Washington State Route 506
Encyclopedia
State Route 506 is an 11.53 miles (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 (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 . terminated at Vader and both SR 411 and SR 505 were moved away from SR 506 in 1991.
in northern Cowlitz County
. Traveling north to exit Ryderwood, the highway crosses Campbell Creek and enters Lewis County
. The roadway parallels Stillwater Creek in its valley northeast and turns east to cross the creek into Vader
. The street is named 7th Street after crossing Olequa Creek; 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. Traveling east through Vader, 7th Street intersects the West Side Highway, formerly until 1991, 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. The roadway crosses Bear Creek near its confluence
with the Cowlitz River and interchanges (I-5) southbound exit 59; the route turns north to interchange I-5 again at exit 60 in a full diamond interchange
. Exit 60 is also the western terminus of the Toledo-Vader Road, formerly until 1991.
and paralleling the Cowlitz River
to (US 99) in Toledo
. The rail line, established in 1922 by Longview
's founder, Robert A. Long
, was completed in 1929. In 1953, the rail line was removed, and in 1963, SSH 1P was shortened and moved west to the newer US 99 freeway, later (I-5). During the 1964 highway renumbering, SR 506 was created, ended in Vader and ended at the I-5 / SR 506 interchange. In 1991, SR 411 was moved south to end in Castle Rock
and SR 505 was moved onto former to Winlock
.
State highways in Washington
In the U.S. state of Washington, the Washington State Department of Transportation maintains a network of over 7000 miles of state highways, including all Interstate and U.S. Highways that pass through the state. The system comprises 8.5% of the state's public road mileage, but carries over half...
in Cowlitz
Cowlitz County, Washington
Cowlitz County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2010 census its population was 102,410. It forms the Longview, Washington, Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Cowlitz County. The county seat is at Kelso, and its largest city is Longview...
and Lewis
Lewis County, Washington
Lewis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of 2010, the population was 75,455. The county seat is at Chehalis, and its largest city is Centralia....
counties, part of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Washington, serving the communities of Ryderwood and Vader
Vader, Washington
Vader is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 621 at the 2010 census.-History:Vader was originally named Little Falls and incorporated as such on January 12, 1906. The name was changed to Sopenah by the Northern Pacific Railway because there was already a Little...
. 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
Cowlitz River
The Cowlitz River is a river in the state of Washington in the United States, a tributary of the Columbia River. Its tributaries drain a large region including the slopes of Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, and Mount St. Helens....
and interchange (I-5) twice west of Toledo
Toledo, Washington
Toledo is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 725 at the 2010 census.-History:Toledo was officially incorporated on October 10, 1892. Toledo was named by Celeste Rochon after a pioneer side wheel paddle steamer operated by Captain Oren Kellogg of the Kellogg...
. 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 . terminated at Vader and both SR 411 and SR 505 were moved away from SR 506 in 1991.
Route description
SR 506 begins as the continuation of Morse Street at the Second Street intersection in Ryderwood, a community located in the Campbell Creek valleyValley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
in northern Cowlitz County
Cowlitz County, Washington
Cowlitz County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2010 census its population was 102,410. It forms the Longview, Washington, Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Cowlitz County. The county seat is at Kelso, and its largest city is Longview...
. Traveling north to exit Ryderwood, the highway crosses Campbell Creek and enters Lewis County
Lewis County, Washington
Lewis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of 2010, the population was 75,455. The county seat is at Chehalis, and its largest city is Centralia....
. The roadway parallels Stillwater Creek in its valley northeast and turns east to cross the creek into Vader
Vader, Washington
Vader is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 621 at the 2010 census.-History:Vader was originally named Little Falls and incorporated as such on January 12, 1906. The name was changed to Sopenah by the Northern Pacific Railway because there was already a Little...
. The street is named 7th Street after crossing Olequa Creek; SR 506 crosses a railroad track owned by BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
and used by two Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
services, the Cascades
Amtrak Cascades
The Amtrak Cascades is a passenger train route operated by Amtrak in partnership with the states of Washington and Oregon in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and the province of British Columbia in Canada...
and Coast Starlight
Coast Starlight
The Coast Starlight is a passenger train operated by Amtrak on the West Coast of the United States. It runs from King Street Station in Seattle, Washington, to Union Station in Los Angeles, California. The train's name was formed as a merging of two of Southern Pacific's train names, the Coast...
, between the Kelso
Kelso Multimodal Transportation Center
The Kelso Multimodal Transportation Center is the station stop for Amtrak rail service for Kelso, Washington and neighboring Longview. Greyhound Lines provides national and regional bus service, while Community Urban Bus Service provides local transit...
and Centralia
Centralia, Washington (Amtrak station)
The Centralia Union Depot is an Amtrak station in Centralia, Washington. It is served by the Coast Starlight and Amtrak Cascades passenger trains....
stations. Traveling east through Vader, 7th Street intersects the West Side Highway, formerly until 1991, and leaves the city heading northeast, paralleling the Cowlitz River
Cowlitz River
The Cowlitz River is a river in the state of Washington in the United States, a tributary of the Columbia River. Its tributaries drain a large region including the slopes of Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, and Mount St. Helens....
