Oregon Route 37

Oregon Route 37
Pendleton-Cold Springs Highway #36 Pendleton Highway #67 SW Court Ave. (1972-around 2008) SW 17th St. (1972-around 2008) Pendleton-John Day Highway #28 (1972-around 2008)
Route Information
Maintained by Oregon Department of Transportation
Lengths	29.91 mi. (around 2008-present) 31.00 mi. (1972-around 2008)
Existed	October 13, 1972 to present
Junctions
North End	US-730 at Cold Springs Junction
	OR-334 near Meiners Ranch
South End	US-30 in Pendleton
Navigation
←  OR-36 OR-38  →

Oregon Route 37 is a state route that runs between US-730 at Cold Springs Junction and US-30 in Pendleton. It encompasses the entirety of the Pendleton-Cold Springs Highway #36. Prior to about 2008, it also ran along a short section of the Pendleton Highway #67 and Pendleton-John Day Highway #28 in Pendleton to the junction of I-84 and US-395, as well as two different city streets to connect those two highways. It was created in 1972 after a realignment of US-395.

History

Highway History Prior to Designation

By 1908, an improved road existed to the east of Cold Springs along the eventual OR-37 corridor, likely extending further southeasterly through Holdman to Pendleton. While this corridor did not appear on the 1916 tentative state highway plan put forth by State Engineer John H. Lewis, it does appear on the proposed state highway system map adopted by the OSHC on November 27, 1917 as the Pendleton-Cold Springs Highway #36; this highway name and number persists to this day.

Originally, the highway's northern terminus was the community of Cold Springs without a connection to the state highway system. This changed by 1922, when the Umatilla Cutoff Highway #37 was created from Umatilla to the Washington state line near Point Kelley, crossing Cold Springs in the process. That same year, on April 19, State Highway Engineer Herbert Nunn approved a survey of the Pendleton-Cold Springs Highway #36 about 5 miles south of Holdman. More research is needed on the results and subsequent OSHD actions of this survey.

By November 30, 1922, the road's surface was a rock or gravel surfaced road between Cold Springs and a little ways east of Holdman, but was an unimproved road the rest of the way to Pendleton. The entire road was rock or gravel surfaced by November 30, 1926, and wouldn't be fully paved or bituminous until 1937.

Route History Prior to Oregon Route 37 Designation

See also: Oregon Route 15, US Route 395

On June 22, 1932, the Pendleton-Cold Springs Highway #36 was designated as OR-15:

Route #15 - beginning at a junction with U. S. 730 at Cold Springs and following the Pendleton-Cold Springs Highway to a junction with U. S. 30 at Pendleton.

-OSHC Minutes, 1932-06-22, p. 3510

This designation was relatively short-lived. In August 1934, AASHO extended US-395 from its original southern terminus in Spokane, WA to San Diego, CA through Oregon. As a result of the southerly extension, OR-15 was eliminated in its entirety from the state highway system in favor of the US-395 designation.

This map showing Oregon's principal routes as of December 31, 1972 shows the routing of OR-37 along former US-395.

Designation as Oregon Route 37

In October 1972, the Oregon State Highway Division wished to realign US-395 between Cold Springs Junction and Pendleton. This realignment would take US-395 off of the Pendleton-Cold Springs Highway #36 and instead run it further west along US-730 to Umatilla, then south along what was then OR-32 through Hermiston to the junction of what was then I-80N in Stanfield, where it ran until Pendleton where it would then rejoin its existing alignment. The rationale for this was to provide "a much safer and more desirable route of travel" for people following US-395.

The State Highway Commission discussed the matter telephonically on October 13 and agreed to the realignment, which was then formally approved on October 31. The minutes note that the former US-395 alignment was to be identified as OR-37:

Confirmation was also requested by the Engineer for approval given by the Chairman on October 13, 1972, revisiting the routing of US395 between Pendleton and Cold Springs Junction in Umatilla County. The Commission approved the rerouting of US395 ass follows and that application be made to the AASHO Route Numbering Committee for its approval:

Beginning at the present junction of US395 with I-80N at Pendleton, proceeding thence westerly concurrent with I-80N to the junction of State Highway 32 at Stanfield; thence along State Highway 32 northerly to its junction with US730 easterly of the town of Umatilla; thence concurrent with US730 to Cold Springs Junction. The former section of US395 between its junction with I-80N at Pendleton and its junction with US730 at Cold Springs Junction shall carry the designation State Route 37.

-OSHC Minutes, 1972-10-31, p. 36583

Because the rerouting involved a US highway, AASHO needed to approve it. The same day the OSHD informally approved the realignment over the phone, OSHD Administator of Highways George M. Baldwin sent 6 copies of the state's rerouting application to AASHO's Executive Director, A.E. Johnson. Johnson replied on October 18, stating that they had received the applications and would discuss the proposal at the U.S. Route Numbering Subcommittee meeting on November 24 in Phoenix. It was considered and approved on November 25, and the OSHD was notified of the approval by letter sent by Henrik Stafseth and H.J. Rhodes on December 5. F.B. Klaboe, the Deputy State Highway Engineer, replied to Rhodes on December 19, stating that Oregon would "immediately make the necessary changes in the signing".

