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For the record, I had an interview at 8:30am this morning just off Columbia in the vicinity of the MAX Yellow line overpass. I used I-205 to US 30 Bypass (exit 23), then promptly turned up to Columbia and followed that all the way down (six miles if I recall right). I left my house near the 212/224 split at 7:04am and arrived at 7:39am (35 minutes). The slowdown around Gateway was very minor (perhaps dropped me to 35 for a mile or so), and it was the only part that slowed me down anymore than ideal speeds.
Definitely not a bad drive, although I'd probably leave at 7:10-7:15am every day, just to ensure I'm there by 8am, assuming of course, that this position comes through (interview did go well and I like the company/position/pay).
Thanks for the advice AndyAMG about using Columbia instead of trying I84/I5. From all the traffic around I84, I can imagine it wasn't pleasant, and when I went under I5 on Columbia, the SB lanes were at a crawl (I could see a few trucks, not really moving up there), but I couldn't tell what the NB lanes were doing.
That's the problem, that's the thick of rush hour. 7 to 3 would be ideal if you could work it that way you would leave before 6:30. I opted for a 6 to 2 shift just so I didn't spend an hour and a half in traffic after commuting a few mornings at peak times.
Downtown
99E is rolling 10mph from 7-8:30. I have waited 30 minutes to go from holgate to get to the hawthorne bridge. The short distance between lights on grand ensures a stop go all the way back past 17th at peak time.
I -84 WB in to downtown is about the same as is I-5, I-405. I'd avoid that route at all costs.
HV/Damascus to airport area via i205.
I have tried this way, it seems to roll about 35-45 mph at peak times so its not too bad. you'd be looking at 30-40 minutes depending on where near the airport you are going and what time you leave.
HV/Damascus to Hollywood District via i205/i84
205 is fine, well it moves anyway. the problem is I-84 it tends to back up to about 60th because of the east side I-5 bottle neck. Avoid that area at all costs. you might be better off taking surface streets.
I sometimes have to work late and at 430 good luck making it back form any of the mentioned places to happy valley in under 45 mins. It takes me 45mins to an hour and half some nights I work late.
I work in Vancouver and live in Milwaukie but the idea is the same. The 405-5-84 bottle neck is where I spend most of my time, and then again where you transition from I-5 to 99E because of all the traffic lights on MLK and people refusing to let the traffic from Morrison I-5 merge onto MLK/99E. Many times ill go onto surface streets just to keep moving, feel like I'm making progress.
Wednesday, I got off at 430 PM hit the 405-5-84 bottle neck at 445 and it took me 30 minutes to go from Going to the 99E exit, then it was another 30 mins from I-5 transition to 26 (ross island/powell). It stayed bad all the way to 224, and 224 wasn't pleasant either.
tripcheck.com is your best friend when you commute. The freeway speed maps tell the whole story. zoom in on the map and it will give you actual speeds so you can gauge how bad it will be. The camera network also helps, but sometimes the cameras aren't pointed right to tell the whole story.
I can advise you better one you choose a place of employment, I know this city like a cab driver.
Getting down to the nitty gritty. I have an offer from the place at Columbia/I-5, and also a final interview tomorrow at a place near Grand & Morrison. Here's the question: To get to the latter, are there any good alternatives (e.g. I-205 to Stark & across Stark to Grand, or 99 until I can reroute onto 12th to bypass 99 up to Morrison)?
I wouldn't take Stark from I-205. It routes around Mt. Tabor and becomes very neighborhood and winding. It would likely be worth your while to take I-84 for an exit before getting on to Stark.
If you really want to avoid I-84, you might be able to get off 205 at Division, take that to 60th, head north to Stark and head over. The 60th from Division to Stark can be busy though since its only two lanes.
I wouldn't take Stark from I-205. It routes around Mt. Tabor and becomes very neighborhood and winding. It would likely be worth your while to take I-84 for an exit before getting on to Stark.
If you really want to avoid I-84, you might be able to get off 205 at Division, take that to 60th, head north to Stark and head over. The 60th from Division to Stark can be busy though since its only two lanes.
99E might be the way to go.
I definitely would be avoiding I-84 at all costs, especially since I'm coming in from the SE (212/224 junction near Carver/HV/Damascus). The most direct route would obviously be 224 to 99E, but the concern is how hellish 99E might be between 224 and Morrison. From what Andy said, 30 minutes isn't a stretch for those five miles, and adding that on top of twenty minutes from my house in Damascus to 224/99e junction, and I'm not sure that's a great thing. Trying to figure a workaround with that last five miles....lol.
It's not too bad at 710-730 but past 8 it's pretty slow. I still would recommend the same thing setabor did. 224-99e. Allow some extra time. It's going to be about 35-45 mins. Some days you can hit greens and some nothing but reds. Anyway you go will be equally bad. Coming from carver just distance alone will take some time. I was envisioning you were coming from happy valley like clack town center area. But your going to take a while to get anywhere no matter what. So many stop lights on your route. Congrats on job prospects.
It's not too bad at 710-730 but past 8 it's pretty slow. I still would recommend the same thing setabor did. 224-99e. Allow some extra time. It's going to be about 35-45 mins. Some days you can hit greens and some nothing but reds. Anyway you go will be equally bad. Coming from carver just distance alone will take some time. I was envisioning you were coming from happy valley like clack town center area. But your going to take a while to get anywhere no matter what. So many stop lights on your route. Congrats on job prospects.
Thanks! Tomorrow will be interesting. Not sure which one I wish to take, but am pretty confident I'll take one of them. Either are better situations than where I'm at now.
I've been checking in on Google at 7:15am and 5pm to see what the drive times for both would be over the last couple of weeks, but didn't know if there was any alternative to the 224/99e thing that would speed it up. It takes me about 16-18 minutes now to get from Carver to the Milwaukie Marketplace area, so it just looks like that last six miles will probably double that time. Guess that's not too bad, since I'm already doing eight miles in 16-18.
Interesting to know about the "past 8" thing. Good to know and thanks for the advice!
A lot of the secret to keeping the travel time lower is something you'll learn. If you stay out of the right lanes on I-205 when you near the I-84 exchange, you'll do better. If you avoid the left hand lanes as you travel 99E (for people backed up trying to cross one of the bridges) you'll do better.
A lot of the secret to keeping the travel time lower is something you'll learn. If you stay out of the right lanes on I-205 when you near the I-84 exchange, you'll do better. If you avoid the left hand lanes as you travel 99E (for people backed up trying to cross one of the bridges) you'll do better.
Definitely already learned that about 205, lol! Did turn down that opportunity (red flags all over once the position was offered), though.
Didn't know that about 99E though, and that one is still very much alive. Will have to pay attention to that - thanks for the tip!
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