SW Kelly Avenue dips under the west end of the Ross Island Bridge on its way north to downtown. The diagonal on the left takes drivers up to Corbett Ave and access to the bridge. You can see an aerial view of the same area in this earlier VP post.
(City of Portland Archives)
Vintage Portland 
I don’t know if it’s a condition from the angle and setting for the photo, but the underpass looks like it could definitely use a vehicle height limitation sign.
Sheesh, no kidding Jim.
If I understand right here’s what it looks like today: http://g.co/maps/y7g9h This is looking south from Hood Ave, were the cars are parked (center of the left side) is were the other image was from. http://g.co/maps/y73jf
Anyone know what that “bump” in the foreground is?
@Kathleen, that bump looks like one of those ground lights that flashes to alert drivers to a fork in the road. There are still a few around Portland—until recently, there was one you’d see if you were heading west on Killingsworth towards Greeley (it’s gone due to construction but it’s still visible on google maps: http://g.co/maps/gwyfm). I think there is also one where i-84 ends and forks onto i-5 north.
Thanks, Laura.
What a fascinating blog this is!
@Dave, your picture is a block east. The original was shot on Kelly looking north. Here’s a recent look http://g.co/maps/gqp9t. The underpass was eliminated in the 50’s when the all the west side ramps were re-built to handle highway speeds. There was a deep ravine on the north side of the RI bridge that separated the Corbett neighborhood from South Portland. It was filled from the early 1890’s to 1950.
@JimWood
Yup, you’re right I was wrong. The whole area has changed enough to make it hard to figure out.
that light fixture in the center of the image that is coolest lamp ive ever seen