Approaching and merging with Oregon 217 from northbound Interstate 5
Interstate 5 meets Oregon 217 (Beaverton-Tigard Freeway) at exit 292. The interchange configuration here might best be classed as a 5-ramp modified diamond interchange. Northbound Oregon 217 begins here, but the right-of-way extends southeast of I-5 as Kruse Way.
The first image shows the approach to Oregon 217 from the northbound lanes of I-5. Northbound I-5 gets two exit ramps: exit 292A for Oregon 217 northbound, and exit 292B for Kruse Way and 72nd avenue.
The second image shows a view from the exit 292A flyover ramp. There is no direct access to 72nd Avenue (Oregon 217 exit 7) from this ramp- northbound I-5 exit 292B provides that access instead. In the third image, we see the lanes from southbound I-5 and Kruse Way merging with the exit 292A lanes and Oregon 217. Notice that exit 7 is not accessible to the lanes merging from I-5 northbound. Photos taken 05/22/06.
Approaching and merging with Oregon 217 from southbound Interstate 5
Unlike northbound I-5 traffic, southbound traffic does not get a seamless transition onto Oregon 217. A single exit ramp (first image) leads to a signaled intersection with Kruse Way; turn left for the city of Lake Oswego (second image). Keep right for Oregon 217 and 72nd Avenue. West of the intersection, Kruse Way defaults to Oregon 217 (third image); the flyover from exit 292A is prominent. The right lane becomes an auxiliary lane for Oregon 217 exit 7 (72nd Avenue), while the left lane merges with the I-5 exit 292A lanes. Photos taken 8/27/06.
Oregon 217 Northbound
After the lanes from northbound and southbound I-5/Kruse Way finally converge to form Oregon 217 proper, the first exit encountered is exit 6, Oregon 99W, Tigard and McMinnville. Photos taken 05/22/06 and 8/27/06.
The exit 6 interchange provides access to Oregon 99W (Pacific Highway West), which runs northeast to southwest through the city of Tigard (2005 est. pop. 47,968). McMinnville lies about 29 miles south along 99W, but the highway passes through the towns of Sherwood and Newberg first.
These two views, the first taken in May and the second in August, illustrate the dramatic difference in sky and the availability of moisture that occur in the Pacific Northwest between late spring and late summer. Despite its wet reputation, western Oregon has a pronounced summer dry season, typically marked by abundant sunshine. Marine air sometimes brings morning cloudiness, but the clouds usually burn off by noon. Notice the dry, brown grass bordering the freeway in the second image. Photos taken 05/22/06 and 8/27/06.
Though the traffic was moderate when this image was taken, Oregon 217 is often jammed during peak commute hours. At the right of the photo, notice the metered ramp coming from Oregon 99W at exit 6. Photo taken 05/22/06.
Advance signs announce destinations available at upcoming exit 5: Greenburg Road, Metzger, and Washington Square Mall. Metzger isn't a town- it's a neighborhood inside the city of Tigard. Photos taken 05/22/06 and 8/27/06.
A simple diamond interchange handles the exchange of traffic between Oregon 217 and Greenburg Road at exit 5. Turn right on Greenburg for Washington Square Mall. Photo taken 05/22/06.
Due up next is exit 4: Oregon 210, Progress, and Scholls Ferry Road. The ramp that merges with Oregon 217 back at Greenburg Road becomes an auxiliary lane for exit 4. Photo taken 08/27/06.
Northbound Oregon 217 meets Oregon 210 (Scholls Ferry Road) at exit 4 in Progress. A former unincorporated neighborhood, Progress now lies partially within Tigard and partially within Beaverton corporate limits (notice the "entering Beaverton" sign posted at the exit). Beaverton, home to Nike, Inc., had an estimated population of 85,775 in 2005. Photos taken 05/22/06 and 08/27/06.
Next exit up is exit 3, Denney Road, as this 1/2 mile advance sign shows. Photo taken 08/27/06.
Another diamond interchange handles the exchange of traffic at exit 3, Denney Road. A short Beaverton arterial, Denney Road runs east and west, between Hall Boulevard (at the west end) and Scholls Ferry Road. Photo taken 08/27/06.
The Denney Road overpass holds this sign announcing upcoming exit 2B, Allen Boulevard. Photo taken 05/22/06.
An entrance ramp from Denney Road that joined Oregon 217 at exit 3 becomes the auxiliary lane for exit 2B. Photo taken 08/27/06.
As the sign says in the first image, take the second right for Beaverton Town Square, which is located along Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway (Oregon 10) in Beaverton. Northbound Oregon 217 passes under Allen Boulevard at exit 2B (second image). Like Denney Road, Allen Boulevard runs east-west through Beaverton. Photos taken 08/27/06.
Northbound Oregon 217 passes under Allen Boulevard. Photo taken 08/27/06.
Although Oregon 8 and Oregon 10 come within a whisker of meeting each other in Beaverton, they never touch. Since the two highways are so close together here, a modified diamond interchange connects Oregon 217 with both Oregon 8 and Oregon 10 at exit 2A. Upon exiting, drivers first encounter Oregon 10 (Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway), where they may turn right or left, or proceed straight on a collector/distributor lane. The lane proceeds north, where it intersects with Oregon 8 (Canyon Road). Although the sign shows access to Beaverton via Oregon 10, both highways run east-west through the city. The Photo taken 08/27/06.
Oregon 217 continues north to exit 1, Walker Road. Cedar Hills Crossing is a shopping complex that resides along Cedar Hills Boulevard south of Walker Road in Beaverton. Photos taken 05/22/06 and 8/27/06.
A sign on the Cabot Street overpass, mounted well in advance of the exit ramp, points the way to Walker Road (first image). Northbound Oregon 217 reaches exit 1, Walker Road, at another diamond interchange (second image). Walker Road runs roughly northwest-southeast across the northern edge of Beaverton. Photos taken 05/22/06 and 8/27/06.
It's only one-half mile to the northern terminus of Oregon 217 at U.S. 26 in Cedar Hills, a heavily populated unincorporated area north of Beaverton. Photo taken 08/27/06.
Signs begin to segregate traffic in preparation for the upcoming merge with U.S. 26 (first two images). Westbound U.S. 26 traffic is directed to the left lanes; eastbound traffic should keep right. Take the center lane to exit from the freeway onto Barnes Road.
Oregon 217 comes to an end at the split for westbound and eastbound lanes to U.S. 26 (third image). Barnes Road lies just north of the U.S. 26/Oregon 217 interchange, and a partial cloverleaf is used to handle the exchange of traffic (see interchange diagram). Photos taken 05/22/06.
Interchange diagram
Motorists heading toward either U.S. 26 westbound or Barnes Road should take the left hand and center lanes after the split (first image). Another split further segregates westbound U.S. 26 traffic from that headed to Barnes Road (second and third images). Despite the "freeway ends" sign posted at this interchange, freeway travel really only ends for those headed to Barnes Road. Otherwise, remaining traffic is routed onto the U.S. 26 freeway (Sunset Highway). Photos taken 05/22/06 and 8/27/06.
Traffic from northbound Oregon 217 that didn't take the Barnes Road exit follows the northern leaf of the clover and merges with U.S. 26 (Sunset Highway) westbound. U.S. 26 remains a freeway for about another 10 miles before reverting to a multi-lane/ two-lane highway for the rest of its journey to the Oregon Coast. Photos taken 05/22/06 and 8/27/06.
