How to Travel Interstate 5

Travel in Southern California.

Southern California's "I-5 Drive" sets the tone of what drivers and passengers will remember most about the route. Going from its southernmost terminus, this is the route most people recognize when shown a picture of an open Southern California freeway.The highway encompasses the drive from the Baja Peninsular Mexican (coast) into San Diego (with its U.S. Navy and Marine Corps ports, airport, Downtown, San Diego Bay coastline past the University of California: San Diego, Oceanside, San Clemente and the 18-mile section between Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton to the next county border called the San Diego Freeway.In Orange County, the highway heads north from Dana Point and Mission Viejo to Irvine through Orange, Anaheim, and Disneyland as the Santa Ana Freeway designation. From US-1 in East Los Angeles, I-5 merges with I-10 calling itself the Golden State Freeway, then follows the Los Angeles River into Burbank via the San Fernando Valley and Santa Susana Mountains to Santa Clarita Valley before coming into the Sierra Pelona Mountains and Newhall Pass, and the Tehachapi Mountains from Lake Castaic and Pyramid Lake to Tejon Pass - at the lowest point on the route. - before continuing into the next section. Begin your route. I-5 begins at the Mexico-United States San Ysidro Port of Entry border for Mexico's Fed 1 route towards Tijuana. This is the busiest land entry port in the Western Hemisphere, with a daily average of 70,000 vehicles and 20,000 pedestrians. In San Diego County, expect exits for San Diego (1A, 1B, 2, 3, 4, 5A), Chula Vista (5B, 6, 7A, 7B, 8A, 8B), National City (9, 10,11A, 11B), San Diego (12, 13A, 13B, 14A, 14B, 15A, 15B, 15C, 16A, 16B, 17, 17A, 17B, 18A, 18B, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23A, 23B, 23, 26A, 26B, 27, 28A, 28B, 29, 30, I-5 Local (unnumbered), 31, 32, 33A, 33B, 34), Solana Beach (36, 37), Encinitas (39, 40, 41A, 41B, 43), Carlsbad (44, 45, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51A), Oceanside (51B, 51C, 52, 53, 54A), Camp Pendleton South (54C), Las Pulgas Rd (62), San Onofre (71), and San Clemente (72). As you enter the United States and start the route, you'll approach the bypass route I-805 (exit 1A northbound only) which splits to the northeast, to veer away from Downtown San Diego, and you'll expect that at exit 1A (northbound), then continues northwest to meet other San Diego border crossings (including the Otay Mesa from CA-905). When coming southbound, you'll reach exit 1A and you'll see an exit for Camino de la Plaza. For northbound travelers, you'll see this exit at the border inspection station's SENTRI and Ready lanes. The highway enters Chula Vista (traveling just outside the city limits) and travels along San Diego Bay to enter National City, before swerving around Naval Base San Diego, before entering back into San Diego's city limits, where it intersects a set of four California routes- CA-15, CA-75/Coronado Bay Bridge, CA-94 and CA-163. The highway then switches official names from the John J Montgomery Freeway to the San Diego Freeway. Expect access to CA-75 towards the San Diego Coronado Bridge at exit 14A. Balboa Park can be accessed off of exit 15C (but signed 15B northbound). Expect access to Downtown San Diego from exit 16B (northbound only) and the San Diego Civic Center from exit 17 (southbound only). Expect exits for the San Diego International Airport (SAN) from exits 17A and 17B). Expect an exit for Old Town San Diego State Historic Park from exit 19. The highway intersects I-8 (exit 20), then loses the San Diego Freeway name too. The highway passes SeaWorld (San Diego) and Mission Bay (exit 21, 22) (before reaching a state route in La Jolla/University City (28A&28B) and seeing the San Diego Latter Day Saints Temple showing towers over the highway. The highway then travels through the UC San Diego, intersects the northern terminus of I-805, and picks up access to Carmel Mountain Rd at the following one (31, 32). I-5 enters Solana Beach, then Encinitas, Carlsbad, and Oceanside, but is undergoing a planned expansion (North Coast Corridor Project). Expect an exit for Legoland California from exit 48 (off Cannon Rd), and Downtown Carlsbad from exit 50 (off Carlsbad Village Drive). Expect an exit from Downtown Oceanside from exit 53, which also serves Mission San Luis Rey. In Oceanside, I-5 heads through Camp Pendleton (exit 54C), before traveling along the coast for 18 miles, through San Onofre State Beach and San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (exit 71). In Orange County, expect exits for San Clemente (73, 74, 75, 76, 77), Dana Point (78), San Juan Capistrano (79, unnumbered for Stonehill Dr, 81, 82, 83), Mission Viejo (85A, 85B, 86), Laguna Hills (89, 90), Lake Forest (91, 92-92A), Inline (92, HOV, 94A (Santa Ana Freeway beginning northbound), 94B, HOV, 96A, 96B, 97, 99), Tustin (100, 101A, 101B, 102, 103), Santa Ana (HOV, HOV, 104B, 105A, HOV, 105B), Orange (106, 107A, HOV, 107B, 107C), Anaheim (HOV, 109, 109B, 110A, 110B, HOV for Disneyland Dr, 111, 112, 113), Fullerton (113C, HOV, 114A), Buena