After Over Two Years Baxter Boulevard is Open Again in Portland!

I have missed that short-cut to I295 around Back Cove.

Back in June of 2021, Portland started the Back Cove West Storage Conduit Project. They are building a huge underground storage for sewage. Updating some seriously old stuff underground. That's great and I know we need that, but it interrupted THE most important shortcut onto I295 - Baxter Boulevard!

Now comes the good news. That giant poop storage facility, or the Back Cove West Storage Conduit is not completed, but they opened up Baxter Boulevard. It was very quiet and I only discovered it, as I was in the middle of it driving and thinking,

Wait a minute...I'M DRIVING THE WHOLE LENGTH OF BAXTER BOULEVARD!

I had to share.

I cannot tell you how much having Baxter Boulevard closed for through traffic affected me. First it took me a good six months of forgetting that it's closed for it to sink in. Then once it did sink in, it took me another six months to get over it.

And it stole one of my favorite parts of Portland. Driving Baxter Boulevard is spectacular. Not only because I can then hope on I295 over to Falmouth, but that view...that view.

It seems to have opened in early September, and I have just discovered it. I have since driven it as often as I can. I don't ever want to take it for granted again. There is still construction happening, but most of it is completed. Yay for drivers!