Sunday, April 6, 2008

Washington State Route 4


On Saturday, April 5, 2008, we drove the length of Highway 4. Up the Columbia River from near the mouth to Kelso. A short 62 mile drive through a very organic corner of our evergreen state.

RCW 47.17.015
State route No. 4.

A state highway to be known as state route number 4 is established as follows:

Beginning at a junction with state route number 101 in the vicinity of a location known as Johnson's Landing, in Pacific county, thence southeasterly by the most feasible route by way of Kelso to a junction with state route number 5.

SR 4 @ US 101
The west end of Highway 4, at US 101 somewhere between South Bend and Long Beach. They say it's called Johnson's Landing, but it's not labeled as such on any map. In fact, this junction isn't labeled as anything on any map. US 101 comes in from the west and then takes a left. If you're not careful, you might go straight here and wind up driving all the way to Kelso. . . like we did.

SR 4 @ SR 401
A few miles up the Naselle River, there's the turnoff for Astoria, SR 401, a way back to US 101.

SR 4 @ SR 409
Up the hill from Cathlamet, the junction with SR 409. It'll get you to Oregon, too.

SR 4 @ SR 432
After a pleasant drive alongside the Columbia River, we arrive on the outskirts of Longview. This is SR 432. You can take it to get to Oregon, if you'd like. . . . That seems to be a common theme when you're this close to the state line.

SR 4 @ SR 411
In Longview, just before the bridge over the Cowlitz River to Kelso, we come across SR 411 -- or at least the spur to the SR 411 mainline.

SR 4 @ I-5
And thus, the end of SR 4. Read the sign. So sad. But you can take I-5 to Seattle or Portland, if you like. We chose neither. . .

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