, to cross Lacamas Creek, the busiest segment of the highway at a daily average of 1,800 vehicles in 2008. The roadway crosses Bear Creek near its confluence
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
with the Cowlitz River and interchanges (I-5) southbound exit 59; the route turns north to interchange I-5 again at exit 60 in a full diamond interchange
Diamond interchange
A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a freeway crosses a minor road. The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge...
. Exit 60 is also the western terminus of the Toledo-Vader Road, formerly until 1991.
History
SR 506 was established in 1964, 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 VaderVader, Washington
Vader is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 621 at the 2010 census.-History:Vader was originally named Little Falls and incorporated as such on January 12, 1906. The name was changed to Sopenah by the Northern Pacific Railway because there was already a Little...
and paralleling the Cowlitz River
Cowlitz River
The Cowlitz River is a river in the state of Washington in the United States, a tributary of the Columbia River. Its tributaries drain a large region including the slopes of Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, and Mount St. Helens....
to (US 99) in Toledo
Toledo, Washington
Toledo is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 725 at the 2010 census.-History:Toledo was officially incorporated on October 10, 1892. Toledo was named by Celeste Rochon after a pioneer side wheel paddle steamer operated by Captain Oren Kellogg of the Kellogg...
. The rail line, established in 1922 by Longview
Longview, Washington
Longview is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. It is the principal city of the "Longview, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area", which encompasses all of Cowlitz County. Longview's population was 36,648 at the time of the 2010 census and is the largest city in Cowlitz County...
's founder, Robert A. Long
Robert A. Long
Robert Alexander Long was a lumber baron, developer, investor, newspaper owner, millionaire, and philanthropist. He lived most of his life in Kansas City, Missouri and founded the city of Longview, Washington and the town of Longville, Louisiana....
, was completed in 1929. In 1953, the rail line was removed, and in 1963, SSH 1P was shortened and moved west to the newer US 99 freeway, later (I-5). During the 1964 highway renumbering, SR 506 was created, ended in Vader and ended at the I-5 / SR 506 interchange. In 1991, SR 411 was moved south to end in Castle Rock
Castle Rock, Washington
Castle Rock is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. Nestled between the Willapa Hills and western base of Mount St. Helens, Castle Rock is at the heart of Washington timber country in the Pacific temperate rain forest...
and SR 505 was moved onto former to Winlock
Winlock, Washington
Winlock is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,339 at the 2010 census. It named after territorial army general, Winlock M. Miller, who briefly resided there. Winlock is mostly famous for having the World's Largest , reflecting its former status as a major...
.
Major intersections
| County | Location | Mile | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowlitz Cowlitz County, Washington Cowlitz County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2010 census its population was 102,410. It forms the Longview, Washington, Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Cowlitz County. The county seat is at Kelso, and its largest city is Longview... |
Ryderwood | 0.00 | 2nd Street | Western terminus; continues south as Morse Street |
| Lewis Lewis County, Washington Lewis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of 2010, the population was 75,455. The county seat is at Chehalis, and its largest city is Centralia.... |
Vader Vader, Washington Vader is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 621 at the 2010 census.-History:Vader was originally named Little Falls and incorporated as such on January 12, 1906. The name was changed to Sopenah by the Northern Pacific Railway because there was already a Little... |
6.85 | Westside Highway – Castle Rock Castle Rock, Washington Castle Rock is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. Nestled between the Willapa Hills and western base of Mount St. Helens, Castle Rock is at the heart of Washington timber country in the Pacific temperate rain forest... , Kelso Kelso, Washington Kelso is a city in southwest Washington State, United States, and is the county seat of Cowlitz County. At the 2010 census, the population was 11,925. Kelso is part of the Longview, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 102,410. Kelso shares its long western border... |
Former northern terminus of SR 411 Washington State Route 411 State Route 411 is a state highway located in Cowlitz County in the U.S. state of Washington, serving Longview, Kelso, West Side Highway and Castle Rock... |
| 9.89 | , Portland, OR | Southbound only; exit 59 | ||
| 11.53 | Eastern terminus; exit 60; continues east as Toledo-Vader Road (former SR 505 Washington State Route 505 State Route 505, abbreviated SR 505, is a small state highway in the U.S. state of Washington that connects the town of Winlock and State Route 504. It starts at its western terminus at Kerron Street, and ends at its eastern terminus at State Route 504.... ) |