How bad is the traffic around Portland at 5-6 AM during the week ?

[osprey]

I planning on towing my big heavy saltwater boat from N of Seattle to Sportcraft Marine in Oak Grove for a repower. I would like to miss as much heavy traffic as possible. I will be leaving my house about midnight midweek, so that would put me through the Portland area about 5-6AM. If it is anything like Seattle at that time of the morning, I may want to rethink my approach. Any thoughts, comments or suggestions are welcome.

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[RicInOR]

I 5 and 205 are backed up heading south. Get in before 6 and you are fine. Gets to be 7 - find a stop and wait it out until 9.

 

[Joe13]

It's not anywhere as bad as Seattle or Tacoma traffic.

If you have a smart phone I would download WAZE. It has a feature that shows you average travel time to your destination based on the avaerage traffic on any given day.

I've found it very handy over the years.

 

[Mikej]

I planning on towing my big heavy saltwater boat from N of Seattle to Sportcraft Marine in Oak Grove for a repower. I would like to miss as much heavy traffic as possible. I will be leaving my house about midnight midweek, so that would put me through the Portland area about 5-6AM. If it is anything like Seattle at that time of the morning, I may want to rethink my approach. Any thoughts, comments or suggestions are welcome.

I presume you're talking Sportcraft Marine at 13200 and SE McLaughlin.

If you're going to be hitting the Glen Jackson Bridge over The Columbia (I-205) before 6:00 am you should have no problem. It may seem convoluted but....I would either go all the way to Oregon City/Gladstone and exit just before the river and drive back north. OR, exit at 224 and head west to 99 and South to Sportcraft once you hit 99. Get a look at google maps for when you hit Milwaukee. Looks like you need to cross over 99 and left on 17th to get on 99 South.

 

[Unka-Boo]

205 to OC would be the easiest, head N on 99, few miles up the street. Dont have to mess with downtown traffic that way.

 

[osprey]

Yep that is the place Mike! I looked at the map and I like the looks of getting of on 205 and heading back up North a bit on on 99. Thanks guys that helps a bunch.

 

[Steel Head]

I 5 and 205 are backed up heading south. Get in before 6 and you are fine. Gets to be 7 - find a stop and wait it out until 9.

This!
Anything after about 5:45 is a pain but not as bad as Seattle traffic.

Usually 205 is a bit less congested than 5.

 

[DirectDrive]

Yep, get to Oregon City by 6:00 AM and you will be OK.
You can take the Gladstone exit or the Oregon City exit off of I-205.
I think that the Oregon City exit might be the cleanest.
Just remember to get in the left turn lane IMMEDIATELY so you are in position to make the left turn at McDonald's.
Then it's a left at the stop sign and straight to Sportcraft.

Your biggest challenge will be maneuvering at Sportcraft.
Sportcraft sort of shares a parking lot with a public boat launch.
It's tiny and busy.
If you can head STRAIGHT INTO Sportcraft, it will be a giant plus.
If you have to back in you will need spotters.


You won't want to go down the hill and sit and wait.
You will be right in the middle of boat launching traffic at the public boat launch.
So it will be important to contact Sportcraft in regards to...
Your arrival time
Will there be someone there to meet you at that time ?
Can you head into the Sportcraft property ?
Will you have to back into the Sportcraft property ?

Chances are you will arrive before Sportcraft opens, unless someone comes in early to meet you.
You may need a STAND BY area.
The best place that I can think of is going to be across from McDonald's in Fisherman's Marine Supply parking lot.
This will put you out of the way and ready to roll when you get the call from Sportcraft to come in.

I'm glad you asked, because Sportcraft can be tricky, especially if you have never seen it.
I have lunched there many, many times and I have friends that won't use it because it is too tight.
They key will be creating a plan with the smart guy at Sportcraft and follow his instructions.

And if you are needing to be in the stand by area first, then stay in the right lane on 99 when you come off of I-205.....make a right at the light and go into the Fisherman's parking lot.

 

[osprey]

Yep, get to Oregon City by 6:00 AM and you will be OK.
You can take the Gladstone exit or the Oregon City exit off of I-205.
I think that the Oregon City exit might be the cleanest.
Just remember to get in the left turn lane IMMEDIATELY so you are in position to make the left turn at McDonald's.
Then it's a left at the stop sign and straight to Sportcraft.

Your biggest challenge will be maneuvering at Sportcraft.
Sportcraft sort of shares a parking lot with a public boat launch.
It's tiny and busy.
If you can head STRAIGHT INTO Sportcraft, it will be a giant plus.
If you have to back in you will need spotters.


