Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 6, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 5m
Distance
153.2 mi
247 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$30
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Salem, OR
Wikimedia Commons
Tri-City, OR
Lukas Kosc
The drive from Salem, OR to Tri-City, OR covers 153.2 miles and takes about 3h 5m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 5, 12th Street Southeast, North Old Pacific Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 147.1 miles on I 5. At current regular gas prices, budget about $29.69 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
76.6 miles from Salem, OR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 32m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 147.1 mi | 2h 51m |
| 12th Street Southeast | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| North Old Pacific Highway | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Weaver Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Arrow Way | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Bellevue Street Southeast | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Santiam Highway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| High Street Northeast | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 52 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,820 veh/hr typical · worst 2,202
Quietest
1 AM
~156 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Salem, OR and Tri-City, OR.
Start on High Street Northeast
Continue on High Street Southeast
Turn left onto OR 22; OR 99E Bus
Continue on OR 22; OR 99E Bus
Continue on OR 22; OR 99E Bus
Turn right onto OR 22; OR 99E Bus
Continue on OR 22; OR 99E Bus
Take the exit onto I 5; OR 99E
Take the exit
Turn left onto Weaver Road
Turn right onto OR 99
Turn left onto Loop Road
Continue on Loop Road
Turn right onto Indian Lane
At end of road, turn right onto Arrow Way
Arrive at destination
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 34 miles or 43m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 76.6 miles or 1h 32m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tri-City, OR than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Salem, OR so your first major turns are already loaded.
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Salem, OR
This is one driving day of about 153.2 miles and 3h 5m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
77 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.
A short stop after about 34 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 76.6 miles from Salem, OR, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 5 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 147.1 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 152.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto OR 22; OR 99E Bus / Trade Street Southeast
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto OR 22; OR 99E Bus / 12th Street Southeast
Navigation decision point
Take the exit onto I 5; OR 99E toward I 5 South: Eugene
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Weaver Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
At end of road, turn right onto Arrow Way
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Regular Gas
$29.69 one way
$59.39 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.20 | $31.38 | $62.75 |
| premium | $5.44 | $32.79 | $65.59 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $33.77 | $67.54 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 53.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 46 | 0 | $16.09 | $7.35 |
| Efficient EV | 38.3 | 0 | $13.41 | $6.13 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 61.3 | 0 | $21.45 | $9.80 |
Gas CO2
54 kg
EV CO2
18 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Salem on Saturday
Local time
9:00 PM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Partly Cloudy
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued August 29 at 2:00AM PDT until August 30 at 9:00AM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR
Destination
Night in Tri-City on Saturday
Local time
9:00 PM
PDT
Current temp
50°F
Partly Cloudy
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued August 29 at 2:00AM PDT until August 30 at 9:00AM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR
81°F
Cottage Grove, OR
77 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
153.2 mi in 3h 5m, mostly highway — 147.1 mi of that is on I 5.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and 12th Street Southeast. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near OR 22; OR 99E Bus / Trade Street Southeast.
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Salem, OR to Tri-City, OR is easy. At 3h 5m with 96% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (OR 22; OR 99E Bus / Trade Street Southeast): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (OR 22; OR 99E Bus / 12th Street Southeast): Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles (I 5; OR 99E): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
1,081 ft
Total Descent
497 ft
Highest Point
742 ft
~153.2 mi in
Elevation Range
584 ft
Founded 1842
Salem, the capital of Oregon, is located in the Willamette Valley between Portland and Eugene. It is also the county seat of Marion County. Salem was established in the early 1800s as a farming community. The town grew during the years of the California gold rush. Salem became the capital of Oregon in 1851 after it was moved from Oregon City. The capital was then briefly moved to Corvallis in 1855, but in that same year was permanently moved back to Salem. The first two Oregon State Capitol buildings tragically burned down. The third and current building was completed in 1938, complete with its distinctive gold-plated pioneer statue, the "Gold Man," perched atop. Besides being the seat of state government, Salem is also a major agricultural center in one of the most fertile regions in the world.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 5m. Total distance: 153.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Straightforward navigation.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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