Changes Since Designation

The 2005, 2007 and 2008 US and ORE Route Descriptions note that the routing was revised on October 18, 1977. It is unknown at this time how the routing was revised; the October 1977 OTC meeting minutes may shed some light as to where and why a route adjustment occurred.

Around 1985, the Cold Springs Canyon Bridge was replaced. This resulted in OR-37 being shortened by 0.03 miles.

Between 1990 and 1994, a few dangerous curves along OR-37 were straightened. The most dramatic of these adjustments occurred just east of the Union Pacific overcrossing, where large curves were finally removed. The bridge over the South Fork Cold Springs Creek was also replaced in 1992, replacing a bridge first built in 1933. On December 14, 1994, the OTC approved the relinquishment of these former segments as A&R #661, which transferred ownership to abutting property owners. These adjustments resulted in OR-37 being further shortened by 0.29 miles.

These maps show the confusing directions drivers need to take to continue on OR-37 as defined in 2008 through Pendleton after an intersection redesign.

Finally, it appears that the southern terminus has been moved from the junction of I-84 and US-395 south of downtown Pendleton to the junction with US-30 to the west of downtown Pendleton sometime between 2007 and 2009. This is indicated by an "END OR-37" shield assembly placed just north of the intersection of the two highways sometime between 2007 and 2009, according to ODOT's Digital Video Log. This was likely done for a couple reasons:

• The right turn lane from eastbound US-30 onto SW Court Ave. was removed sometime between 2007 and 2012, thus no longer allowing vehicles travelling south on OR-37 to follow the route.
• Due to the angle of intersection between the US-30 and SW Court Ave., northbound OR-37 traffic may not have been able to follow the route as defined, at least since 1994.
• Part of OR-37 travelled along streets maintained by the City of Pendleton.

The map to the right shows the movements drivers must make if they wish to continue along OR-37 as defined. The arrows on the map are used to demonstrate the necessary direction of travel in each direction, and to show that southbound travellers cannot continue along OR-37 without crossing over the same intersection twice.

Strangely, the most recent Pendleton-John Day Highway #28 straightline chart (from 2016) and city map of Pendleton (from 2021) still show OR-37 continuing to I-84 and US-395, though none of the roads south of the US-30 intersection are signed as such.

Route Definition Evolution

1980

The earliest known mention in an edition of Descriptions of US & ORE Routes is in 1980:

ORE37 - Over the Pendleton-Cold Springs Highway from its junction with the Columbia River Highway, US395 and US730, southeasterly to its junction with the Pendleton Highway, US30, in Pendleton; thence easterly over the Pendleton Highway (common with US30) in Pendleton to its intersection with S.W. Court Avenue; thence southerly via S.W. Court Avenue and S.W. 17th Street to the intersection of the Pendleton-John Day Highway; thence southwesterly over the Pendleton-John Day Highway to its junction with the Old Oregon Trail Highway, I-80N and US395 in Pendleton.

-From "Descriptions of US & ORE Routes," 1980, p. 8

1988

The wording is largely the same as in 1980, but routes at its terminus were changed to reflect I-80N's renumbering to I-84 on May 1, 1980 and US Route 395's rerouting onto I-82 and the Umatilla Bridge on December 8, 1984:

ORE37 - Over the Pendleton-Cold Springs Highway from its junction with the Columbia River Highway, US730, southeasterly to its junction with the Pendleton Highway, US30, in Pendleton; thence easterly over the Pendleton Highway (common with US30) in Pendleton to its intersection with S.W. Court Avenue; thence southerly via S.W. Court Avenue and S.W. 17th Street to the intersection of the Pendleton-John Day Highway; thence southwesterly over the Pendleton-John Day Highway to its junction with the Old Oregon Trail Highway, I-84 and US395 in Pendleton.

-From "Descriptions of US & ORE Routes," 1988, p. 9

Note: The 1990, 1993, 2005, 2007 and 2008 editions also use the same description. The latter 4 editions add that the routing was revised on October 18, 1977 for an as-yet unknown reason.

Miscellany

Possible Extension into Washington

While OR-37's northern terminus is at US-730 at Cold Springs Junction, the underlying Pendleton-Cold Springs Highway #36 continues for another 0.88 miles after the route splits to direct traffic eastbound and westbound. The roadway travels underneath US-730 and ends at Warehouse Beach Recreation Area right at the Columbia River. While no straightline charts or other evidence confirm this, it is entirely possible that a Columbia River crossing into Washington was considered at this location at some point. The feasibility of any such prospect, however, would be highly unlikely, as there is no state highway or major road immediately across the river from Warehouse Beach. WSDOT or Benton County would need to commit to building a major road to serve a small level of traffic, as most vehicles would likely cross at the I-82 Umatilla Bridge.