Park (114B, HOV for CA-91, unnumbered for Orangethorpe Ave, 115, 116), and La Mirada (117). You'll pass through San Clemente and Dana Point as you move further inland then due north through San Juan Capistrano-Mission Viejo - to the El Toro Y exit with I-405 (94A) and becoming the Santa Ana Freeway, traveling northwest. The highway then heads through Santa Ana, intersecting CA-57 and CA-22 (Orange Crush Interchange exits 106 and 107A) to enter Orange, then crosses Anaheim along northern Disneyland (109, 109B, 110A, 110B, and the HOV exit for Disneyland Dr) even encountering Angels Stadium and many more commons, as it comes into Buena Park. Expect an exit for Angel Stadium at exit 107. However, northbound numbering has this same exit tied to exit 106 - since the real sighting of the Stadium upon Katella Ave (exit 109) heads the opposite way down a bricked median main four-lane street with traffic lights. In Los Angeles County, expect exits for Santa Fe (118), Norwalk (119, 120, 120B, 121, 122), Downey (123, 124, 125, 126A), Montebello-Commerce (126B, 128A), Commerce (129, 130A, 130B, 130C, 130B), East Los Angeles (131A, 131B), Los Angeles (132, 133, end of Santa Ana Freeway at the East Los Angeles Interchange, 134A, 134B, 134C, 135A, 135B, 135C, unnumbered entrance from Marengon St, 135C, 136A, 136B, 137A, 137, 137B, 138, 139, 140A, 140B, 141A, 141B, 142, 144A, 144B), Glendale (145A), Burbank (145B, 146A, 146B, 147A, 147B, 147, 148), Los Angeles (149, 150A, 150B, 151, 152, 153, 153A, 153B, HOV for CA-170 S, 153B, 154, 155A, 155B, 156A, 156B, 157A, 157B, 158, I-5 Truck Route, 159, 161A, I-5 Truck to CA-14, HOV, 161B, 162, Newhall Pass Truck Route (described below), Santa Clarita (166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172), Castaic (173, 176A, 176B), Templin Hwy (183), Vista del Lago Rd (191), Smokey Bear Rd (195), Lancaster-Palmdale (198A), Quail Lake Rd (198), Lancaster-Palmdale (199), Gormon (202), and Lebec (205). Watch out for the Newhall Pass truck route. This area has separate exits for Sylmar at mile markers 0.42 miles (0.68 km) for I-210/Foxhill Freeway, 1.57 miles (2.53 km) for the Sierra Highway or CA-14 towards Palmdale-Lancaster until it comes out at 2.34 miles (3.77 km) where it joins with Interstate 5 North towards Sacramento between exits 162 and 166. You'll cross through La Mirada, Santa Fe Springs, Norwalk, and into Downey where it picks up I-605 serving cities east of Los Angeles (San Gabriel Valley), before entering Commerce and passing the Citadel Outlets (129) and entering East Los Angeles and Los Angeles (city proper). It enters the East Los Angeles Interchange at milepost 133.37 miles (214.64 km) and has a southbound East Los Angeles Interchange at milepost 133.41 miles (214.70 km), I-5 changes names to the Golden State Freeway (not to be confused with the Golden State Highway) and I-5 intersects I-10, CA-60, and US-101 here (exit 134).I-10 stays connected for about two miles to the north, before the two separate. At this same southern interchange for northbound, you'll find access to the Los Angeles Civic Center, and following that route quite a ways west, you'll also find access to The Los Angeles Forums and most of the rental car agencies for LAX Airport. Although the Hollywood sign can't be seen from I-5 due to it being located in the Santa Monica Mountains with a mountain wall in-between it and the freeway despite it only being able to be seen during the day and isn't lit at night, if you investigate around at either the Griffith Observatory or via the Ovation at Hollywood and Highland - accessible via exits between 134 and 140, you can get a good view there instead. It connects two times to I-10, one going west at the overlap at milepost 133.41 miles (214.70 km) and the other going east at the northern end of the overlap at exit 135C. Expect access to Dodger Stadium at Chavez Ravine at exit 138 (Stadium Way). Expect access for the Los Angeles Zoo off of Zoo Drive off the direct exit ramp of exit 144A (signed as exit 144 southbound) primarily serving the Ventura Freeway/CA-13 East. I-5 follows the Los Angeles River before passing east of Griffith Park, and through the San Fernando Valley before bisecting the Ventura Freeway to pass Glendale and Burbank (even near Hollywood Burbank Airport (at exits 147, 149)) and reenters Los Angeles proper, before reaching San Fernando and interchanging with I-405, I-210, and CA-14 at Newhall Pass's two unnumbered exits. Expect access to Hollywood at exit 153B (CA-170 S, southbound only). Expect access to the Stevenson Ranch from exit 168 (McBean Parkway). The highway passes through the Santa Susana Mountains into Santa Clarita Valley as the HOV lanes provide a continuous run between Palmdale and North Hollywood. The highway skirts west of Santa Clarita but passes Six Flags Magic Mountain (exit 170). As the highway passes Lake Castaic it utilizes a special left-driving configuration for 5 miles before crossing back to standard alignment, then passes Pyramid Lake and crosses the Tejon Pass through the Tehachapi Mountains. Expect access to Castaic Lake Park at exit 176B.

Travel in Central Valley California.

