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Trip from Oak Grove, 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

1h 4m

Distance

46.7 mi

75 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min
4 AM
0h 59m ★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Oak Grove, OR, OR

Oak Grove, OR

Ylanite Koppens

seat of Marion County, and capital of Oregon, USA

Salem, OR

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Oak Grove to Salem is 46.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 4 minutes via I 5, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Oregon, traveling from the Pacific Coast region to another part of the Pacific Coast region. It's a straightforward trip, primarily on the interstate, making it ideal for a quick transit between these two points. You can expect a direct journey with minimal fuss, perfect for when you need to get from A to B efficiently. Consider this route for its simplicity and speed.

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
Southeast McLoughlin Boulevard 2.9 mi 6m
Commercial Street Northeast 1 mi 2m
McLoughlin Boulevard 0.9 mi 2m
Southeast Oak Grove Boulevard 0.4 mi <1m
High Street Northeast 0.4 mi 1m
Longest stretch: I 5 — 28.2 mi, about 33m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Oak Grove, OR and Salem, OR.

1

Start on this road

81 ft · 10 sec · this road
2

Turn left

75 ft · 10 sec
3

Turn left onto Southeast Rupert Drive

443 ft · 19 sec · Southeast Rupert Drive
4

Turn left onto Southeast Oak Grove Boulevard

0.4 mi · 56 sec · Southeast Oak Grove Boulevard
5

Turn right onto OR 99E

2.9 mi · 6 min · Southeast McLoughlin Boulevard
6

Continue on OR 99E

0.9 mi · 2 min · McLoughlin Boulevard
7

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 27 sec
Toward I 205 South: West Linn, Salem Use the left lane.
8

Merge onto I 205

8.3 mi · 10 min · Abernethy Bridge
Use the straight lane.
9

Keep slight left at fork

508 ft · 6 sec
Toward I 5 South: Salem Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Continue on this road

0.9 mi · 1 min · this road
Toward I 5 South: Salem
11

Merge onto I 5

28 mi · 32 min · I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit onto I 5

0.5 mi · 1 min · I 5
Exit 260A Toward OR 99E Business: Salem Parkway
13

Merge onto OR 99E Bus

3.0 mi · 4 min · Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Parkway
14

Continue on OR 99E Bus

1.0 mi · 2 min · Commercial Street Northeast
15

Turn left onto Belmont Street Northeast

0.2 mi · 47 sec · Belmont Street Northeast
16

Turn right onto Broadway Street Northeast

0.1 mi · 20 sec · Broadway Street Northeast
17

Continue on High Street Northeast

0.4 mi · 1 min · High Street Northeast
18

Arrive at destination

High Street Northeast

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in Oregon, USA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Tigard, OR

23 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

Oregon City, OR

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Woodburn, OR

Meal break

The midpoint is around 23.3 miles from Oak Grove, 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 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 4.3 and 41.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
4.3 mi into trip | ~10m 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
4.5 mi into trip | ~10m 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
12.8 mi into trip | ~20m 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
13.8 mi into trip | ~21m in | I 5

Merge onto I 5

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
41.5 mi into trip | ~53m 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

$9.30 one way

$18.61 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 16 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.36 $9.85 $19.69
premium $5.59 $10.28 $20.56
diesel $5.61 $10.31 $20.62

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 16.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 14 0 $4.90 $2.24
Efficient EV 11.7 0 $4.09 $1.87
EV Truck/SUV 18.7 0 $6.54 $2.99

Gas CO2

16 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (69% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Oak Grove, OR

Late night in Oak Grove on Sunday

Local time

12:50 AM

PDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Salem, OR

Late night in Salem on Sunday

Local time

12:50 AM

PDT

Current temp

43°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

6 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

1h 4m 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 is a highway-focused drive, with 67% of the journey taking place on major interstates. You'll experience a significant stretch of 28.2 miles on I 5 without interruption, offering a consistent pace. The route begins with some local roads before merging onto the main highway, which then carries you for the bulk of the trip. Expect a functional, no-frills driving experience for most of the 46.7 miles, designed for efficient travel rather than scenic detours.

67% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 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 4.3 miles in.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.7 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 4.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.5 miles (I 205 / Abernethy Bridge): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 4m. Total distance: 46.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (67%). 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 4.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.5 miles (I 205 / Abernethy Bridge): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.8 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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