The Fourth of July means fireworks – and gunked up trafficworks.
We think that last word was actually uttered by Benjamin Franklin. OK, we made it up. But you get the idea. It’s going to take an act of Congress, which is in recess, to get to many of the Portland metro area’s festivities in a timely fashion.
Where will you find some of the worse traffic snarls? What’s the best way to get to the explosions in the sky?
Boom! We’re here to help:
- It also should be noted that four TriMet bus lines – the 4, 6, 14 and 33 – will detour off of the Hawthorne Bridge from 8 p.m. until about 10:30 p.m. on Friday. Buses will instead use the Morrison Bridge. To find out individual bus stops impacted by the detour, check out TriMet’s “alerts” web page.
- So, at this point, you may be grabbing your car keys and saying to yourself, “Pfft! Public transit? I’m driving.” If you’re heading downtown, know this: Metered street parking is unlimited and free in honor of our nation’s birthday. But those spaces will fill up early and fast. Downtown’s SmartPark garages, on the other hand, won’t be free. Yep to 4 hours will cost you seven U.S. dollars. Rates for over 4 hours range from $10 to $15. Of course, after 5 p.m. on Fridays, the city-owned garages charge only $5 for the evening. there are also an assortment of private parking lots around the city, which aren’t usually considered a bargain (unless you’re visiting from San Francisco or Boston.)
- In Clark County, drivers making their way to the fireworks extravaganza at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Reserve should take alternate routes to avoid ramp closures on Interstate 5 and State Route 14 Friday night. Crews will close the northbound off-ramp from I-5 to Mill Plain Boulevard from 6 p.m. until midnight. Meanwhile, crews will close both the eastbound and westbound off-ramps from SR 14 to Columbia House Blvd. from 9 p.m. until the end of the fireworks. During the ramp closures, a signed detour will direct drivers to alternate routes.
- In eastern Multnomah County, East Woodard Road will be closed from Southeast Nielson Road to the Historic Columbia River Highway in Corbett on Friday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. for the Corbett Fourth of July Fun Festival Parade. The detour route is Littlepage Road to Hurlburt Road to Historic Columbia River Highway.
Are we missing something? Do you have have unanswered questions about traffic on the Fourth? Feel free to leave a comment below.
— Joseph Rose…
The Fourth of July means fireworks – and gunked up trafficworks.
We think that last word was actually uttered by Benjamin Franklin. OK, we made it up. But you get the idea. It’s going to take an act of Congress, which is in recess, to get to many of the Portland metro area’s festivities in a timely fashion.
Where will you find some of the worse traffic snarls? What’s the best way to get to the explosions in the sky?
Boom! We’re here to help:
- It also should be noted that four TriMet bus lines – the 4, 6, 14 and 33 – will detour off of the Hawthorne Bridge from 8 p.m. until about 10:30 p.m. on Friday. Buses will instead use the Morrison Bridge. To find out individual bus stops impacted by the detour, check out TriMet’s “alerts” web page.
- So, at this point, you may be grabbing your car keys and saying to yourself, “Pfft! Public transit? I’m driving.” If you’re heading downtown, know this: Metered street parking is unlimited and free in honor of our nation’s birthday. But those spaces will fill up early and fast. Downtown’s SmartPark garages, on the other hand, won’t be free. Yep to 4 hours will cost you seven U.S. dollars. Rates for over 4 hours range from $10 to $15. Of course, after 5 p.m. on Fridays, the city-owned garages charge only $5 for the evening. there are also an assortment of private parking lots around the city, which aren’t usually considered a bargain (unless you’re visiting from San Francisco or Boston.)
- In Clark County, drivers making their way to the fireworks extravaganza at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Reserve should take alternate routes to avoid ramp closures on Interstate 5 and State Route 14 Friday night. Crews will close the northbound off-ramp from I-5 to Mill Plain Boulevard from 6 p.m. until midnight. Meanwhile, crews will close both the eastbound and westbound off-ramps from SR 14 to Columbia House Blvd. from 9 p.m. until the end of the fireworks. During the ramp closures, a signed detour will direct drivers to alternate routes.
- In eastern Multnomah County, East Woodard Road will be closed from Southeast Nielson Road to the Historic Columbia River Highway in Corbett on Friday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. for the Corbett Fourth of July Fun Festival Parade. The detour route is Littlepage Road to Hurlburt Road to Historic Columbia River Highway.
Are we missing something? Do you have have unanswered questions about traffic on the Fourth? Feel free to leave a comment below.
— Joseph Rose