In Central Valley California, you'll pass into the Tehachapi Mountains' Tejon Pass (at the second-highest point on the route), Grapevine Canyon, and into the San Joaquin Valley while being named the West Side Freeway, after splitting from I-580 (running into San Francisco Bay Region) and continuing north through Stockton, Sacramento (to parallel the Sacramento River into Downtown Sacramento), intersecting I-80 and passing Sacramento Airport near Woodland and Dunnigan on the western edge of the Sacramento Valley. In Kern County, expect exits for Lebec (207), Fort Tejon (210), Grapevine (215), Laval Rd (219), Wheeler Ridge (221) and an unnumbered truck bypass (southbound only), Mettler-Maricopa-Taft (225), Copus Rd (228), Old River Rd (234), Arvin (239), Pumpkin Center-Lamont (244), Shafter-Wasco-Taft-Maricopa (246), Bakersfield (253), Buttonwillow (257, 262, 263), Shafter (268), Lost Hills (278), and Twisselman Rd (288). In this stretch, you'll sink into the Tejon Pass near Grapevine the southernmost terminus of the San Joaquin Valley, and the cities of Bakersfield and Wheeler Ridge at the Wheeler Ridge Interchange and the southern end of the West Side Freeway naming. Between exits 210 and 215, the highway gets snow in the winter - often requiring Caltrans to impose restrictions or the California Highway Patrol to close the highway entirely due to the steep grade inside the Tejon Pass - forcing motorists of all sizes to either wait for the reopening or take a detour at an automated gate in the median of Castaic after Lake Hughes Rd (in Los Angeles' exit 176B). I-5 crosses the California Aqueduct near Grapevine's exit (215), but this is the first of five times that it does so, then the highway follows the Path 15 electrical transmission corridor in the California Aqueduct. In this area, the highway changes names to the West Side Freeway (past exit 221) while paralleling CA-33 avoiding the populated cities of Bakersfield, Fresno, and Modesto to run inside Avenal, Coalinga, Los Banos, and some small cities. In Kings County, expect exits for Utica Ave (305), Kettleman City (309), and Avenal (319). The highway crosses the California Aqueduct for a second time, as it approaches the Diablo Range. In Fresno County, expect exits for King City-Coalinga (325), Lemoore-Hanford (334), Coalinga or Kerman (337), Mendota (349), Kamm Ave (357), Manning Ave (365), Panoche Rd (368), Russell Ave (372), Mendota (379), and Firebaugh (385). In Merced County, expect exits for Los Banos (391, 403), Santa Nella (407), and Gustline-Merced (418). The highway comes near the San Luis Reservoir to provide connections to the Monterey Peninsula/Silicon Valley at exit 403. Expect an exit to head towards Los Banos, Fresno, Gilroy, Hollister, San Jose, and Monterey in exit 403 (CA-33, CA-152) In Stanislaus County, expect exits for Neman (423), Crows Landing (428), Patterson (434), and Westley (441). In this county, the highway will cross the Aqueduct a third and fourth time In San Joaquin County, expect exits for Tracy (446), Modesto (339), Tracy-Vernalis (452), Kasson Rd (457), Tracy (458A), Lathrop (458B, 460, 461, 462, 463, 465), French Camp (467A, 467B), Stockton (468, 469, 470, 471, 472, 473, 474A, 474B, 476, 477, 478, 481), Fairfield (485), Turner Rd (487), Peltier Rd (490), and Thornton-Walnut Grove (493). From the I-580 W split off (exit 446) - just south of Tracy - the highway crosses the Aqueduct a fifth and final time, and begins to intersect Modesto and the mountains. I-580 will take you into Tracy and even into San Francisco. Expect access to the Robert T. Morgan Freeway (exit 458B, I-205) towards San Francisco. Expect access to the Stockton Metropolitan Airport (serving primarily Allegiant Air, airport code: SCK) at exit 468 - Arch Airport Rd. Expect access to Downtown Stockton at exit 472 for CA-4 to CA-99. In Sacramento County, expect exits for Twin Cities Rd (498), Hood Franklin Rd (504), Elk Grove (506), Sacramento (510, 512, 513, 514, 515, 516, 518, 519A, 519B, 520, 521A, 521B, 522, 524, 525A, 525B), Metro Air Pkwy (527), and Sacramento International Airport (528). While passing through Elk Grove, you'll pass through Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, before paralleling the Sacramento River and intersecting another freeway (Capital City Freeway). The highway merges with CA-99 (exit 518) before heading through downtown Sacramento, crossing the American River, intersecting I-80, and past the Sacramento International Airport before crossing the Sacramento River to the next county. Expect access to South Lake Tahoe and San Francisco at exit 518. Expect access to Downtown Sacramento at exit 519B, however, both 519A and 519B serve the Golden 1 Center. with entrances off P and I Streets. Expect access to I-80 at exit 522. This is I-80's exit 86 exit. Expect access to Sacramento International Airport (airport code SMF) at exit 528. In Yolo County, expect exits for Rd 22 (531), Yolo Bypass (between 531 and 536), Woodland (537, 538), West St (540), Esparto (541), Yolo (542), Zamora (548), Winters-San Francisco (553), Rd 8 (554), Dunnigan (556) and County Line Rd (559). Watch out for the Elkhorn Causeway between exits 531 and 536. The highway merges with CA-113 in Woodland. Still, it continues north to Dunnigan and converges with I-505 while avoiding the cities of Yuba City, Oroville, and Chico. Expect access to I-505 at exit 553 towards Winters and San Francisco. In Colusa County, expect exits for Arbuckle (566), Hahn Rd (569), Williams (575, 577, 578), Maxwell Rd (586), Maxwell (588), and Delevan Rd (591). In Glenn County, expect exits for Princeton (591), Willows (601, 603), Bayliss (607), Artois (610), Rd 27 (614), Orland (618, 619), and Rd 7 (621). In Tehama County, expect exits for Rd 99W (628), Coming (630, 631), Richfield (633), Tehama-Los Molinos (636), Proberta-Gerber (642), Red Bluff (647A, 647B, 649, 650, 651, 652), Jellys Ferry Rd (653), Auction Yard Rd-Hooker Creek Rd (657), Sunset Hills Rd-Auction Yard Rd (659), and Cottonwood (662). Exit 651 is the northern end of the West Side Freeway's name. The Cottonwood Creek Bridge crosses over Cottonwood Creek as a standard 4-lane bridge. The highway then crosses the Sacramento River twice.

Travel in Northern California.

