Route description .28East to west.29 Oregon Route 126

1 route description (east west)

1.1 prineville springfield
1.2 freeway (i-105) section
1.3 business route
1.4 eugene florence

route description (east west)

a business route in eugene/springfield area identified.

prineville springfield

route 126 s eastern terminus in prineville, intersection u.s. 26. route 126 travels westward via ochoco highway redmond, crossing u.s. route 97. redmond, continues west along sisters-redmond highway eastern edge of sisters, merges u.s. route 20. highways run co-signed through sisters west end of town , junction oregon route 242, , west through cascade mountains santiam junction , eastern terminus of oregon route 22.

just past santiam junction, u.s. route 20 turns west @ clear lake (linn county, oregon) , crosses mountains toward willamette valley. meanwhile, route 126 continues south along clear lake-belknap springs highway belknap springs , western terminus of route 242. point, route 126 veers west mckenzie highway, flanking mckenzie river of length toward springfield , eugene.

freeway (i-105) section

in east springfield lies eastern terminus of eugene-springfield highway no. 227 (see oregon highways , routes), east–west freeway through eugene-springfield metropolitan area. oregon 126 routed along freeway entire length. west of interstate 5 interchange, freeway designated interstate 105, spur of i-5. @ point, i-105 , route 126 enter eugene. after 2 exits , willamette river crossing, i-105 reaches western terminus @ oregon route 99 (west sixth avenue) between washington , jefferson streets. bridge , viaduct carrying last 1.5 miles of i-105 known washington-jefferson street bridge. in december 2011 section of highway washington-jefferson street bridge springfield renamed officer chris kilcullen memorial highway commemorate fallen eugene police department officer fatally wounded while conducting traffic stop on highway in april 2011.

business route

within eugene-springfield area, oregon 126 has business loop. @ western terminus of i-105, route 126 heads west on sixth avenue (cosigned oregon 99). same terminus, business route 126 heads east, cosigned route 99, along seventh avenue. route proceeds through eugene s downtown core , turns south @ interchange near ferry street bridge.

after 2 blocks, business route 126/route 99 turns east again on east broadway, becomes franklin boulevard @ alder street. franklin boulevard separates south shore of willamette river northern edge of university of oregon campus.

past university campus , surrounding business district, business route 126 , route 99 split. route 99 joins southbound i-5, while route 126 continues eastbound through community of glenwood. crosses willamette river , enters city of springfield. business route 126 continues east through downtown springfield, rejoining main stem of route 126 in thurston neighborhood of city s east end.

eugene florence

start of oregon route 126

at western terminus of i-105, oregon 126 turns west , cosigned oregon 99 mile , half. @ garfield street, highways separate. route 126 becomes florence-eugene highway, proceeding south on garfield 5 blocks west 11th avenue, carries highway out of eugene toward oregon coast. in west eugene, route 126 intersects western terminus of oregon route 569 (beltline highway).

the petersen tunnel, heading east

between eugene , rural-suburban city of veneta, route 126 passes through farmland , crosses southern portion of fern ridge reservoir, popular recreation magnet area. coos bay rail link line, part of southern pacific, built coos bay in 1914, parallels route 126 of length between eugene , veneta.

two miles west of veneta, route 126 begins ascent coast range, passing town of noti, proceeding through cougar pass, elevation 769 ft (234 m). cougar pass marks division point between watersheds of willamette , siuslaw rivers. descends toward siuslaw valley , coast, route 126 follows first wildcat creek , siuslaw river itself. town of walton passed. coos-bay rail link visible time time of section following section mapleton florence.

the petersen tunnel (completed in 1957) @ 991 ft (302 m) marks point last barrier one-hour drive eugene coast breached. called mapleton tunnel or knowles creek tunnel, in 1988 tunnel renamed ralph a. petersen (1902–1986), lane county commissioner instrumental in completing it.

at mapleton , junction oregon route 36, route 126 makes sharp left turn, continuing westward. 14 miles, follows siuslaw river, cbrl crossing on highway , river on bridge @ cushman, western terminus of road, coastal community of florence, ending @ junction us101.

in january 2016, oregon legislature passed sb 5, designating oregon route 126 between florence , eugene william tebeau memorial highway, named after pioneering odot engineer.