Origin
Gladstone, OR
Late night in Gladstone on Sunday
Local time
12:28 AM
PDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gladstone, OR to Salem, OR
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
57m
Distance
43.6 mi
70 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 53m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 7m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gladstone, OR
Marcus Ireland
Salem, OR
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Gladstone to Salem is 43.6 miles and takes about 57 minutes via I 5, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Oregon, connecting two points in the Pacific Coast region. It's a straightforward drive, primarily on a major interstate, making it a convenient option for a quick transfer or a day trip. Consider this route if you're looking for efficiency and don't need extensive scenic detours.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 28.2 mi | 33m |
| Abernethy Bridge | 8.3 mi | 10m |
| Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Parkway | 3 mi | 4m |
| Commercial Street Northeast | 1 mi | 2m |
| McLoughlin Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| West Dartmouth Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| High Street Northeast | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Belmont Street Northeast | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 28.2 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gladstone, OR and Salem, OR.
1
Start on Portland Avenue
163 ft
·
11 sec
·
Portland Avenue
2
Turn right onto West Dartmouth Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West Dartmouth Street
3
Turn left onto OR 99E
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
McLoughlin Boulevard
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I 205 South: West Linn, Salem
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 205
8.3 mi
·
10 min
·
Abernethy Bridge
Use the straight lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork
508 ft
·
6 sec
Toward I 5 South: Salem
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on this road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
Toward I 5 South: Salem
8
Merge onto I 5
28 mi
·
32 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit onto I 5
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5
Exit 260A
Toward OR 99E Business: Salem Parkway
10
Merge onto OR 99E Bus
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Parkway
11
Continue on OR 99E Bus
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Commercial Street Northeast
12
Turn left onto Belmont Street Northeast
0.2 mi
·
47 sec
·
Belmont Street Northeast
13
Turn right onto Broadway Street Northeast
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Broadway Street Northeast
14
Continue on High Street Northeast
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
High Street Northeast
15
Arrive at destination
High Street Northeast
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.8 miles from Gladstone, OR, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 38.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
1.2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward I 205 South: West Linn, Salem
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 205 South: West Linn, Salem
5
1.4 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 205 / Abernethy Bridge
Merge onto I 205 / Abernethy Bridge
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
9.7 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 South: Salem
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 South: Salem
5
10.7 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 5
Merge onto I 5
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
38.5 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
I 5
Take the exit onto I 5 toward OR 99E Business: Salem Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 260A
Toward OR 99E Business: Salem Parkway
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.69 one way
$17.37 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $9.19 | $18.38 |
| premium | $5.59 | $9.60 | $19.19 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.63 | $19.25 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.58 | $2.09 |
| Efficient EV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.82 | $1.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.4 | 0 | $6.10 | $2.79 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Salem, OR
Late night in Salem on Sunday
Local time
12:28 AM
PDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
62°F
King City, OR
22 mi in
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
17 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
57m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is largely highway-focused, with 71% of the journey on major roads like I 5. You'll experience stretches of consistent travel, including a longest stretch of 28.2 miles on I 5. While the Abernethy Bridge and Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Parkway offer brief transitions, the bulk of your time will be spent on the interstate. Expect a practical driving experience rather than a winding, scenic tour.
71% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.2 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Abernethy Bridge. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 43.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 57m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.4 miles (I 205 / Abernethy Bridge): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 57m. Total distance: 43.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (71%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 28.2 miles on I 5. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Salem, OR before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.4 miles (I 205 / Abernethy Bridge): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Salem, OR before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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