In Northern California, the route follows through the Shasta Cascades region (often called the Shasta Valley), passing Redding and Shasta Lake, before ascending Mount Shasta and following the Sacramento River to Weed through Yreka, and beginning to follow the Klamath River into Oregon. This portion of the route is called the Cascade Wonderland Highway. In Shasta County, expect exits for Cottonwood (664, 665), Anderson (667A, 667B, 668, 670), Redding Airport (673), Redding (675, 677, 678, 680, 681A, 681B, 682), Shasta Lake (684), Mountain Gate (685, 687), Fawndale Rd-Wonderland Blvd (689), Bridge Bay Rd (690). Expect an outlet mall and a welcome center at exit 667B (Deschutes Rd-Factory Outlets Dr). Expect an exit for Redding Airport (airport code: RDD) at exit 673. Expect access to Eureka and Lassen National Park at exit 678. Cross the Pit River Bridge. This bridge crosses Shasta Lake as a Warren deck truss 4-laned bridge. In Northern Shasta County, expect exits for Turntable Bay Rd (692), Packers Bay Rd (693), O'Brien (695), Gilman Rd-Salt Creek Rd (698), Lakehead-Lakeshore (702, 704), Vollmers-Delta (707), La Moine (710), Pollard Flat (712), Gibson Rd (714), Sims Rd (718), Flume Creek Rd (720), Conant Rd (721), Sweetbrier Ave (723), Castella (724), Soda Creek Rd (726), Craig View Dr (727), and Railroad Park Rd-Craig View Dr (728). In this section, you'll travel upwards to the foot of Mt Shasta, as well as having the second-largest median in the state. In Siskiyou County, expect exits for Dunsmuir Ave (729), Dunsmuir (730, 732, 734), McCloud-Reno (736), S Mount Shasta Blvd (737), Mount Shasta (738, 740, 741), Summit Dr-Truck Village Dr (743), Weed (745, 747, 748), Edgewood-Gazelle (751), Weed Airport Rd (753), Louie Rd (759), Grenada (766), Ferry St-Shamrock Rd (770), Yreka (773, 775, 776), Willow Creek (786), Hombrook (789, 790), Bailey Hill Rd (793), and Hilt (796). Expect exits for Central Dunsmuir at exit 730. Within the town, you'll spot tours of Mt Shasta. After Dunsmuir, you'll come to near Lake Siskiyou. However, near Yreka, you'll cross the Klamath River and the Siskiyou Summit. Expect to see access to Weed Airport (airport code: O46) at exit 753. It may even be seen from the highway, though no commercial jets fly out of this airport. The Wikipedia page says there's also a Weed Rest Area at this same exit. Expect to see access to Yreka, Fort Jones, and Etna at exit 773, and an exit for Central Yreka from exit 775 (northbound). An Agricultural Inspection Station can be found for southbound traffic only at mile marker 790.32 miles (1,271.90 km) close to (but not at) the California & Oregon borders. Careful in this area needed. California Transportation often enforces a snow tire/chain device on automobile/truck wheels during and after snowstorms. Police watch the areas where restrictions are set. Trucks must carry chains regardless of the forcefulness of the area.

Travel in Oregon.

In Oregon, you'll travel through the Northern Cascades. The highway travels north from Siskiyou Summit for 11 miles (18 km) - the highest point on this highway in the Rogue Valley - through the Siskiyou Pass (where it passes through Ashland and Medford), then turns west to parallel the Rogue River through the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest where it turns north at Grants Pass to travel through the Klamath Mountains past downtown Medford on an elevated viaduct following its route past the South Umpqua River past Roseburg, through the Willamette Valley near Cottage Grove and Eugene (as it parallels the Coast Fork Willamette River), all within the Southern Oregon Coast Range and passes through farmland and junctions in Albany and Millersburg in the Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, to bisect Salem and the 45th Parallel near Keizer.The highway makes minor adjustments in its route (from northwest to northeast and back) as it follows the Cow Creek Valley and Canyon Creek Pass to pass Woodburn, the Boone Bridge, I-205 in Tualatin-Tigard, and heads through the Terwilliger Curves passing South Waterfront, Portland Aerial Trams, and Ross Island Bridges before it heads over the Willamette River on the Marquam bridge, I-84's West Coast western terminus (near the Oregon Convention Center) and runs below street levels till Delta Park and onto Hayden Island, crossing the bridge. The highway has two official names: National Purple Heart Trail and Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, and one official Oregon name: Pacific Highway No 1. Up until 2022, Portland's I-5 section, used to be called the Baldock Freeway. However, this is no longer the case and goes by the names in the bigger section stated above. There is some difference between how Wikipedia treats this interstate and how Oregon's information treats this route mentioned in terms of tolling. Wikipedia makes no mention of this interstate being tolled. Yet, the Oregon page mentions it has a tolled portion yet makes no mention from and to where these areas begin/end on a system of variable tolled sections in Portland. In Jackson County, expect exits for Siskiyou Summit (1), Mt Ashland (6), Ashland (11, 14, 19), Talent (21), Phoenix (24), Medford (27, 30), Central Point (33, 35), Gold Hill (40), Gold Hill-Cedar Lake (43), Rogue River Rte (45A), Valley of the Rogue State Park (45B), and Rogue River (48). In this county's first eleven miles, expect lots of runaway truck ramps and chain-up areas, due to the fog and snow conditions in winter. Expect access to Crater Lake, Mount McLoughlin the Rogue Valley Mall, and even the Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport at exit 30. Expect access to the Oregon Vortex at exit 43. In Josephine County, expect exits for Grants Pass (55, 58), Merlin (61), Hugo (66), Sunny Valley (71), Wolf Creek (76), and Speaker Road (78). In Douglas County, expect exits for Glendale (80), Barton Road (83), Quines Creek (86), Azalea-Galesville Reservoir (88), Canyon Creek (95), Canyonville (98), North Canyonville (99), Riddle-Stanton Park (101), Gazley Rd (102), Tri-City (103), Myrtle Creek (106, 108), Boomer Hill Rd (110), Dillard-Coos Bay-Winston (112), Round Prairie (113), Green (119), Roseburg (120), McLain Ave (121), Douglas County Fairgrounds-Umpqua Park (123), Roseburg (124,125, 127), Winchester-Wilbur (129), Sutherlin (135, 136), Oakland (138, 140), Metz Hill (142), Rice Valley (146), Rice Hill (148), Yoncalla-Drain (150) Scotts Valley-Elkhead (154), Elk Creek (159), Salt Springs Rd (160), Anlauf-Lorane (161), Drain-Elkton (162), and Curtin-Lorane (163). Expect access to the Seven Feathers Casino Resort at exit 98. In Lane County, expect exits for Cottage Grove (170, 172, 174), Saginaw (176), Creswell (182), Goshen (186), Oakridge-Klamath Falls (188A), Goshen (188B), South Eugene (189), Springfield-Eugene (191, 192). Expect access to Lane Community College from exit 188A. Expect access to the University of Oregon at exit 192. Pass over the Whilamut Passage Bridge. This concrete arch bridges pass over the Willamette River as a 4-laned bridge with an arch below the bridge's surface. On the Northern side of the Willamette River, you'll spot the Gateway Mall, before finding the I-105 exit/intersection at exit 194A. In Northern Lane County, expect exits for Springfield-Eugene (194A, 194B, 195A, 195B) and Coburg (199). Expect access to Armitage Park at exit 199. In Linn County, expect exits for Harrisburg-Junction City (209), Halsey-Brownsville (216), Lebanon-Corvallis (228), Albany (233-234A-234B), Millersburg (235, 237), South Jefferson-Scio-Millersburg (238), Dever-Conner (239) Cross the Santiam River Bridge. This bridge crosses the Santiam River. In Marion County, expect exits for Talbot Rd (242), Ankeny Hill (243), North Jefferson (244), Sunnyside-Turner (248), Salem (249, 252, 253, 256, 258, 260A, 260B), Brooks-Gervalis (263), Woodburn (271), and Donald-Aurora National Historic District (278). Expect access to the Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge at exit 243. Expect access to the Enchanted Forest (amusement park) at exit 248 - although it'll be a long time backtracking from that exit after the highway parallels the long roadway that is seen from the highway, with no earlier exit that is remotely close to the park. Expect access to Corban University at exit 252. Expect access to the Oregon State Penitentiary and Willamette University at exit 253. Expect access to the Oregon State Fairgrounds at exit 258. But, the Fairgrounds are signed on southbound signs only. Expect access to Chemeketa Community College at exit 258. In the median of the interchange/exit of exit 260, you'll find a 45th Parallel sign marking the location of the 45th Parallel. Many people have taken pictures of it on Google Maps, but if you'd like you can take a picture by it and can take one safely by it, you can too. Expect access to Volcanoes Stadium and Keizer Station from exit 260. Expect access to Powerland Heritage Park and Oregon Electric Railway Museum at exit 263. Expect access to the Woodburn Premium Outlets at exit 271. In Clackamas County, expect exits for Canby-Hubbard (282A) and Canby (282, 282B). Expect access to the Aurora State Airport at exit 282A. Cross the Boone Bridge. The Boone Bridge crosses the Willamette River as a steel girder 6-lane highway bridge. In Northern Clackamas County, expect an exit for Wilsonville (283). In Washington County, expect exits for Wilsonville (286), Tualatin (288, 289, 290) and Tigard (291), Tigard-Lake Oswego (292), and Tigard (293). Expect access to the Bridgeport Village shopping center at exit 292. In Multnomah County, expect exits for Portland (294, 295, 296A -296B, 297, 298, 299A-299B. In this stretch, you'll pass around Mount Sylvania and saddling Barbur Blvd (OR-99W). But by 296B (northbound), you'll come to the Terwilliger Curves, where the freeway bobs in curves at least three times before crossing the Willamette River. (For those going southbound, you'll come to the last curve nearest exit 297, and your first curve just after coming off the Marquam Bridge.) In these curves, you'll head uphill on the western side of the River and downhill from Barbur Blvd, until it dips to the South Waterfront while dodging Marquam Hill (Oregon Health & Science Museum) then cross beneath the Portland Aerial Train & Gibbs St Pedestrian Bridge before it travels under the Ross Island Bridge to reach I-405 and intersects the MAX Orange Line light rail and Portland Streetcar tracks. Cross over the Marquam Bridge. The Marquam Bridge crosses the Willamette River as a double-deck, steel-truss cantilever 8-laned bridge. Northbound lanes are carried on the upper deck, and southbound lanes are carried below. This bridge is the most active crossing in Oregon. At the east end of the bridge, you'll come to a southbound stub ramp for the withdrawn Mount Hood Freeway. In Northern Multnomah County, expect exits for Portland (300, 300B, 301, 302, 302B, 302C, 303, 304, 305, 306A, 306B, 306, 307). Expect an exit to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry from exit 300(northbound) or 300B(southbound). However, parking has an all-day parking lot at $8 through the Parking Kitty app or the Parking Lot kiosks. I-5 will then dodge two bridges - the first one from above (Hawthorne Bridge), and the next from below (Morrison Bridge) - as it comes into downtown Portland. The highway will intersect the western terminus of I-84W just after the Burnside Bridge crossing (along the Willamette River) and begin a short concurrency with US-30 to have access to the Rose Quarter, Oregon Convention Center, Moda Center, Veterans Memorial Coliseum. But by NE Holladay St, it'll pass over MAX Light Rail and OR-99W, and into a recessed section near the Broadway Bridge (Portland Streetcar's loop lines), intersecting I-405 but carrying it into Pearl District after the two split. Exit 302 holds the triple stub ramp exit for the Legacy Emanuel Medical Center/Albina railyard (built originally for the canceled Rose City Freeway). I-5 will cross the Overlook, Arbor Lodge, and Kenton neighborhoods. However, at exit 303, the highway will pick up an HOV lane that will operate for about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) to the north end of Delta Park (exit 30 ) The northern end of Delta Park can be found just north of the Columbia Slough in former Vanport, which also encloses Portland International Raceway/Portland Meadows (horse racing track) and sports fields. Also available - from the southbound lanes only at exit 303 is access to Portland Community College (Cascade Campus) near Peninsula Park. Cross the North Portland Harbor Bridge. This bridge crosses over the Columbia River just south of Hayden Island. In North Multnomah County, expect the last exit just before the Interstate Bridge. This technically heads towards Hayden Island. However, getting off at this exit requires an ODOT permit. You'll find the Oregon Thanks You sign From the northbound side of Hayden Island (near exit 308). However, you won't find any on the southbound side.

