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So, I had to go get my allergy shots this afternoon. Normally I do it in the morning, but this morning I went and got my contacts fitted, and the dilation done. Yes, dilation would normally be done with the rest of the exam, but that day Scott was not available to take me to the appointment and I am not driving myself back from a dilation appointment - it takes 3-5 hours before I could be confident to drive again. It took 5 today before I could look at white cars and other bright things without having my eyes (especially the right) want to close or simply well up with tears. So.
Anyway, I went to get my shots. The clinic's in Lake Oswego, about 10-15 minutes north. And as I went I looked at the I5 south lanes, and made a mental note: do not come back on I5. Because they were SOLID the whole way. The radio explained why: there was a major accident on I5 south at Wilsonville just north of the Boone Bridge (aka the grand chokepoint of I5 in this region - the alternatives are a long way around or a ferry - a smallish ferry). All lanes closed, LifeFlight called. (I hope whoever needed LifeFlight will be okay!)
Sure enough, on my way back, it was still there. Then I stopped for groceries and somewhere in there they got it to two lanes open, then cleared.
I came home the back ways anyway. By the time they got the two lanes opened the radio said it was, for those who know Portland, backed up from south of Wilsonville all the way to the Marquam Bridge. Getting all lanes open again was nice, but I don't imagine it has cleared out even now. Even my back routes weren't ideal - 65th where it comes down to Stafford had at least a quarter-mile backup. 65th is a country road, for pity's sake. But it does cut from Tualatin over to Wilsonville and I obviously wasn't the only person dodging the I5 mess.
If today had been an in-the-office day for me instead of a medical appointment day? It also would have been a "back roads home" day - though there would have been NO good route to fully bypass this mess. I think cutting through Newberg and across the southern route to pick up I5 north from south of the mess would have been my best bet. All the other routes pass through or over I5 in the midst of what happened today.
(Yes, the icon on this one is a bit sarcastic. I don't suppose there was much else to do but watch your blood pressure go up if you were in the mess, though.)
Anyway, I went to get my shots. The clinic's in Lake Oswego, about 10-15 minutes north. And as I went I looked at the I5 south lanes, and made a mental note: do not come back on I5. Because they were SOLID the whole way. The radio explained why: there was a major accident on I5 south at Wilsonville just north of the Boone Bridge (aka the grand chokepoint of I5 in this region - the alternatives are a long way around or a ferry - a smallish ferry). All lanes closed, LifeFlight called. (I hope whoever needed LifeFlight will be okay!)
Sure enough, on my way back, it was still there. Then I stopped for groceries and somewhere in there they got it to two lanes open, then cleared.
I came home the back ways anyway. By the time they got the two lanes opened the radio said it was, for those who know Portland, backed up from south of Wilsonville all the way to the Marquam Bridge. Getting all lanes open again was nice, but I don't imagine it has cleared out even now. Even my back routes weren't ideal - 65th where it comes down to Stafford had at least a quarter-mile backup. 65th is a country road, for pity's sake. But it does cut from Tualatin over to Wilsonville and I obviously wasn't the only person dodging the I5 mess.
If today had been an in-the-office day for me instead of a medical appointment day? It also would have been a "back roads home" day - though there would have been NO good route to fully bypass this mess. I think cutting through Newberg and across the southern route to pick up I5 north from south of the mess would have been my best bet. All the other routes pass through or over I5 in the midst of what happened today.
(Yes, the icon on this one is a bit sarcastic. I don't suppose there was much else to do but watch your blood pressure go up if you were in the mess, though.)