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[V'Ger]

Has it always ended in Weed at I-5 (old 99)?

[corco]

Yes

[V'Ger]

Really? I figured it might had gone to the Pacific Ocean or somewhere in the Trinity Alps. For some reason I really like that highway. How far north does it go?

[corco]

97's always had pretty much the same alignment minus some minor local deviations. It goes clear up to Canada and is Central Washington and Oregon's main corridor. It continues in Canada as BC-97, which is the Alaska highway.

At one point they were going to designate the Alaska Highway within Alaska as US-97, but they were unable to get the Yukon to change their route number from Territorial Route 1, so the plans were scrapped.

Old US 299 served the Pacific Ocean/Trinity Alps area

[V'Ger]

Doesn't 97 go through Bend? Did it always go through it?

[corco]

Yes and Yes. It's been rerouted through Bend, no longer going through downtown but instead following the Bend Parkway around Bend, where in the past it went straight through downtown

[V'Ger]

The Klamath Falls Freeway still ends at downtown right? I wonder if they will ever extend that freeway.

[corco]

They've been talking about upgrading US 97 from Weed all the way up to I-84 from some time now, just because it's a pretty heavily used freight corridor and serves as a good bypass to I-5, connecting California with the fertile soils of Northeastern Oregon and Eastern Washington, but environmental concerns make it unlikely any huge scale upgrade will happen soon.

[rebel049]

When US-97 was originally routed in 1926 its south end was at US-99 in Medford, OR. It's south end was changed to US-99 in Weed, CA in 1934.

[Tarkus]

Ah, US-97 . . . my favorite highway of all-time.   

rebel049 is correct.  The old alignment going to Medford is now OR-66. 

There was actually another bypass built recently in Redmond, OR, just north of Bend, too.  I haven't been on it yet, but from what I've seen of ODOT's documents on it, I believe it's got a couple traffic signals, and an actual interchange where the old alignment (now US-97 BUS) connects into the north end of Canal Blvd.  There was a major re-alignment of the US-97/US-26 junction on the north side of Madras as well back in 2005 or 2006, as I recall. 

I think the long-term plan is really more to turn it into a limited access expressway in places where the traffic volumes merit it.  It already is one in Bend, Redmond, Sunriver and Klamath Falls.  I would not be surprised if a bypass were built around Madras or La Pine at some point.  There's not really any point in doing major upgrades north of Madras or south of Klamath Falls really.

-Alex (Tarkus)

[Chris]

They've been talking about upgrading US 97 from Weed all the way up to I-84 from some time now, just because it's a pretty heavily used freight corridor and serves as a good bypass to I-5, connecting California with the fertile soils of Northeastern Oregon and Eastern Washington, but environmental concerns make it unlikely any huge scale upgrade will happen soon.

nearly 100,000 square miles and a third long distance Interstate Highway is a problem?

[Tarkus]

I don't think US-97 would be the best corridor if a new north-south freeway were to be built in Eastern Oregon/Washington.  Somewhere in the vicinity of the I-82 and US-395 corridors would make more sense, as it could then link up Spokane, Tri-Cities and Reno.  A good stretch of US-395 between Spokane and Tri-Cities is already divided, as I recall. 

-Alex (Tarkus)

[corco]

I would build the freeway up the US-97 corridor to I-84 and then align it along the US-395 corridor from I-84 to Spokane. US 395 from 84 to Spokane is already just about at interstate standards

[DrZoidberg]

I think US 97 would be a decent alignment for a freeway serving central Oregon.  It doesn't necessarily need an interstate number, but it'd be nice to see.  Logistics wise, it appears the highway has a fairly wide ROW on each side, so construction wouldn't pose too much of a challenge.

I've never driven 97 south of OR-31 in LaPine.  Is it a fairly easy crossing into California?  If so, I think it'd be a nice alternative to freight traffic (and locals) looking to avoid I-5 Siskiyou Pass in the winter.

[Fcexpress80]

The following are my ideas for future improvements in the US-97, 395, & 95 corridors which are discussed in the posts above.

Here is my take:

Any freeway in Central Oregon probably makes sense if it starts out from Portland and follows US-26 to Madras, OR where it would then follow the US-97 corridor through Bend and Klamath Falls and "terminated" (in California, of course ) at I-5 at Weed in the Shasta area.  The current US-97 section through Bend is pretty much a newer freeway, unusual in a state known to abhor freeways in general.  Attitudes can and do change.  This freeway should be part of the Interstate system because of its length.  My proposal is "I-7."