Cross the Interstate Bridge.

This bridge - which some call the Columbia River Interstate Bridge - crosses this interstate over the Columbia River as a dual truss six-laned bridge. The Wikipedia page references this bridge as a pair of vertical lift bridges, while the main Interstate Bridge references another type. The bridge is currently undergoing a replacement project, but remains untolled with the hopes of becoming tolled by either 2025 or 2026. From Oregon, this bridge's entrance can be found on a map on Hayden Island, Oregon near North Hayden Drive (taking you down to Manheim Portland) From Washington, this bridge can be found at WA-14's (Lewis and Clark Hwy) western terminus - near the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site. This bridge is the only point where, due to the lifts, vehicles may have to stop for cross-traffic.

Travel in Washington.

In Washington (state), you'll travel in Northern Cascades, as you travel in Vancouver from the state border into Salmon Creek, turning northwest past Kelso and Longview (paralleling the Columbia River banks) then following the Cowlitz River past Willapa Hills, and adjacent to Chehalis-Centralia. The highway meets Tumwater near Olympia, then turns east to cross Joint Base Lewis-McChord, turns north towards Tacoma (to avoid Puget Sound), then turns north towards Fife where it meets Seattle, I-405, and Sea-Tac International Airport until the highway follows the Green and Duwamish Rivers past Boeing Field, (even intersecting I-90's western terminus in Seattle's Downtown), where it turns northwest and passes Freeway Park and State Convention Center, turns north to cross the Ship Canal of Portage Bay, and passes the University of Washington's University District, Green Lake, connects a pair of reversible Express lanes and continues northeast through Lynnwood before rejoining I-405 through Everette and Seattle Metro towards Skagit Valley, where it passes Mount Vernon-Burlington, through the Chuckanut Mountains, and heads west into Bellingham Bay by passing into the Fraser Lowlands and onto its Canadian border neighbor at its northern terminus border-station. In Clark County, expect exits for Vancouver (1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7A, 7B, 8, 9), Battle Ground (11), Ridgefield (14), and La Center (16). Immediately after the bridge, this highway passes a railroad viaduct for Amtrak's Empire Builder before its intersection with the Lewis and Clark Trail/WA-14, holding access to Pearson Field and Fort Vancouver National Historic Site. It marches on as it approaches Hazel Dell - even passing Clark College near Burn Bridge Creek. I-205 - from Portland - then makes an appearance in Salmon Creek near Washington State University: Vancouver, as it makes its way into eastern Ridgefield, passing Ilani Casino Resort and the Cowlitz Reservation., crossing the Lewis River. In Cowlitz County, expect exits for Woodland (21), Dike Access Rd (22) Port of Kalama (27), Kalama (30, 32), Kelso (36A, 36, 39, 40), Lexington Bridge Dr (42), Pleasant Hill Rd (46), Castle Rock (48, 49), and Barnes Dr-Toutle Park Rd (52). Towards the beginning of this county, the freeway utilizes the median for Amtrak's Cascades and Coast Starlight trains. The highway parallels the Columbia River's east banks, passing Kalama to Longview & Kelso. At its southern confluence, it connects to the Cowlitz River to intersect with WA-432 via WA-433. The highway then parallels the Coweeman River to Three Rivers Mall (downtown Kelso). Some of this stretch sees the highway connected to the Lewis and Clark Trail. The highway parallels the Cowlitz River again to cross to Castle Rock, with interchanges to WA-411 and WA-504 (the latter serving Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument), then the river turns away and the highway crosses into the next county. In Lewis County, expect exits for Jackson Hwy (57), Vader-Ryderwood (59), Toledo Vader Rd (60), Winlock (63), Morton-Yakima (68), Napavine (71, 72), Chehalis (74, 76, 77), and Centralia (81, 82). Between the interchanges for WA-506 (exit 60) and WA-505 (exit 63), look for Gospodor Monument Park featuring four 100-foot religious and indigenous sculptures. When these were first erected, they caused massive backups for rubbernecking. A concurrency starts as the highway intersects US-12 (exit 68), and continues through White Pass into Yakima. The highway intersects WA-508 and crosses the Newaukum River close to the Uncle Sam billboard, and near this the concurrency turns to the western edge of Chehalis intersecting WA-6, passing Chehalis-Centralia Airport. The highway parallels the Chehalis River before interacting with WA-507 and a set of collector-distributor lanes, and later crossing the Skookumchuck River and railroad tracks. The concurrency breaks near Grand Mound, as the highway continues north into the next county. In Thurston County, expect exits for Tenino-Aberdeen (88), Littleock-Maytown(95), Tumwater (99, 101, 102, 103, 104), Olympia (105A, 105B, 107, 108A, 108B, 108C), Lacey (109, 111), and Nisqually (114). Between exits 95 and 99, the interchanges serve Millersylvania State Park before the highway passes Olympia Regional Airport reaches the terminus of US-101, and into Olympia before turning eastward and past Washington State Capitol. The highway goes through Lacey and Hawks Prairie and onto WA-510 (Nisqually Indian Community, Yelm). The highway then heads through Billy Frank Jr Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, as it makes its way into the next county. In Pierce County, expect exits for Old Nisqually (116), DuPont (118, 119) Joint Base Lewis-McChord (120), Lakewood (122, 123, 124, 125, 127), Tacoma (128, 129, 130, 132,133, 134, 135) and Fife (136, 137). The highway then goes past Joint Base Lewis-McChord with land on both sides of the highway. The upcoming interchange (WA-704, exit 120) provides access to Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force base to Spanaway before going through Lakewood and WA-512 towards Puyallup (exit 127). Interstate 5 goes past the Tacoma Mall (exit 132) and