I think it's a great...if not the coolest approaches into the city as well (from HW 26 eastbound). I've often thought about picking up my family (whom some haven't came to visit yet) & introducing them to Portland from this angle. Coming from the airport I guess you'd have to drive around I-205 through HW 217 then head back east on HW 26. Quite exhaustive.
-Actually coming into town on I-84 westbound wouldn't be so bad if a few less than attractive buildings (IMO) weren't in the way ( i.e. the huge storage building that's an aqua blue color).
-One positive thing about that approach is that with the new hospital addition on the north end of I-84 near Hollywood it should block the view of those quite hideous highrise residential towers.
-If the Lloyd district could create an iconic skyline of sorts then we'd have great gateways of I-84 westbound into downtown, I-5 northbound, HW 26 eastbound, & I suppose I-5 southbound isn't too bad either... especially if you exit & cross over the Fremont.
-I know it's a heated debate on either side (& many merits can be attributed to either case) but the amount of paved highway on the eastbank is just overwhelming. I can just see the city officials greeting some out of country ambassadors & the whole car ride into downtown our people are touting Portlands' awesomeness (sustainability, less cars by american standards, more euro-centric etc etc...) then downtown comes into view & it looks like a mini Los Angeles in the foreground. It really is the ugly stepchild in town that needs to grow up & move out.
Photo by
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mightyacorn/.
I always thought this was a pretty sweet ped. bridge crossing an interstate (in denver) but I think ours may come away on top.