Traffic between Salem and Portland (Keizer, Wilsonville: house, neighborhood, school district)

[DocVudu]

So, I've heard all sorts of horror stories about the traffic between Portland and Vancouver, and in general in the Portland area. What's the traffic situation between Portland and Salem. I don't plan on making the drive every day, mostly weekends, maybe one to two days during the week so the kid can see his mother. I feel like I have a much better chance of getting a job in Salem than I do Portland (I'm a special education teacher), and was thinking of looking at living in the Keizer, Wilsonville area, sort of between. I'm currently making 40 minute commutes each way to work as it is, but it's a pretty easy drive. Traffic is pretty sparse, etc. I gather that's not the story there?

[jjpop]

Originally Posted by DocVudu

So, I've heard all sorts of horror stories about the traffic between Portland and Vancouver, and in general in the Portland area. What's the traffic situation between Portland and Salem. I don't plan on making the drive every day, mostly weekends, maybe one to two days during the week so the kid can see his mother. I feel like I have a much better chance of getting a job in Salem than I do Portland (I'm a special education teacher), and was thinking of looking at living in the Keizer, Wilsonville area, sort of between. I'm currently making 40 minute commutes each way to work as it is, but it's a pretty easy drive. Traffic is pretty sparse, etc. I gather that's not the story there?

If it's not going to be your daily commute and you'll only be doing it a couple of times a week, I wouldn't rule it out. Frequently traffic gets backed up in Wilsonville, even on the weekends, so you would have to contend with that. Look at it as an opportunity to listen to music or podcasts!

[FullArmor]

Weekdays are going to be all about timing. Heading north is pretty decent most days unless there is an accident. South can be especially bad between 217 and the south end of Wilsonville after 2 pm. Generally, the Terwilliger curves coming in or out of Portland can be stop and go any time of day, but traffic is fairly decent before and after. Except for rush hour which starts early afternoon.

[Silverfall]

I'd live in Keizer, and yes you wouldn't have trouble getting a job in the SK school district as a special ed teacher.

I wouldn't do it daily, but the backup starts at Wilsonville. If you can avoid rush hour, then it won't be bad at all. It is fine on the weekends unless there is a car accident.

[mamh]

Welcome to Salem
Due to my husbands illness we have spent a lot of time on I-5 going to different Kaiser clinics in Portland and always allow at least a hour and half some times it takes less and sometimes longer..Stop and Go Ville aka Wilsonville there is always a hang up getting threw there..Going to Portland is just isn't fun..Just happy we live off the 1st exit into Salem..And we used to think driving into San Francisco from Fairfield was a pain in the neck..
Good luck

[DKM]

Look on google maps. See the I-5 bridge over the river in Wilsonville? That bridge is the gateway to traffic hell going north. South its the gateway out of traffic hell. There are ways around it if your eventual destination is the east side of Portland...

[pdxMIKEpdx]

When traffic is "normal", it takes me just a little over an hour to get from my sisters house in the Portland Woodstock neighborhood, to her friends house (which is right by the hospital) in Salem.

The worst part of the whole trip is usually the Wilsonville part.
Almost always congested and slow.

DKM has it exactly right, especially about the alternative routes you will discover that can save you a heck of a lot of time when traffic is really backed up.