You won't want to go down the hill and sit and wait.
You will be right in the middle of boat launching traffic at the public boat launch.
So it will be important to contact Sportcraft in regards to...
Your arrival time
Will there be someone there to meet you at that time ?
Can you head into the Sportcraft property ?
Will you have to back into the Sportcraft property ?

Chances are you will arrive before Sportcraft opens, unless someone comes in early to meet you.
You may need a STAND BY area.
The best place that I can think of is going to be across from McDonald's in Fisherman's Marine Supply parking lot.
This will put you out of the way and ready to roll when you get the call from Sportcraft to come in.

I'm glad you asked, because Sportcraft can be tricky, especially if you have never seen it.
I have lunched there many, many times and I have friends that won't use it because it is too tight.
They key will be creating a plan with the smart guy at Sportcraft and follow his instructions.

And if you are needing to be in the stand by area first, then stay in the right lane on 99 when you come off of I-205.....make a right at the light and go into the Fisherman's parking lot.

Good info on the staging area but I am a bit confused on sportcrafts location and your directions after looking at google maps. It looks to me like I exit off of 205 in the right hand lane at Oregon city exit and come to stop and turn right on McLoughlin blvd and head N. Sportcraft looks to be a right turn a few miles up the rd off McLoughlin. It looks like I can turn right in and park where I drew the blue line with red arrow pointed at it, right behind Your host Motel? It probably would be wiser to use the staging area you indicated though and I did see it on the map as well. I do not see a boat launch parking lot at this location. Do the have another facility maybe? I believe I need to be at this one I took a snap shot of.

 

[WAYNO]

Good info on the staging area but I am a bit confused on sportcrafts location and your directions after looking at google maps. It looks to me like I exit off of 205 in the right hand lane at Oregon city exit and come to stop and turn right on McLoughlin blvd and head N. Sportcraft looks to be a right turn a few miles up the rd off McLoughlin. It looks like I can turn right in and park where I drew the blue line with red arrow pointed at it, right behind Your host Motel? It probably would be wiser to use the staging area you indicated though and I did see it on the map as well. I do not see a boat launch parking lot at this location. Do the have another facility maybe? I believe I need to be at this one I took a snap shot of.

View attachment 586476

You had it correct. They moved from their original location over ten years ago.

 

[AMT]

Monday - Thursday you've got a lot of folks that work 10 hour days (4-10's). If you get here (Vancouver) before 6am you should be fine. Remember, everyone goes in waves.

Work by 6? Traffic is heaviest across the bridges from about 0545 to 0605.

Work by 7? Traffic is heaviest around 0645 to 0705.

These are all 'ish hours and times.

It is usually nasty until around 0930-1000. Then from 1100 (lunch) to 1330. Then the go-home sprint out of PDX from around 1430 to 1800.

Good luck!

 

[DirectDrive]

Good info on the staging area but I am a bit confused on sportcrafts location and your directions after looking at google maps. It looks to me like I exit off of 205 in the right hand lane at Oregon city exit and come to stop and turn right on McLoughlin blvd and head N. Sportcraft looks to be a right turn a few miles up the rd off McLoughlin. It looks like I can turn right in and park where I drew the blue line with red arrow pointed at it, right behind Your host Motel? It probably would be wiser to use the staging area you indicated though and I did see it on the map as well. I do not see a boat launch parking lot at this location. Do the have another facility maybe? I believe I need to be at this one I took a snap shot of.

View attachment 586476

Yep, you're right.
I didn't know they had moved.
It was very tight where they were.
It will be much easier to get in there now.
If you get there early, hopefully there will be room for you to park away from McGloughlin...busy road.

Google Maps

 

[osprey]

I will probably just park in your suggested staging area until sportcraft opens at 9. I will just walk somewhere close and have some coffee and breakfast. I also see NW armory is in the neighborhood. I will have to check them out while my boat is being rigged. Any other points of interest in the area for a gun/fishing outdoor type of guy?

 

[WAYNO]

Yep, you're right.

It will be much easier to get in there now.
If you get there early, hopefully there will be room for you to park away from McGloughlin...busy road.

Google Maps

Ya think?

 

[osprey]

Looks like a tight knit little CF in the making lol.

 

[Unka-Boo]

I will probably just park in your suggested staging area until sportcraft opens at 9. I will just walk somewhere close and have some coffee and breakfast. I also see NW armory is in the neighborhood. I will have to check them out while my boat is being rigged. Any other points of interest in the area for a gun/fishing outdoor type of guy?

Bomber restaurant is right across the street, War Front is in the same lot, they have a pretty neat WW2 display/museum and are an FFL with a smattering of WW2 vintage guns for sale. NW Armory is about a block north on the east side of the street.