Highway |
Approx. time period |
1926-1966 |
|
1952-1966 |
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 Astoria-Megler Bridge over the Columbia River wasn't built until 1966. So for 40 years the west endpoint of US 30 was at a different location than its current terminus. The photos below are courtesy of Chris Elbert (November 2004), as is this 1966 map scan:
You can see today's bridge under construction, and you can also see 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. Let's begin by looking north on 14th:
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, you can see some old pilings and other structures:
That's 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). Below we're looking the opposite direction (south on 14th):
That's the view one would've 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. Below we're looking west on Marine at 14th:
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). Below we're looking east on Commercial at 14th:
After this one-way pair was implemented, this would've been northbound US 101, which turned left here to get to the ferry. This intersection then would've marked the west end of US 26, and eastbound US 30 began straight ahead.
After the bridge was built, the ferry ceased operations later that same year. So it was in 1966 that the western endpoints of US 26 and US 30 were changed to the bridge landing, about a mile to the west. You can view photos on this page.
Page created 23 November 2004; last updated 10 March 2006. |