U.S. Highway 101 | ||||
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Route information | ||||
Maintained by ODOT | ||||
Length: | 363.11 mi (584.37 km) | |||
Existed: | November 11, 1926 | – present|||
Tourist routes: |
Pacific Coast Scenic Byway | |||
Major junctions | ||||
South end: | US 101 at California state line | |||
US 20 in Newport US 26 near Cannon Beach US 30 in Astoria |
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North end: | US 101 at Washington state line | |||
Highway system | ||||
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U.S. Route 101 (US 101), is a major north–south U.S. Highway in Oregon that runs through the state along the coastline near the Pacific Ocean. It runs from the California border, south of Brookings, to the Washington state line on the Columbia River, between Astoria, Oregon, and Megler, Washington.
US 101 is designated as the Oregon Coast Highway No. 9 (see Oregon highways and routes), as it serves the Oregon Coast region. Much of the highway runs between the Pacific Ocean and the Oregon Coast Range, thus US 101 is frequently mountainous in character. For most of its length it is a two-lane undivided highway. Many parts of the highway are subject to closure due to landslides caused by excessive rainfall, and in many parts of the coast, US 101 is the only viable route connecting certain coastal communities. Thus, in many cases when landslides block US 101, the detour requires traveling inland over the Coast Mountains to alternative north-south routes in the Willamette Valley and then back west over the Coast Mountains again.
US 101 is often the main street through coastal towns in Oregon, which can cause significant traffic delays. This is especially true in Lincoln City, owing to a combination of geography and the fact the city is a popular tourist destination.
The run of US 101 in Oregon (from south to north) starts at the border with California, south of the twin cities of Brookings and Harbor (and north of Crescent City, California). The highway is mostly a two-lane road, running along the Southern Oregon coastline. Access to this section (other than 101) is via U.S. Route 199 or Oregon Route 42. Access is also possible through National Forest Route 23 (NF-23 - Bear Camp) but that route is not maintained through the winter months.