runs through Tacoma including major interchanges for WA-16 (accessing the Tacoma Narrows Bridge) and I-705, WA-7 serving downtown Tacoma, Tacoma Dome, Tacoma Dome Station, and Pacific Avenue corridor. An intersection for WA-167 is served at exit 135, before crossing the Puyallup River and Sounder commuter train railroad lines, past an exit for the Port of Tacoma (signed only northbound, exit 136) before reaching Puyallup Indian Reservation in Fife's exit 136, and the Emerald Queen Casino (exit 137) In Southern King County, expect exits for Federal Way (142, 143, and an unnumbered HOV only access for S 317th St), Kent (147, 149), SeaTac (150, 151, 152), Tukwila (153, 154A, 154B, 156, 157, 158), and Seattle (161, 162, 163A, 163B, 164, 164A, 164B, 164, 165A, 164A, 165, 165B, 166, 167, 168, 168A). Between mile markers 165.29 miles (266.01 km) and 172.43 miles (277.50 km) (for 7.14 miles (11.49 km)) in the freeway's median in Downtown Seattle to the Ship Canal Bridge and onto Northgate, you will find that Seattle has separate Express lane exits for local streets. This area is among the widest highways-freeways in the United States - at 13 lanes with a reversible lane in the middle. These exits include ones for 5th Ave-Columbia St (165.62 miles (266.54 km)), Pike St (166.49 miles (267.94 km)), Stewart St-Seattle City Center (166.63 miles (268.16 km)), Mercer St (convert|167.20|mi|km}}), Northeast 42nd St-University of Washington (168.96 miles (271.91 km)), Ravenna Blvd (169.66 miles (273.04 km)), Lake City Way-Bothell (170.54 miles (274.46 km)), Northeast 103rd St-1st Ave NE (172.03 miles (276.86 km)) and with finishings at either end. At the lane's southern end, you'll see an exit for 5th St and Cherry/Columbia St (under Seattle's Municipal Tower and City Hall. These lanes travel on the lower deck of I-5's southbound lanes (ramps to Pike St at 9th Ave) and Stewart & Howell Sts (Eastlake Ave). It has ramps for Mercer St then the lanes emerge into I-5's median, taking it through Capitol Hill-Eastlake to Ship Canal Bridge(as the lower deck) - including an exit for Ravenna Blvd for southbounders, and a ramp for WA-522 to North Seattle, Northgate Mall and the last interchange at Northeast 103rd St and two lanes merge onto I-5. Three exits at Cherry, Columbia, and Pike Sts are for HOV use only to get travelers to carpool more without affecting bus traffic. These lanes are only open during certain times of the day and night and differ between weekdays and weekends with a set of movable gates and signs by a remote ops center (CCTV cams) and are only open in one direction during the day during severe weather. Wikipedia's page says these times include: southbound 5 am to 11 am weekdays and northbound 11:15 am to 11 pm weekdays. But on the weekend, southbound open 8 am to 1:30 pm and northbound between 1:45 pm - 11 pm. The highway passes under WA-161 (Kitts Corner, near Wild Waves Theme Park) before intersecting WA-18 and continuing past Weyerhauser headquarters to Federal Way where the HOV lanes have an off-ramp to Federal Way Transit Center & The Commons at Federal Way College The highway provides access to SeaTac, Tukwila, just east of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). (exit 154A) Near Tukwila's Westfield Southcenter interchange, several left-hand ramps require the detachment of the HOV lanes from the mainline (WA-518, I-405, exits 154A and 154B). Also, at this point, the Link 1 railroad line runs on the west side of the freeway until the next exit (156 with WA-599) and it's Tukwila International Boulevard Station and connecting to WA-99. The highway turns to the northwest and crosses the Duwamish River with a mainline railroad into Seattle As the highway enters Seattle's border, it passes under Boeing Access Road's Link 1 Line railroad tracks to Georgetown, with Beacon Hill at its east, and runs along the Spokane Street Viaduct, having ramps to the SoDo area and VA Puget Sound Medical Center. , crossing Beacon Hill light rail tracks near its railyard and op base, before meeting I-90's western terminus, with links to T-Mobile Park (Mariners) and CenturyLink/Lumen Field (Seahawks & Sounders) (exit 163 (for northbound), exit 163A (for southbound)). The highway then sets up more collector-distributor lanes serving Downtown Seattle on an elevated viaduct to the International District - the widest being at 13 lanes between 6th and 7th avenues between Downtown and First Hill. At exit 164B (northbound) or 164 (southbound), find exits to Ferries, or the same northbound exit for the Convention Center. The highway passes Seattle's tallest building - the Columbia Center- and Central Library, before adding the reversible express lane in the median near Madison Street before traveling northeast and heading under Freeway Park (between Seneca and Union Streets) and the Seattle Convention Center (between Union and Pike Sts). Also within the City Center, expect to find access to the Seattle Space Needle at exit 167, however, you will see it on your left (west) heading northbound. At this same exit, you'll find it signed as towards "Seattle Center," but it's mainly just for Downtown Seattle. Before entering South Lake Union and Cascade, it sees a 20 to 30 feet (6.1 to 9.1 m) retaining wall within Capitol Hill's Melrose Avenue location, and traveling through Capitol Hill and Eastlake and over I-5 Colonnade (mountain-bike park). The highway then intersects WA-520 (towards Lake Washington on Evergreen Point Floating Bridge), a heavily trafficked highway with exits on opposite sides with vehicles swerving across several lanes. Cross the Ship Canal Bridge. This bridge crosses Portage Bay's ship canal as a double-deck steel truss 8-laned bridge. It also crosses Lake Washington's Ship Canal and Eastlake Avenue's University Bridge, with a descendent express lane deck connecting to Northeast 42nd St. In Northern King County, expect exits for Seattle (169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175), and Shoreline (an unnumbered exit and 176, 177). The highway runs at the western edge of the University of Washington campus before