The Dalles-California Highway
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| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by ODOT | ||||
| Length: | 289.31 mi (465.60 km) | |||
| Existed: | 1930s – present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end: |
 US 97 at California state line |
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 OR 66 in Klamath Falls OR 140 in Klamath Falls OR 58 near Chemult US 20 in Bend OR 126 in Redmond US 26 in Madras US 197 near Shaniko  I-84 / US 30 in Biggs Junction
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| North end: |
 US 97 at Washington state line |
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| Highway system | ||||
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In the U.S. state of Oregon, U.S. Route 97 is a major north–south United States highway which runs through the state of Oregon (among other states). In Oregon, it runs from the Oregon-California border, south of Klamath Falls, to the Oregon-Washington border on the Columbia River, between Biggs Junction, Oregon and Maryhill, Washington. Other than the northernmost stretch (which is known as the Sherman Highway), US 97 (along with U.S. Route 197) is known as The Dalles-California Highway. In May 2009, Oregon Senate passed a bill to rename U.S. Route 97 as "World War II Veterans Historic Highway".
With the exception of Interstate 5, US 97 is the most important north–south highway corridor in the state. It serves two major population centers (Klamath Falls and Bend), and is the main corridor east of the Cascade Mountains. While much of the highway remains in two-lane undivided configuration, significant sections have been upgraded to expressway or freeway status.
The run of US 97 in Oregon (running from south to north) starts at the border between Oregon and California, south of the city of Klamath Falls. The highway starts out as a two-lane road, running through the arid Klamath River basin. Approaching the city of Klamath Falls, 97 becomes a freeway just south of the junction with OR 140 and OR 66. The freeway then runs along the western edge of the downtown region, ending at an interchange with Oregon Route 39 near the Oregon Institute of Technology. Within Klamath Falls is a business route, which runs through downtown via Main Street/Klamath Avenue and Esplanade Avenue, then which turns back to the US 97 mainline via the East Side Bypass (this latter segment co-signed with OR 39). This section of Highway 97 has been identified as an important alternative to I-5 for traffic in the Medford area in the event of a major earthquake in the region.
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