Washington State Route 506

State Route 506 marker
State Route 506
A map of the southwestern section of Washington near the Columbia River with SR 506, running east–west from Ryderwood to Interstate 5, highlighted in red.
SR 506 highlighted in red on a map of southwestern Washington.
Route information
Auxiliary route of I-5
Maintained by WSDOT
Length11.53 mi[1] (18.56 km)
Existed1964[2]–present
Major junctions
West end2nd Street in Ryderwood
Major intersections I-5 southbound near Vader
East end I-5 near Toledo
Location
CountryUnited States
StateWashington
CountiesCowlitz, Lewis
Highway system
← SR 505→ SR 507

State Route 506 (SR 506) is an 11.53-mile (18.56 km) long state highway in Cowlitz and Lewis counties, part of the U.S. state of Washington, serving the communities of Ryderwood and Vader. SR 506 begins at the intersection of 2nd and Morse Street in Ryderwood, a community in Cowlitz County, traveling north into Lewis County and turning east past Vader to parallel the Cowlitz River and interchange Interstate 5 (I-5) twice west of Toledo. Originating as Secondary State Highway 1P (SSH 1P) in 1937, the highway was designated in its current form in 1964 and it shared its eastern terminus with SR 505. SR 411 terminated at Vader and both SR 411 and SR 505 were moved away from SR 506 in 1991.

Route description

SR 506 at its western terminus in Ryderwood

SR 506 begins as the continuation of Morse Street at the Second Street intersection in Ryderwood, a community located in the Campbell Creek valley in northern Cowlitz County. Traveling north to exit Ryderwood, the highway crosses Campbell Creek and enters Lewis County.[1] The roadway parallels Stillwater Creek in its valley northeast and turns east to cross the creek into Vader.[3][4] The street is named 7th Street after crossing Olequa Creek;[1] SR 506 crosses a railroad track owned by BNSF Railway and used by two Amtrak services, the Cascades and Coast Starlight, between the Kelso and Centralia stations.[5][6][7] Traveling east through Vader, 7th Street intersects the West Side Highway, formerly SR 411 until 1991,[8] and leaves the city heading northeast, paralleling the Cowlitz River, to cross Lacamas Creek, the busiest segment of the highway at a daily average of 1,800 vehicles in 2008.[9] The roadway crosses Bear Creek near its confluence with the Cowlitz River and interchanges Interstate 5 (I-5) southbound exit 59; the route turns north to interchange I-5 again at exit 60 in a full diamond interchange.[10][11] Exit 60 is also the western terminus of the Toledo-Vader Road, formerly SR 505 until 1991.[4][8][12]

History

Secondary State Highway 1P (1937-1964), which preceded current SR 506 (1964-present), seen on a topographic map of Hoquiam, Washington produced by the United States Geological Survey in 1951; the road followed the Longview, Portland and Northern Railway until 1953.
The predecessor to SR 506, Secondary State Highway 1P (SSH 1P), pictured in a topographic map paralleling the Longview, Portland and Northern Railway in 1951.

SR 506 was established in 1964,[2] but was preceded by Secondary State Highway 1P (SSH 1P), established in 1937. Originally, SSH 1P traveled from Ryderwood, paralleling the Longview, Portland and Northern Railway line to Vader and paralleling the Cowlitz River to U.S. Route 99 (US 99) in Toledo.[13] The rail line, established in 1922 by Longview's founder, Robert A. Long, was completed in 1929.[14][15][16] In 1953, the rail line was removed,[15][17] and in 1963, SSH 1P was shortened and moved west to the newer US 99 freeway, later Interstate 5 (I-5).[18]

During the 1964 highway renumbering, SR 506 was created, SR 411 ended in Vader and SR 505 ended at the I-5 / SR 506 interchange.[2][19][20] An extension of the highway connecting Vader to SR 407 near Cathlamet was studied by the state legislature in 1973 but was not recommended for construction.[21]

In 1991, SR 411 was moved south to end in Castle Rock and SR 505 was moved onto former SR 603 to Winlock.[8] The Washington State Transportation Improvement Board heard proposals in the early 1990s to decommission SR 506 and transfer control of the highway to the counties and local governments, which was opposed by residents due to high maintenance costs.[22][23] The board ultimately decided in 1992 to recommend that the highway remain under state control.[24][25]

The overpass carrying SR 506 over I-5 was closed on July 6, 2021, after a truck struck it and caused major structural damage. Governor Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency and approved funds to replace the entire bridge.[26] The replacement is scheduled to be completed in late 2022.[27]

