5 Roads in Washington, Oregon & Idaho - Worst in the Nation

There are many reasons for Washington, Oregon, and Idaho residents dislike driving to work or getting away for the weekend. 

The aggravating driver doing 5 miles under the speed limit in the left lane, and countless hours of sitting in holiday traffic.

Five stretches of Pacific Northwest highways are so disliked that they rank among the most hated in the United States.

Before we get to the Notorious Five, Here’s a list of two bad stretches of road that should have made the list


Highway 2/Stevens Pass (from Sultan to Leavenworth, Washington)

Stevens Pass can be white-knuckle driving - and even more frightening in the Winter. Highway 2/Stevens Pass is a popular choice for tourists heading to Lake Wenatchee/Leavenworth and Lake Chelan.  The surge in travelers during the summer season contributes to slower travel times. Live in Sultan, Startup, or Gold Bar? Wall-to-wall traffic is a big part of your life. My dad lived in Gold Bar and says there were times you just avoided driving in and out of town on Friday or Sunday afternoons. It can be a zoo.

Gold Bar Holiday traffic CREDIT: Norman Bruland (via Facebook)
Gold Bar Holiday traffic CREDIT: Norman Bruland (via Facebook)
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I-90 Snoqualmie Pass from North Bend to Cle Elum, Washington

Especially between the Summit and Easton. Summertime (especially three-day holiday weekend) traffic adds hours of gridlock and stand-still traffic amongst thousands of RVs and boats.

"Friday Memorial Day traffic jam on I90 at Snoqualmie Pass" CREDIT: Len Munter (via Facebook)
"Friday Memorial Day traffic jam on I90 at Snoqualmie Pass" CREDIT: Len Munter (via Facebook)
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A recent survey conducted by Gunther Volvo Cars Daytona Beach surveyed 3,000 drivers to determine the most despised roads in America.

 

Of the 100 most hated roads, five in the Pacific Northwest made the list.

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Number 95 in the rankings was Portland, Oregon’s I-5 traffic (Especially around Portland)

This interstate is notorious for its traffic jams. -Gunther Volvo nationwide survey

 


Further up the list was Oregon’s #1 disliked stretch of road: US-26 (Connecting Portland to the Oregon Coast and other parts of the state) coming in at number 76 on the list.

This highway often sees congestion, especially during peak times and weekends. -Gunther Volvo nationwide survey

 

Akampfer (Via WikiMedia Commons) CC-BY-SA-3.0
Akampfer (Via WikiMedia Commons) CC-BY-SA-3.0
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Washington’s 2nd most hated stretch of highway comes in at number 65: I-405

This interstate around the eastern side of the Seattle metropolitan area is notorious for its regular congestion. -Gunther Volvo nationwide survey

 

I-405 CREDIT: I Grew Up in Washington (via Facebook)
I-405 CREDIT: I Grew Up in Washington (via Facebook)
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Idaho’s only entry in the Top 100 of despised highways came in at number 38: I-84, especially around Boise

This interstate can see its share of traffic, particularly during rush hours - Gunther Volvo nationwide survey

 

"Westbound I84 from Moho to Boise is just miles and miles of this "CREDIT: Nicky Fouke (via Facebook)
"Westbound I84 from Moho to Boise is just miles and miles of this "CREDIT: Nicky Fouke (via Facebook)
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At 31 on the list is the number one most disliked stretch of highway in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho: I-5 (especially between Everett, Seattle, and Tacoma)

Anyone who has had to navigate it during the weekday peak times knows it's one of the nation's worst rush hours.

This interstate often experiences heavy traffic. - Gunther Volvo nationwide survey

Click to see the nation's top 100 highways, courtesy of Gunther Volvo.

INFO: Gunther Volvo

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Gallery Credit: AJ Brewster

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