Flattest Route from Chicago to Salem, OR? (hotels, safest)

[nunyabiz3]

Hi,

My family and I are moving from Chicago, IL to Salem, OR in a few weeks.

We will be driving a packed Mazda5 (small minivan-type car) with two little ones.

I am looking for suggestions for a route to take that is safest/flattest/with the best gas mileage and lots of decent hotels along the way to stop for the night.

Thanks for your help!!

[PNW-type-gal]

You have to go through mountains any way you go, so I'd pick scenic, myself.

I'd pick the route that runs through North Dakota, Montana, Northern Idaho and then drops down via Spokane to I-5 and south to Salem. Although the I-80/I-84 route (Iowa-Nebraska-Wyoming-Utah-Idaho-Oregon) probably has the largest number of hotels and places to stop.

The west is having a terrible fire season this summer, though, and occasionally even major highways have been closed for fire fighting activities. You will want to check the state highway web sites before and during your trip for the latest:

Oregon
https://tripcheck.com/Pages/RCMap.asp#

Washington
Washington State Traveler Information

Idaho
Traveler Information

Wyoming
WYDOT Travel Information Service (Laramie)

Montana
https://www.mdt.mt.gov/travinfo/map/mtmap_frame.html

Utah
Utah Department of Transportation,

Nebraska
http://www.511.nebraska.gov/

North Dakota
https://www.dot.nd.gov/roadreport/ro...reportinfo.asp

Info on specific fires:
http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/