Oregon Route 39
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| Oregon Route 39 |
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| Length: | 23.64 mi (38.04 km) | ||||||||
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| South end: |   CA 139 and CA 161 near Merrill |
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| Major junctions: |
 OR 140 in Klamath Falls US 97 Business in Klamath Falls |
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| North end: | US 97 in Klamath Falls |
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Oregon Route 39 is an Oregon state highway that runs between the city of Klamath Falls in Southern Oregon, and the California border between Merrill, Oregon and Tulelake, California.
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[edit] Route description
Oregon Route 39 begins at an interchange with U.S. Route 97, north of downtown Klamath Falls, and just west of the main campus of the Oregon Institute of Technology. For the first 5 miles of its existence, it is an urban expressway, known locally as either Kit Carson Way or as the East Side Bypass, that skirts the eastern edge of Klamath Falls. The northernmost mile or so is shared with U.S. Route 97 Business, which departs from OR 39 and heads downtown via Esplanade Street.
East of the junction with Main Street, OR 39 continues in a southeasterly direction, skirting the main business district. The East Side Bypass ends at an intersection with 6th Street (OR 39 Business), in the eastern suburb of Altamont. OR 39 then heads east-southeast on 6th street for several more miles, until an intersection with Oregon Route 140. From U.S. Route 97, including the multiplex with U.S. 97 Business, to its departure from OR 140, including the multiplex, OR 39 consists of multiplexed parts of the Klamath Falls-Malin Highway, which is Highway 50 and the Klamath Falls-Lakeview Highway, which is Highway 20.
At that intersection, OR 39 then turns due south, and is now known as the Klamath Falls-Malin Highway. OR 39 shares an alignment with OR 140 for about two miles, until OR 140 west diverges once again as the Southside Expressway. OR 39 then leave the Klamath Falls metropolitan area, and heads south-southeast for about 12 miles, until it reaches the town of Merrill. The highway then turns due east, running parallel to the California border. About 2 miles east of Merrill, OR 39 and the Klamath Falls-Malin Highway depart; with the latter continuing east towards Malin, and OR 39 turning southeast. It runs southeast for 2 more miles as the Hatfield Highway, which is Highway 426, ending at the California border. The highway continues into California as California State Route 139, which continues on to Tulelake, Canby, California, and other points in Northern California. At the state line is an intersection with California State Route 161. Via California State Route 299 and U.S. Route 395, one may continue on to Reno, Nevada.
[edit] Cities and towns along the route
- Klamath Falls
- Altamont
- Merrill
[edit] Intersections with other highways
- US 97 and US 97 Business in Klamath Falls (shared alignment with US 97 Business)
- OR 140 in Altamont (shared alignment for 2 miles)
- SR 139 and SR 161 at the Oregon/California border.
[edit] History
At one point in the past, OR 39 (or its predecessor) continued east into Malin, Oregon from the junction between Malin and Merrill; then headed southeast (reuniting with CA 139 south of Tulelake, CA). This stretch of road continues to be known as the Klamath Falls-Malin Highway within Oregon, and has an ODOT Highway number (not a route number) of 50. It is unclear whether or not this highway will ever be signed; a 2002 Legislative Act calls for all unsigned state highways to eventually receive route numbers.
Prior to the construction of the Eastside Bypass, OR 39 used to run through Klamath Falls via 6th Street, through downtown, exiting downtown via Oregon Avenue. (This also was a prior alignment for Oregon Route 140; Oregon Avenue continues west past US 97, until it ends at a junction with OR 140 west of town. Portions of this route are currently signed as OR 39 Business.
[edit] External links
| Browse numbered routes | ||||
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<  OR 38 |
OR | OR 42  > |
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