In Washington, US-97 could be upgraded to a "Super 2" over Satus Pass and through the Yakama Indian Nation (Reservation).  I really can't see this portion becoming a full freeway here.  US-97 joins I-82 at Toppenish, WA (after a short detour on WA-22).  From here, the two are co-signed through Yakima and over the three spectacular ridges to the Ellensburg area.  My idea would be to continue the I-82 freeway north over Colockum Pass/Mission Ridge to Wenatchee which shortens the current US-97 roadway to Wenatchee over Swauk Summit (Blewett Pass).  I-82 is more of a N/S highway than an E/W highway and should be redesignated as "I-9."  I-9 could end at Wenatchee but the US-97 corridor continues up the Columbia and Okanogan Rivers to very popular recreational areas of British Columbia at Penticton and Kelowna which are connected by freeways and a toll road (BC-5) to Vancouver.

US-395 is pretty much a freeway from I-90 at Ritzville to the Tri-Cities area and I-182 and I-82.  This portion of US-395 should be part of the Interstate system since it provides a diagonal corridor from I-90 and Spokane to I-84 and Portland.  My proposal would be "I-490."

US-95 south from the Boise area could become "I-11."  This corridor joins I-80 at Winnemucca, NV and continues with I-80 to the Reno area.  I-11 would continue south to Las Vegas providing a direct freeway connection between Nevada's two largest cities.

Comments?   

[donutbandit]

Sorry to bump old threads, new member. I live in Weed, so here's what I know.

Before the current alignment was built, US 97 was on Main St, which passes under the current Weed Arch. It then veered north along Alamo Drive where it joined the current alignment.

There were plans to bypass the town of Dorris, but with the current fiscal crisis, I don't expect to see that any time soon.

[Alps]

Sorry to bump old threads, new member.

New contributions to old threads always welcome.  Until we close the thread to new replies, feel free.  (Don't bump for bumping's sake, of course - that's just nasty.)

[roadfro]

The following are my ideas for future improvements in the US-97, 395, & 95 corridors which are discussed in the posts above.

Here is my take:

(...)

US-95 south from the Boise area could become "I-11."  This corridor joins I-80 at Winnemucca, NV and continues with I-80 to the Reno area.  I-11 would continue south to Las Vegas providing a direct freeway connection between Nevada's two largest cities.

If you had an I-11 following US 95 as it enters Nevada from the north, taking it all the way into Reno before heading south is a 50+ mile over with I-80...not to mention heading about 40 miles further west than US 95 does now before it would head southeast to Las Vegas.

Rural Nevada doesn't need any new freeways connecting its population centers...

[ctroadgeek]

I don't forsee there ever being an I-7. People in Oregon are just not up for that due to environmental concerns, etc. Also, in Bend, US 97 is on a parkway...they don't call them expressways out there, but honestly it's really not very expressway like. The speed limit is 45 mph (although you have to be speeding close to 70 to get ticketed) and there are several signalized interchanges at the southern end, as well as streets that meet up with the parkway where there is no real onramp. This in addition to short acceleration and deceleration lanes, tight turning radii, etc, means that the parkway would essentially have to be replaced in all but a few stretches to bring it up to interstate grade anyway.

Because of the high growth, as well as heavy truck traffic, I can see stretches of the highway getting 4 laned as well as interchanges being built rather than intersections. Over time, US 97 will eventually look more and more like an interstate, but I doubt it will ever become interstate grade the entire length.

[Sykotyk]

I agree, the high freight traffic is the biggest concern. Four-lane it, put some bypasses around smaller towns, and leave the mainline stop-sign and stop-light free. If an intersection warrants it, put in an interchange instead.

Sykotyk

[donutbandit]

CalTrans just spent several million dollars to redesign South Weed Boulevard, installing two traffic lights in the process, rather than bypass Weed, as it should have been done years ago when it was cheaper.

[myosh_tino]

I don't forsee there ever being an I-7. People in Oregon are just not up for that due to environmental concerns, etc.

Maybe not in Oregon but maybe in California.  California 99 through the central valley is being upgraded to an interstate-standard freeway from I-5 near the Grapevine to Stockton.  Some have said the proposed number for this new Interstate is I-7.

[Bickendan]

I don't forsee there ever being an I-7. People in Oregon are just not up for that due to environmental concerns, etc.

More like people in the Willamette Valley.

[agentsteel53]

I don't forsee there ever being an I-7. People in Oregon are just not up for that due to environmental concerns, etc.

Maybe not in Oregon but maybe in California.  California 99 through the central valley is being upgraded to an interstate-standard freeway from I-5 near the Grapevine to Stockton.  Some have said the proposed number for this new Interstate is I-7.

I wonder why not call it I-9?  It seems to be more mnemonically sensible...

[Bickendan]

IIRC, that was the number tossed around when it was initially reported that CA 99 was being upgraded with the intent of becoming an Interstate.