Oregon Route 22

Oregon Route 22
State	OR
Type	OR
Route	22
Length mi	110.66
Established	1932
Direction a	West
Terminus a	Pacific Coast
Direction b	East
Terminus b	U.S. Route 20
Counties	Tillamook County, Yamhill County, Polk County, Marion County, Linn County

Oregon Route 22 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Oregon that connects the Oregon Coast and the western Willamette Valley with the Cascade Range and interior Oregon. The highway provides links between coastal communities, agricultural centers, and recreational areas, traversing terrain near Tillamook Bay, the Willamette River, and Detroit Lake. It intersects several major corridors used for commercial freight and passenger travel, serving as a conduit between U.S. Route 101 and interior routes such as U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 26.

Route description

The western segment begins near the mouth of Tillamook Bay at the junction with U.S. Route 101 and passes east through towns like Tillamook and Grand Ronde, crossing lowland terrain close to the Tillamook State Forest and agricultural areas that supply products to markets in Portland and Salem. The highway continues as the Three Rivers Highway and intersects Oregon Route 18, providing connections toward McMinnville and Newberg, and facilitates access to the wine regions of the Willamette Valley AVA and events at venues such as the Oregon State Fair in Salem.

East of Dallas the route becomes the Willamina–Salem Highway, skirting the southern edge of the Van Duzer Corridor before joining freeways near Salem. In the Salem area it merges with the Salem Parkway and meets I-5 and Oregon Route 99E, providing urban connections to institutions like Willamette University and destinations such as the Oregon State Capitol. Continuing southeast from Salem it follows the path through Lebanon and Sweet Home, entering the alpine foothills near Cascade Range features and linking to recreational facilities at Detroit Lake State Park and Motley County Park before terminating near the junction with U.S. Route 20.

History

The corridor has origins in indigenous trails used by Kalapuya and Molala peoples before Euro-American settlement. During the 19th century it was developed alongside wagon routes related to the Oregon Trail migrations and later formalized with highway planning in the 1910s influenced by organizations such as the American Association of State Highway Officials. The designation in the 1930s followed state highway renumbering alongside expansions of U.S. Route 101 and U.S. Route 20. Major improvements during the mid-20th century were tied to federal programs under the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 and projects funded by the Oregon State Highway Department, connecting industrial sites near Tillamook Cheese Factory and timber operations in the Siuslaw National Forest.

In the late 20th century safety and capacity upgrades addressed landslide-prone segments and river crossings near the Santiam River and Salmon River. The route has been influenced by regional planning bodies including the Oregon Department of Transportation and metropolitan planning organizations responsible for the Portland metropolitan area and Mid-Willamette Valley. Historic events affecting the highway include storm damage during the Great Coastal Gale of 2007 and increased freight demands during the global economic shifts tied to trade with Asia and transportation of timber and agricultural exports through Port of Portland facilities.

Major intersections

Major junctions provide linkages to national and state routes, including connections with U.S. Route 101 near the coast, Oregon Route 18 toward McMinnville, I-5 and U.S. Route 99E in the Salem vicinity, and eastern termini at U.S. Route 20 toward Bend and Idaho. Other notable intersections include county arterial links to Oregon Route 223, access roads serving Santiam Canyon communities, and ramps providing access to industrial zones serving companies like Georgia-Pacific and Stimson Lumber Company. The highway crosses rail corridors operated historically by Southern Pacific Railroad and currently by Union Pacific Railroad, facilitating multimodal freight transfers near Albany and Keizer.

Traffic and usage

Traffic volumes vary from low-density coastal segments serving tourist traffic for attractions such as Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area and Cape Lookout State Park to higher-density urban segments near Salem used by commuters traveling to employment centers including Salem Hospital and state government offices at the Oregon State Capitol. Freight traffic includes timber, dairy products from facilities like Tillamook Creamery, and agricultural shipments from Willamette Valley farms destined for regional markets and export via the Port of Portland and Port of Astoria. Seasonal peaks occur during summer tourism tied to events like the Oregon Country Fair and winter recreation at Mt. Hood areas accessed via connecting routes. Safety studies have involved agencies such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and state traffic engineers due to recurring incidents on curvilinear mountain sections.

Future plans and improvements

Planned projects overseen by the Oregon Department of Transportation and regional partners include pavement rehabilitation, realignment to reduce curves and landslide risk near the Santiam Pass approaches, and interchange upgrades where the route meets I-5 to improve freight movement to ports and rail intermodal facilities. Funding considerations involve state transportation packages approved by the Oregon Legislative Assembly and potential federal grants from programs administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Community-led initiatives from entities such as county governments in Marion County and advocacy by groups like OTEC (Oregon Timber) and local chambers of commerce seek increased multimodal access, safety enhancements, and ecological mitigation to protect habitats in nearby Willamette National Forest and riparian zones associated with the Willamette River.

Category:State highways in Oregon