Oregon crashes clog Clark County arterials

Crashes in Oregon this morning have caused heavy backup to spill onto the highways and city streets of Clark County.

An earlier crash on Interstate 5 near Lombard Street in Portland and a few crashes on Interstate 84 this morning created stop-and-go traffic north to Salmon Creek on both Interstate 5 and 205, said Washington State Department of Transportation Spokeswoman Magan Reed.

Reed said that usually I-205 is a good alternative when something causes heavy traffic on I-5, but the crashes on I-84 have compounded the traffic problem.

In her 10 years of experience, Reed said that she “can’t remember ever seeing it like this.”

Her advice to motorists: “Be patient and give yourself as much extra time as possible.”

Other arterials in the county, including state Highway 500 and state Highway 14, were also affected by the clogging with both highways showing stop-and-go speeds in parts.