| Milestones in transportation history |
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| 1775-1858 |
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1775: Spanish Captain Bruno Heceta discovers Columbia River estuary. Bad weather and bar conditions prevent him from crossing into river.
1792: Captain Robert Gray enters Columbia River (May 12) and names river for his ship. George Vancouver explores Columbia River to its confluence with the WillametteRiver.
1804: Meriweather Lewis and William Clark lead the “Corps. of Discovery” on a mission to explore portions of the territory acquired in the Louisiana Purchase.
1811: Astoria founded as fur trading post by Hudson’s Bay Company. Named for John Jacob Astor.
1842: Dr. Elijah White leads 100 people to Oregon over what will become the Oregon Trail.
1843: Barlow Road hacked out of the forests around the southern flank of Mt.Hood. The private toll road is the first roadway built in Oregon.
1846: Applegate Trail opens through the Klamath Basin, opening up Southwest Oregon to settlement.
1853: U.S. Army engineers begin surveying and building the Scottsburg-Myrtle Creek and Myrtle Creek-Camp Stewart Military Roads, marking the first government road construction in Oregon.
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| 1859-1900 |
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The wagon is typical of those used by pioneers.
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1859: Oregon becomes a state.
1860: First road-related legislation passed by Oregon Legislature requiring persons petitioning for construction of county roads to perform one day’s labor (at least eight hours) each to build road, or pay $2.
1884: First regularly scheduled passenger rail service begins in Portland.
1899: First automobile in Oregon purchased by E. Henry Wemme, from Stanley Brothers of Newton, Massachusetts (later bought out by the Locomobile Company).
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| 1901-1933 |
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Crossroads in Douglas County 1920.
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1901: All males 21 to 50 years old required to pay a county road poll tax of $3 a year.
1905: First vehicle registration law enacted by Oregon Legislature.
1906: The last wagon widely known to have traveled the length of the Trail was driven in 1906 by Ezra Meeker, an aging Oregon Trail emigrant who was conducting a one-man publicity campaign to remind people of the historic significance of the Oregon Trail.
1911: E. Henry Wemme of Portland registers his 32-horsepower Pope-Hartford touring car and receives Oregon license plate #1.
1913: Oregon Legislature creates State Highway Department to “get Oregon out of the mud.”
1919: Oregon enacts nation’s first gasoline tax of 1¢ per gallon, collected by Secretary of State. Colorado and New Mexico, soon follow Oregon’s lead. Over $342,000 raised in first year with tax collected from wholesale dealers.
1920: First driver licensing law enacted. First driver license issued to Arthur F. Allen of Corvallis.
1927: First electric traffic signal lights installed in Oregon—located in downtown Portland on 5th, 6th and Broadway on Morrison, Alder, Washington, Stark and Oak.
1933: Weight/mile tax imposed on commercial vehicles, based on loaded weight of vehicle and number of miles traveled per year.
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| 1934-1959 |
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1934: Federal government requires states to spend at least one percent of its federal aid for landscaping and roadside planting work. Oregon Highway Department creates landscaping section for this purpose.
1936: Five coastal bridges designed under auspices of Conde McCullough completed and dedicated:
- Yaquina Bay Bridge - cost $1.3 million
- Alsea Bay Bridge - cost $778,000
- Siuslaw Bridge - cost $527,000
- Umpqua River Bridge - cost $581,000
- Coos Bay Bridge - cost $2.1 million
- Total cost: $166,000 lower than original estimates.
1940: State highway system consists of 7,131 miles of state primary and secondary roads: 1,035 paved, 1,140 surfaced with bituminous macadam, 2,998 surfaced with oiled macadam, 1,125 surfaced with rock or gravel and 414 graded, ready for surfacing. Only 419 miles remain unimproved.
1944: Due to World War II, shortage of repair materials, such as asphalt for highways and timber for bridges, hinders State Highway Department efforts to adequately maintain Oregon roads and highways.
1948: First magnetic pressure detectors installed at intersections with traffic signals to increase traffic flow. Before devices installed, traffic signals ran on fixed cycle, causing backups and delays.
1956: Congress passes, and President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs, Federal Interstate System Act into law, creating the interstate highway system.
1957: First computer system in state government set up by State Highway Department.
1959: Legislature passes law, requiring contest among high school students to pick slogan for license plate—winning slogan: “Pacific Wonderland.”
1959: Oregon celebrates its 100th birthday.
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| 1960-2000 |
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An aerial view of Interstate 205 at Oregon City.
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1960: 971,098 registered motor vehicles in Oregon.
1962: Columbus Day storm of October 12 causes millions of dollars of damage to state highways from coast to Cascades.
1966: Interstate 5 completed. Four lanes open from Portlandto Californiaborder. Opening ceremony held October 22 near Roseburg. First complete freeway within state boundaries, in United States.
1971: “Bicycle Bill” passes: one percent of Highway Fund money to be spent annually by State Highway Division, counties and cities for development of footpaths and bike paths. Bill also requires Oregon to construct footpaths and bikeways whenever a highway, road or street is built, rebuilt or relocated.
1975: Interstate 80N (later renamed I-84) completed with four lanes open from Portland to Idaho border. Dedication ceremony held outside Baker City on July 3.
1981: Motorcycle safety education program established.
1983: First sign under Tourist Oriented Sign Program installed near Dundee, directing tourists to Sokol Blosser winery. Oregon becomes first state to use this type of sign to direct visitors to businesses, facilities and historical/cultural sites.
1983: Interstate 205 completed, giving drivers alternative north-south route around downtown Portland.
1987: First traffic cameras placed into operation in Portlandarea through a partnership between ODOT and KGW-TV.
1990: Initiative for mandatory safety belt use passes. Drivers and passengers of most vehicles required to “buckle up.”
1994: Mandatory bicycle helmet law becomes effective requiring bike riders under 16 years of age to wear a helmet.
1996: Grace Crunican becomes first female director of the Oregon Department of Transportation.
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| 2001-present |
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Solar pannels will provide power for highway lights.
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2001: Oregon Legislature passes Oregon Transportation Investment Act, authorizing the sale of hundreds of millions of dollars in bonds for bridge and road repairs and replacement.
2003: Motor Carrier Transportation Division unveils its Trucking Online Internet-based service that brings truck-related transactions and records inquiries as close as the nearest home or office computer.
2007: ODOT's Office of Innovative Partnerships and Alternative Financing’s final report states idea of charging "per mile" fee at pump in lieu of current gas tax is viable concept. Experimental program, which involved 285 volunteers from the Portland area and ran from April 2006 through March 2007, found that all of major areas of concern could be properly addressed, including requirement that the program be as seamless as possible for consumers.
2008: Legislatively mandated changes to driver license identification requirements go into effect. Oregon's new requirements align more closely with most other states.
2008: ODOT bridge contractor uses special equipment to protect fish from potential nerve damage caused by loud noises from construction activities on McKenzie River Bridge near Eugene.
2008: Governor Kulongoski announced Oregon is installing the nation's first solar demonstration project in a highway right of way, moving the state a step further in its role as a leader in renewable power development.
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