intersecting near Northeast 45th and 50th Streets, then has exits for Roosevelt-Green Lake near Ravenna Blvd and WA-522 before arriving into Northgate and merging back the lanes from the Express lanes, keeping the HOV lane open. The highway runs past the Northgate Mall and Northgate light rail station's west along 1st Ave til 5th Ave near Haller Lake. It then intersects WA-523 (145th St Seattle's northern city limits in a set of flyer stops connected to WA-523 with a northbound loop and southbound slip ramps. It continues north through Shoreline as it passes King County Metro's north bus base and suburban communities. In Snohomish County, expect exits for Mountlake Terrace (178, 179), Lynnwood (HOV only unnumbered and 181A, 181B), Renton-Bellevue-Mukilteo (182), 164 St SW (183), Ash Way (unnumbered), Paine Field (186), Everett (unnumbered, 189, unnumbered, 192), 193, 194, 195), Marysville (198, 199, 200, 202), Arlington (206, 208), 236 St NE (210), Stanwood & Camano Island (212), and 300 St NW (215). The county line near Lake Ballinger contains an intersection for WA-104 however, it continues through to Mountlake Terrace past Mountlake Terrace Transit Center and bus station in the median, before heading into Lynnwood and following the Interurban Trail and going past Lynwood's Transit Center and WA-524 and spur on 44th Ave W before Alderwood Mall, I-405 and WA-525. The highway continues near Martha Lake and Mill Creek towards an interchange at 164th St SW as it heads towards Everett and Paine Field, passing Silver Lake/S Everett Park&Ride at 112th St SE near Everett Mall as WA-99/WA-526 towards Boeing Everett Factory and Mukilteo/WA-99 towards Mill Creek and Broadway into downtown Everett and the Whidbey Island Ferry (189). The highway travels through Lowell but approaches Everett Memorial Stadium/Lowell Park. The highway avoids downtown Everett while following the Snohomish River before intersecting WA-529 (Pacific Ave-Maple St near the Everett Train Station and Travel Center), before intersecting US-2 (towards Stevens Pass to E Washington) with a spur route of WA-529 on Everett Ave before HOV lanes reach closure, and the highway reaches Summit Park - a city park built off constructed land from the excavation of the freeway. The highway crosses the Snohomish River and descends into the estuary with several sloughs. It passes the Everett Water Pollution Control Facility and many wastewater treatment areas, before turning northwest before an intersection with WA-529 and crossing BNSF Railway/Ebey Slough into Marysville. The highway heads north between Marysville and Tulalip Indian Reservation boundaries before other interchanges with arterial streets (WA-528, 88th St, 116th St near the Tulalip Resort Casino/Seattle Premium Outlets). The highway then enters Arlington's Smokey Point and intersects WA-531 near Arlington Municipal Airport, where the busiest interchange in the state lies, and which contains a 22-foot-wide Western red cedar tree stump once hollowed out for traffic to pass through. The highway come across Island Crossing and WA-530 before crossing Stillaguamish River and the Stillaguamish Indian Reservation-Angel of the Winds Casino Resort, throughout rolling hills and forests with Stanford's WA-532 near the border. In Skagit County, expect exits for Starbird Rd (221), Old Hwy 99 S (224), Mount Vernon (225, 226, 227), Burlington (230, 231), Sedro-Wooley (232), Bow-Edison (236), and Alger (240). This county calls its section the Skagit Valley Agricultural Scenic Corridor - a byway of the rest of the state. The highway travels north but heads down into the Skagit Valley and parallels the Skagit River on its east. The highway has an intersection for WA-534 and joins the BNSF railroad towards Mount Vernon where it intersects WA-536 at the city's train station. Near the next interchange, it crosses the railroad and meets WA-538 and the Skagit Valley College, before it crosses the 'River on a bridge that has a historical tie to a collapse in 2013 and was renamed to the Trooper Sean M. O'Connell Jr Memorial Bridge, which the Wikipedia's Exit list doesn't mention but it's text does. The highway clips the west edge of Burlington, as it passes car dealerships, and retail stores - including the Cascade and an outlet mall. The highway then interchanges with WA-20 which contains many businesses towards Anacortes and the Olympic Peninsula and North Cascades National Park to Okanogan Country. The highway interchanges WA-11 towards the Chuckanut Mountains, before crossing the railroad and the Smish River, reaching the Skagit Casino Resort and Speedway located in the middle of the Chuckanut foothills into the Chuckanut Mountains. In Whatcom County, expect exits for South Lake Samish, 242), North Lake Samish (246), Bellingham (250, 252, 253, 254, 255, 256, 257, 258), Ferndale (260, 262, 263, 266), Lynden (270), and Blaine (274, 275, 276). The highway passes Lake Samish but heads west following Chuckanut Creek into Lake Samish State Park, before passing Lake Padden and turning north to enter Bellingham's WA-11 and Fairhaven's Alaska Marine Highway terminal (exit 250). The highway passes east of Sehome Hill and the Western Washington University and downtown Bellingham, before passing WA-542 and meets WA-539 at the Bellis Fair Mall before passing Bellingham International Airport (exit 258) in the Fraser Lowland region. The highway crosses the Nooksack River on truss bridges and reaches WA-548 (towards Cherry Point Refinery-Birch Bay), before encountering Blaine where its WA-543 affiliation splits for trucks and freight border crossing (exit 275), before meeting WA-548 to cross into Canada - its northern terminus. Finish your route. Your route travels to the Peace Arch-Douglas Border Crossing, where the highway begins as British Columbia's Hwy 99 (Vancouver-Blaine Hwy.) past Surrey, British Columbia, and it's Peace Arch. The Peace Arch has a set of crosswalks to the administrative buildings and parking lots that is open to the public without needing to report first to customs, though British Columbia's documentation mentions differently.