 |
Double-lane exit for Portland International Airport, exit 24. The off ramp leads to Airport Way. Head west (right) on Airport Way to reach PDX, head east to access commercial developments and hotels. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
"Truck Safety Corridor" next 21 miles. This stretch of I-205, along with a 15-mile section of I-5, were given this designation in 1999 as part of an effort by ODOT to raise motorist awareness of safety issues along accident-plagued stretches of freeway. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Now firmly on Oregon soil, this plain-looking sign welcomes motorists to the Beaver State. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Overhead mileage sign for Columbia Blvd., Sandy Blvd., and Jct. Interstate 84/ US 30 eastbound. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
I-205 passes under the MAX (Metropolitan Area Express) airport light rail line. The overhead sign announces the next exit, exit 23B, US 30 by-pass/ Columbia Blvd. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Approaching exit 23B, US 30 by-pass westbound/ Columbia Blvd. Exit 23A, US 30 by-pass eastbound/ Sandy Blvd., immediately follows. Though the "by-pass" designation for US 30 may seem irrelevant in this era of freeways, it is a vestige of pre-freeway times. It provided a bypass along the northern part of Portland, while the US 30 business route carried traffic through commercial districts along Sandy Blvd. west of where the two routes split. Both designations survive, though US 30 proper is cosigned with Interstate 84. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Exit 23A, Sandy Blvd/ by-pass US 30 eastbound. The offramp follows a 180-degree turn and actually exits onto Columbia Blvd. Turning right on Columbia leads to an intersection with Sandy Blvd. Eastbound Sandy Blvd. travels through Parkrose, a large business district and residential area in east Portland. Westbound Sandy Blvd. follows the US 30 business route into the heart of the city. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
This overhead sign for exit 22, eastbound Interstate 84/ US 30, immediately follows exit 23A. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Another look at the MAX airport light rail line, which now runs between the northbound and southbound lanes of the freeway. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
I-205 passes under Sandy Blvd. The freeway remains below grade for a while, passing under numerous overpasses. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Southbound I-205 reaches exit 22, eastbound Interstate 84/ US 30. Follow I-84 east to reach the Portland suburbs of Gresham, Fairview, and Troutdale. To reach The Dalles, I-84 travels through the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
A view of the other sign on the sign bridge in the previous photo. It may seem odd that Portland is mentioned here, since I-205 is actually within the corporate limits of Portland at this point. The button-copy text means that this sign probably dates to the original construction of I-205, and was installed before Portland had expanded its city limits to incorporate the freeway and neighborhoods to the east. The community of Maywood Park borders the east side of the freeway here, but it is a city within a city: it is bordered by Portland on all sides. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Overhead sign for exit 22. The exit leads traffic into a short tunnel that travels beneath I-205 before exiting onto I-84 eastbound. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Interstate 205 runs parallel with I-84 in this stretch for about a mile between the junctions for eastbound and westbound I-84. I-205 doesn't change course, rather I-84 temporarily bends to a north-south orientation to avoid Rocky Butte, which is immediately west of both freeways. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Overhead signs for exit 21A, Glisan Street and Stark Street and exit 21B, I-84/ US 30 westbound. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Use exit 21A to reach the Gateway District, a commercial district in east Portland, and Mall 205. Eastport Plaza is still several miles away, but is announced anyway. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Exit 21B, I-84/US 30 westbound to Portland. The sign should really say "Portland city center" or "downtown," since the freeway is unequivocally inside the city at this point. Exit 21A immediately follows. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
This overhead advance sign for exit 21A, Glisan Street and Stark Street is mounted on the Halsey Street overpass. There is no direct freeway access to Halsey Street, which runs through the Gateway District. Instead, one must exit at Glisan Street and follow directional signs to the district after that. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Exit 21A, Glisan Street and Stark Street. Like many I-205 exits in northeast Portland, this offramp is very long. To reach Stark Street, one must pass a lighted intersection with Glisan Street, then proceed on a collector/distributor lane to Stark Street. Stark is actually a westbound one-way street. Head east (left) on Washington Street (which is not mentioned on any signs!) immediately following Stark to reach Mall 205. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Interstate 205 is dubbed the Veterans Memorial Highway, as this sign just past the Glisan/Stark exit shows. Most maps call I-205 the "East Portland Freeway." Note the lighted intersection of the exit 21A offramp with Glisan Street at the top of the photo. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Mileage sign for Jct. US 26 (Division Street/ Powell Blvd.) and Foster Road is mounted on the Glisan Street overpass. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
I-205 passes under the Burnside Street overpass. There is no direct exit to Burnside, Portland's north/ south divider street. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
This image shows the exit 21A collector/ distributor lanes just past the intersection with Glisan Street on the way to Stark Street. Access to I-205 is provided for motorists who turned south onto the lanes at Glisan Street. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Advance sign for exit 19, US 26 (Division Street/ Powell Blvd.). A curiously vacant sign reading only "DMV" indicates that a Dept. of Motor Vehicles office may be accessed by taking exit 19. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
This I-205 reassurance shield is mounted on the Washington Street overpass. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
A view of the metered onramp coming down from Stark and Washington streets. Most onramps through this busy corridor are metered, but the signals are only in operation during heavy commute hours. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Another advance sign for exit 19 is mounted on a pedestrian bridge. The hospital referred to in the blue sign is Adventist Medical Center. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Head east on US 26 to reach Gresham. A city of 90,205 (2000 census), Gresham is Portland's largest Oregon suburb. (Vancouver, in Clark County, Washington is larger). US 26 eventually crosses the Cascade Range just south of Oregon's highest point, Mt. Hood. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Southbound I-205 reaches exit 19, US 26/ Divsion Street and Powell Blvd. The offramp for exit 19 will divide, giving motorists a choice for either Division or Powell. The Powell Blvd. ramp passes under Division Street. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Like exit 22, the sign indicating exit 19 is placed overhead. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
A view of the exit 19 offramp. Interestingly, traffic for US 26 eastbound is directed to turn at Division Street, while traffic for westbound US 26 is directed to Powell Blvd. However, US 26 in east Portland is signed only on Powell Blvd. and Division Street lacks any reassurance markers, save for a "to 26" marker that directs traffic toward Powell! Maps show US 26 as Powell Blvd. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Services advance sign just past exit 19. Exit 17 is Foster Road. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
I-205 southbound just prior to the Holgate Blvd overpass. There is no exit to Holgate, but judging from the grassy strip at right, it looks like one had been originally planned then abandoned. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Advance sign for exit 17, Foster Road- 1/2 mile. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Mileage sign for Foster Road, Johnson Creek Blvd., and Sunnyside Road. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Willamette National Cemetery and the Oregon Korean War Veterans Memorial may be accessed by taking exit 17. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
I-205 reaches the last Multnomah County exit, exit 17, Foster Road. Foster is a one- way westbound here in the Lents District of southeast Portland. To head east, cross through the intersection with Foster and then turn left on Woodstock Blvd. The two one-way streets quickly rejoin after that. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
A view of I-205 just past the Foster Road exit. Mt. Scott, the location Willamette National Cemetery, is visible on the left. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Advance sign for the first Clackamas County exit, exit 16, Johnson Creek Blvd. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
 |
Southbound I-205 leaves the Portland city limits and crosses into Clackamas County. The Johnson Creek Blvd. exit is visible in the background. Photo taken by Matt Strieby (07/21/05). |
Page Updated November 9, 2005.
