Life in West Linn
West Linn to Portland: what the commute is really like right now
The two ways into Portland, where the I-205 Abernethy Bridge project stands, what happened to I-205 tolls, and the bus changes that took effect in August.
If you’re thinking about moving to West Linn, there’s a question sitting behind every listing you open: “How bad is the drive?” It’s a fair question, and the honest answer has changed a bit this year.
The two ways in
Most West Linn commutes into Portland take one of two routes:
- I-205 to I-5. The freeway route.
- Highway 43, Willamette Drive. A surface route north through West Linn and Lake Oswego along the river, with traffic lights along the way. It’s the usual alternative when the freeway backs up.
Which one works better depends a lot on which end of town you live in and where you’re headed. That’s worth testing at your actual commute hour before you buy.
The Abernethy Bridge project
This is the big one right now. The Abernethy Bridge, where I-205 crosses the Willamette between West Linn and Oregon City, is being seismically strengthened and widened to make room for a future third lane.
The schedule has slipped more than once:
- ODOT’s June 2026 projects report showed the project about 78 percent complete, running behind its schedule, with anticipated completion in winter 2027.
- Local reporting this fall puts finishing at May 2027 at the earliest, and possibly the end of 2027.
The work has been hard on the neighbors closest to it. In September, residents on Grove Street in Bolton described years of late-night noise, vibration, dust and damage to their homes. On September 22, the City Council suspended ODOT’s long-standing exemption from the city’s noise rules until a special permit process is in place.
What this means for you: if you’re looking in Bolton near the bridge, ask about construction impacts directly. If you’re elsewhere in town, you’ll mostly notice it as freeway construction until the work wraps up.
What happened to I-205 tolls
You may remember the plan to toll I-205. It’s off the table for now. Oregon lawmakers passed House Bill 3991 in fall 2025, which repealed the state requirement to toll I-205. The city says there are no immediate tolls planned for the corridor, though future funding ideas could come back up.
Getting around without a car
Bus service in West Linn is limited, and it changed this summer. TriMet’s service changes took effect August 23, 2026:
- Line 35 (Macadam and Greeley) is the route the city lists for West Linn, running along Willamette Drive.
- Line 153 (Stafford and Salamo) was discontinued for low ridership.
- Line 76 no longer runs between Legacy Meridian Park Hospital and the Oregon City Transit Center.
There’s no MAX line in West Linn. Routes and schedules change, so check TriMet’s trip planner for your exact trip.
The honest tradeoff
West Linn is a place people choose for the hills, the rivers and the quieter pace, and that comes with a commute. For some people a drive along the river is part of the appeal. For others it’s the deal breaker.
You deserve to know which one you are before you sign anything. If you’d like help figuring out which neighborhoods make the most sense for where you work, let’s talk it through. Reach out any time.