The southern terminus of Oregon Route 43 is at a junction with Oregon Route 99E in downtown Oregon City. From there, it runs east for two blocks, along the couplet of Main and Railroad streets, and then turns north and crosses the Willamette River on the historic Oregon City Bridge, entering the city ofWest Linn. Almost immediately on the West Linn side of the river is an interchange with Interstate 205. It continues north through West Linn, providing service to numerous neighborhoods and business districts. Due to constrained geography and encroaching homes and businesses, the route is only a two-lane road in many stretches. North of West Linn, the highway passes by Marylhurst University, and enters the city of Lake Oswego. In the southern portions of Lake Oswego, Route 43 is given the street name of Pacific Highway, a designation that usually refers to Oregon Route 99. Soon after, the route crosses over Oswego Creek and enters downtown Lake Oswego, where it is known as South State Street and North State Street. The Willamette Shore Trolley begins just south of A Avenue across from the Millennium Plaza Park on South State Street, and parallels Oregon Route 43 as both head north into Portland. North of downtown Lake Oswego, OR 43 acquires the name Riverside Drive, and enters a three-lane section as it climbs over a hill overlooking the Willamette River. This stretch of OR 43 passes by some of the most exclusive and wealthy neighborhoods in the Portland area. The highway soon enters the city of Portland, where it is known as Southwest Macadam Avenue. Macadam Avenue passes alongside the river for several miles, sandwiched between the river on the east and River View Cemetery on the west. It also passes near Lewis & Clark College. Near the northern end of the cemetery is an interchange with the Sellwood Bridge, at which point OR 43 becomes a four-lane divided thoroughfare. Soon afterwards, the highway enters the Johns Landing neighborhood, a narrow strip of homes, parks and businesses located between the river and Interstate 5, high on the hill above it. The area is home to Oregon Public Broadcasting and the Portland offices and studios of Clear Channel Communications, as well as a local landmark, The Water Tower. Oregon Route 43 and the freeway run parallel for several miles until an interchange with I-5 and U.S. Route 26 near the Ross Island Bridge.
History
What is now Oregon Route 43 was once the original route of U.S. Route 99 in the south Portland area. Now, Oregon Route 99E is routed on the east side of the river ; and OR 99W is routed further west. Oregon Route 212, which used to run as far west as the Sherwood/King City area, was concurrent with Oregon Route 43 across the Oregon City/West Linn bridge. This old alignment of OR 212 still exists, running west along Willamette Falls Drive, just north of the bridge, continuing on to Tualatin. The Oregon Department of Transportation offered a $3.5 million payment to Clackamas County if it agreed to takeover a section of OR 43, but was rejected. ODOT also abandoned plans to transfer sections of the highway to Multnomah County and the City of Portland.