Major intersections

CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
CowlitzRyderwood0.000.002nd StreetWestern terminus; continues south as Morse Street
LewisVader6.8511.02Westside Highway – Castle Rock, KelsoFormer northern terminus of SR 411
​9.8915.92 I-5 – Seattle, Toledo, Portland, ORSouthbound only; exit 59
​11.5318.56 I-5 – KelsoEastern terminus; exit 60; continues east as Toledo-Vader Road (former SR 505)
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. ^ a b c d Washington State Department of Transportation (2008). "State Highway Log, 2008" (PDF). Retrieved October 31, 2009.
  2. ^ a b c Washington State Legislature (1970). "RCW 47.17.665: State route No. 506". Retrieved October 31, 2009.
  3. ^ Road Atlas of Lewis County (T 11N, R 3W) (PDF) (Map). Lewis County, Washington. 2009. p. 15. Retrieved October 31, 2009.
  4. ^ a b Road Atlas of Lewis County (T 11N, R 2W) (PDF) (Map). Lewis County, Washington. 2009. p. 15. Retrieved October 31, 2009.
  5. ^ Washington State Rail System (PDF) (Map). Washington State Department of Transportation. 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 5, 2011. Retrieved October 31, 2009.
  6. ^ Amtrak Cascades Route Map (Map). Washington State Department of Transportation. 2009. Archived from the original on August 29, 2009. Retrieved October 31, 2009.
  7. ^ Amtrak (2009). "Amtrak - Routes - Northwest - Coast Starlight". Retrieved October 31, 2009.
  8. ^ a b c Washington State Senate (May 21, 1991). "Engrossed Senate Bill 5801". Washington State Legislature. Archived from the original on August 4, 2012. Retrieved October 31, 2009.
  9. ^ Washington State Department of Transportation (2008). "2008 Annual Traffic Report" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 16, 2010. Retrieved October 31, 2009.
  10. ^ Washington State Department of Transportation (November 4, 1998). "SR 5 – Exit 59; SR 506 / Vader / Ryderwood" (PDF). Retrieved October 31, 2009.
  11. ^ Washington State Department of Transportation (November 4, 1998). "SR 5 – Exit 60; SR 506 / Toledo" (PDF). Retrieved October 31, 2009.
  12. ^ "State Route 506" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved October 31, 2009.
  13. ^ Washington State Legislature (March 18, 1937). "Chapter 207: Classification of Public Highways". Session Laws of the State of Washington (1937 ed.). Olympia, Washington: Washington State Legislature. p. 997. Retrieved October 31, 2009. (o) Secondary State Highway No. 1P; beginning at Toledo on Primary State Highway No. 1, thence in a southwesterly direction by the most feasible route by way of Vader to Ryderwood;
  14. ^ David Wilma (September 18, 2005). "Cowlitz County – Thumbnail History". HistoryLink. Retrieved October 31, 2009.
  15. ^ a b Trainweb.org. "Longview, Portland & Northern Railway - LPN". Retrieved October 31, 2009.
  16. ^ Hoquiam, 1951 (Map). Cartography by United States Geological Survey. University of Texas at Austin. 1951. Retrieved October 31, 2009.
  17. ^ Hoquiam, 1958 (Map). Cartography by United States Geological Survey. University of Texas at Austin. 1958. Retrieved October 31, 2009.
  18. ^ Washington State Legislature (1963). "Extraordinary session 3". Session Laws of the State of Washington (1963 ed.). Olympia, Washington: Washington State Legislature.
  19. ^ C. G. Prahl; Washington State Highway Commission, Department of Highways (December 1, 1965). "Identification of State Highways" (PDF). Washington State Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 17, 2017. Retrieved October 31, 2009.
  20. ^ Hoquiam, 1968 (Map). Cartography by United States Geological Survey. University of Texas at Austin. 1968. Retrieved October 31, 2009.
  21. ^ "Chapter 6: Highway Route Studies". Report of the Legislative Transportation Committee (Report). Washington State Legislature. January 1973. p. 20. Retrieved October 29, 2021 – via WSDOT Library Digital Collections.
  22. ^ "Vader officials oppose taking over highway". The Daily News. February 3, 1990. p. A4. Retrieved October 6, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ Lee Grell, Terri (June 11, 1992). "Vader folks want road to stay in state's hands". The Daily News. p. B4. Retrieved October 6, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Route Jurisdiction Transfer Study for SR 506". Washington State Transportation Improvement Board. November 9, 1992. pp. 3–4. Retrieved October 6, 2021 – via WSDOT Library Digital Collections.
  25. ^ "State panel wants to keep SR 506". The Daily News. September 18, 1992. p. B3. Retrieved October 6, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "Gov. Inslee Issues Emergency Proclamation for Damaged State Route 506 Overpass in Toledo". The Chronicle. July 16, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  27. ^ "SR 506/1.5 Miles N of Frontage Rd to I-5 – Emergency Bridge Repair". Washington State Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
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