Dec 19, 2005

Troutdale Road Conditions Dec. 19, 5:30pm

Almost all side streets I have driven this evening in Troutdale are iced and treacherous. I have witnessed many spinouts from drivers going too fast for the conditions. Stark, 257th, Glisan, Halsey etc are sanded, as is Troutdale/Buxton Rd.

I-84 east from before Wood Village is iced and slick. Beware of big rigs parked on the side of the freeway before and after the Troutdale exit, chaining up before entering the Columbia River Gorge.

257th is sanded but still slick. Too many fools are going too fast for the conditions.

Troutdale Rd/Buxton Rd is icy but has been sanded. The big hill at Buxton and Columbia River Highway is passable.

The historic Columbia river highway from the Sandy river bridge to the Stark street bridge is packed snow and ice. Beware of downed tree limbs. The frozen waterfalls on the cliffs, however, are fantastic.

I-84 east of Troutdale gets worse the farther you get, so be safe, carry or put on your chains, or better yet, delay your trip.

2 comments:

MAX Redline said...

"Too many fools are going too fast for the conditions."

Well, I had other fools to contend with. They were the ones doing one to two miles an hour. When a road has a sharp curve and then an incline, the roadway is usually banked toward the curve. So if you're putting along at a mile an hour on ice and snow, guess what? Gravity wins!

If you don't know how to drive in ice and snow, do yourself and everyone else a favor and don't get into the car!

Troutdale Canfield said...

I agree. Going too slow is as dangerous as going to fast.

As a matter of fact, ice and a curved bank are a dangerous combination. Unfortunately, many of east county's rural roads were built this way.

AMEN..to your "if you don't know how to drive in ice and snow, do yourself a favor and don't get in the car!"..

Worth repeating over and over.