U.S. Route 101 in Oregon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids U.S. Route 101
Oregon Coast Highway
US 101 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by ODOT
Length	363.11 mi (584.37 km)
Existed	November 11, 1926 (1926-11-11)–present
Tourist routes	Invalid type: LCT Pacific Coast Scenic Byway
Major junctions
South end	US 101 at California state line
	US 20 in Newport US 26 near Cannon Beach US 30 in Astoria
North end	US 101 at Washington state line
Location
Counties:	Curry, Coos, Douglas, Lane, Lincoln, Tillamook, Clatsop
Highway system
United States Numbered Highways List • Bannered • Divided • Replaced Oregon highways Routes • Highways ← OR 99W OR 103 →

US 101 along the Oregon coast

The Oregon Coast Highway crossing the Rogue River

U.S. Route 101 (US 101), is a major north–south U.S. Highway in Oregon that runs through the state along the western Oregon coastline near the Pacific Ocean. It runs from the California border, south of Brookings, to the Washington state line on the Columbia River, between Astoria, Oregon, and Megler, Washington.

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.

Other coastal towns in this stretch of US 101 include Pistol River, Gold Beach, Wedderburn, and Port Orford. North of Port Orford is the Cape Blanco region, and the westernmost point in the U.S. Highway system. After passing through Sixes, Denmark, and Langlois, US 101 enters the resort town of Bandon on the mouth of the Coquille River. Just north of Bandon, the highway crosses the river on the Bullards Bridge.

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

North of Coos Bay, the highway runs along the eastern flank of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, through the communities of North Bend, Hauser, Lakeside, and Winchester Bay before coming into the city of Reedsport on the mouth of the Umpqua River. The highway continues north from there, passing through the dunes and through the towns of Gardiner, Westlake, Dunes City, and Glenada. The next major town is Florence on the Siuslaw River.

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 Seaside

US 101 at the Astoria-Megler Bridge, heading north

US 101 & Business 101 sign

The stretch of US 101 through Lincoln City is infamous for its clogged traffic; 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 Lincoln City is the town of Neskowin and the Nestucca Bay area. A side road, the Three Capes Scenic Route, provides access to the seaside towns of Pacific City and Sandlake, then goes over Cape Lookout and on to Netarts, Oceanside and Cape Meares before meeting 101 again at Tillamook. 101 instead heads inland, passing through the towns of Cloverdale, Hebo, Beaver and Hemlock. The next major town is the city of Tillamook.

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.)

North of Seaside, US 101 follows the coastal plain through cities such as Gearhart; a spur route (Oregon Route 104) provides access to Fort Stevens State Park. US 101 soon enters the city of Warrenton, Oregon (where Business 101, which is more of a scenic route, providing access to the Astoria-Warrenton Airport, Fort Clatsop, and Miles Crossing) and then crosses Youngs Bay into Astoria, Oregon. 101 passes through the northwestern edge of Astoria, until an intersection with the western terminus of U.S. Route 30. At this intersection, 101 climbs an access road onto the Astoria-Megler Bridge over the Columbia River and crosses into the state of Washington.

History

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.

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. 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. The Oregon Coast Highway was declared complete on October 3, 1936, at a cost of $25 million to construct.

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). These projects reconstructed 165 miles (266 km) of the highway to more modern standards, including 53-mile (85 km) of new highway from Brookings to Gold Beach that opened in December 1961 and eliminated 398 existing curves. A direct route from Bandon to Coos Bay to bypass Coquille opened in December 1960; the old alignment serving Coquille was re-designated as OR 42 and OR 42S. US 101 was realigned between Seaside and Astoria in 1964 using a new bridge over Youngs Bay.

In 1966, Oregon legislators proposed adding US 101 or a parallel corridor to the Interstate Highway System as part of road upgrades between Coos Bay and Astoria.

In 2015, all of US 101 in Oregon was designated as the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq Veterans Memorial Highway by the state legislature.

Major intersections

Note: mileposts do not reflect actual mileage because of realignments.

County	Location	Mile	Roads intersected	Notes
Curry	​	363.11	584.37	US 101 south – Crescent City, San Francisco	Continuation into California
	Brookings	354.83	571.04	Lua error in Module:Jct at line 157: bad argument #2 to 'format' (string expected, got nil).
	​	339.71	546.71	south – Pistol River, Carpenterville	Southern end of Highway 255 overlap
	​	337.97	543.91	north	Northern end of Highway 255 overlap
	​	334.87	538.92	Lua error in Module:Jct at line 157: bad argument #2 to 'format' (string expected, got nil).
	Port Orford	300.99	484.40	Lua error in Module:Jct at line 159: bad argument #2 to 'format' (string expected, got nil).
	​	296.48	477.14	– Cape Blanco State Park
Coos	Bandon	261.57	420.96	OR 42S east – Coquille
	​	244.31	393.18	OR 42 east – Coquille, Roseburg	Interchange
	Bunker Hill	239.51	385.45	OR 241 – Coos River, Allegany
	Coos Bay	238.21	383.36	Commercial Avenue – City Center, Charleston, State Parks	Former
	North Bend	235.42	378.87	OR 540 west – Charleston, State Parks
Douglas	Reedsport	211.58	340.51	OR 38 east – Drain, Eugene, Roseburg
Lane	Florence	190.23	306.15	OR 126 east – Mapleton, Eugene
Lincoln	Waldport	155.90	250.90	OR 34 – Alsea, Corvallis
	Newport	140.36	225.89	US 20 east – Toledo, Corvallis
	​	132.45	213.16	– Otter Rock, Devils Punch Bowl State Park
	​	120.02	193.15	OR 229 south – Kernville, Siletz River
	Otis Junction	105.09	169.13	OR 18 east – McMinnville, Salem, Portland	Interchange
Tillamook	​	91.37	147.05	OR 130 – Little Nestucca River
	Hebo	84.94	136.70	OR 22 east – Valley Junction, McMinnville
	Tillamook	65.77	105.85	OR 6 east (Third Street) – Portland, Forest Grove
				OR 131 (Third Street) – Netarts	Southbound only
	Nehalem Junction	46.50	74.83	OR 53 – Mohler, Portland
Clatsop	Cannon Beach	30.62	49.28	Tolovana Park	Interchange
		29.53	47.52	Sunset Boulevard – Cannon Beach City Center, Ecola State Park	Interchange
		28.37	45.66	Invalid type: LCT – Cannon Beach City Center, Ecola State Park	Interchange; no northbound exit
	Cannon Beach Junction	25.27	40.67	US 26 – Portland	Interchange
	​	9.48	15.26	Columbia Beach Road (OR 104) – Warrenton, Hammond, Fort Stevens State Park
	Warrenton	7.53	12.12	US 101 Bus. north – Lewis and Clark National Historical Park Fort Clatsop Visitor Center	Northbound entrance and exit
		7.53	12.12	Alternate Highway 101 (OR 104S)
		7.07	11.38	Lua error in Module:Jct at line 159: bad argument #2 to 'format' (string expected, got nil).
		6.57	10.57	Lua error in Module:Jct at line 159: bad argument #2 to 'format' (string expected, got nil).
	Youngs Bay	4.91	7.90	Youngs Bay Bridge
	Astoria	4.32	6.95	US 101 Bus. south / OR 202 east – Clatsop County Fairgrounds, Jewell
		3.80	6.12	US 30 east / Invalid type: LCT – Astoria City Center
Columbia River		0.00	0.00	Astoria–Megler Bridge; Oregon–Washington state line
				none	US 101 north	Continuation into Washington
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

In Spanish: U.S. Route 101 (Oregón) para niños