There seems to be a switchback road or trail up that embankment but it still looks too steep to negotiate. Imagine a car, dead of winter, icy, sliding back down, heading for I-5....

Here is a map and directions for a hike from Hillsdale down to Willamette Park that passes under the I-5 viaduct.

I have walked this urban trail many times and it is very enjoyable.

Lawrence -

that switchback is part of the construction road for bulldozers (tracked vehicles). Its not for cars.

What will be interesting is when there are crashes on I5 in that area during construction, and there will be, have no doubt.

Barbur is going to get slammed with traffic trying to get into / out of downtown from the south, and ODOT does not have a viable plan to deal with that.

I didn't really think it was for cars, but at 60mph, I didn't have a lot of look-see time.

I know a switchback that extreme for hiking would be rather taxing on the body! My body, anyway!

The denuded hillside with equipment switchbacks is to facilitate the excavation of the hillside back to the west (uphill from the existing freeway). This excavated hillside will be where the south bound lanes will be diverted to allow building a new bridge over the ravine. It's to be over a two year process and the noise will be extensive for the neighborhoods, and the traffic will be horrendous for Macadam, I-5, Barbur and Terwilliger. Can't wait.

It beats having the bridge fall down with you or your family on it.

Let's hope for no mudslides when construction hits the rainy season. Imagine what that would do to traffic?