferry ceased operations later that same year. The western endpoints of US 26 and US 30 were then changed to the bridge landing, about a mile to the west. US 26 continued to serve Astoria until that designation was truncated in 2003; the 2000 state highway map was one of the last to show the old arrangement:
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c. 2000, ODoT
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In these photos the perspective was heading south on US 101 from Washington, via the bridge. Today traffic crosses the Columbia River via the impressive Astoria-Megler Bridge. The approach signage near the landing on the Oregon side formerly included a reference to US 26, but that was removed in 2004:
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Elbert, Mar. 2004
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Elbert, Nov. 2004
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In those shots one can see past the Astoria peninsula and across Youngs Bay. Ahead the road curves to the right and traffic essentially makes a 360-degree circle to descend to surface level at Marine Drive. At the stoplight there, signage welcoming travelers to Oregon and Astoria included a reference to the west beginning of US 30 and the west beginning of US 26...
Morrison, Aug. 2001
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Elbert, Mar. 2004
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Elbert, Nov. 2004
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...but by June 2004, the US 26 marker had been covered up. During Dave's 1999 visit, he noted that "US 30 ends with a complete lack of fanfare in Astoria. There are no special distance signs, and no 'end' marker." Fortunately that changed a bit after the signage replacements that took place in 2004:
Elbert, Nov. 2004
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Elbert, June 2013
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That was approaching the bridge westbound on Marine. That "End US 30" assembly was undoubtedly new in 2004; before that, there was most likely a "East US 26" marker in its place. Chris reports that US 30 shield was later damaged, but all panels had been replaced by 2013.
The green overhead signs in the distance are shown close-up here. (There was a mistake on the left sign: that junction is actually with Business 101, not Alternate 101. That is the original route of US 101, before the new Youngs Bay Bridge was built. Although "Alternate" would probably be a better choice than "Business", since the route does not pass through Astoria's central business district.) |
Elbert, Nov. 2004
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That photo shows the intersection that marks the actual west end of US 30. Beyond that point was once the west beginning of US 26, but that is no longer the case. Barely visible in the distance is a confirming marker; here is a closeup:
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Elbert, Mar. 2004
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That is where US 101 passes under itself; it is possible that post formerly supported a US 26 marker as well. (That assembly now includes mileage to various Lewis & Clark historic sites.) In another block or so, there was once another ghost of US 26:
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Elbert, Mar. 2004
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In the upper right, the old US 26 shield had been covered up (that sign had been replaced by April 2006).
Next, here is the approach from the opposite direction (east on Marine, or northbound US 101): |
Elbert, Nov. 2004
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That shot provides a good overview for what US 101 does: past the first overpass (concrete), traffic is directed to turn left. The road curves left again (back towards the camera) and then left again (viewer's right) to cross the concrete overpass. Then it curves left again (away from the camera), and finally one more lefthand curve puts traffic on the Megler Bridge (the second overpass). Approaching the first left turn is the signage shown here:
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Elbert, Apr. 2006
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If OR DoT typically used "End" markers, this is probably where an "End US 26" sign would have been posted. But historically they have not, and the two exceptions are recent: the "End US 30" assembly shown above, and an "End US 26" sign at its new terminus. The green signs ahead are shown close-up here:
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Long, June 2004
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That is the west beginning of US 30 (the sign tower at far right is shown face-on in photos above). Ahead, eastbound traffic is routed onto one-way Commercial Street for a few blocks, and Chris reports there are a couple US 30 markers with directional arrows to help traffic navigate. Next is a photo of the first confirming marker:
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Elbert, Nov. 2004
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That was posted about about four miles east of the Astoria-Megler Bridge.
Research and/or photo credits: Chris Elbert; Mark Long; Jeff Morrison; Dale Sanderson; Dave Strong
Page originally created 2004;
last updated Apr. 6, 2016.
last updated Apr. 6, 2016.
