page_title: Washington State Route 401
section_title: Route description
hierarchical_section_title: Washington State Route 401 / Route description
caption_attribution_description: English: At the Washington end of the Astoria-Megler Bridge is the start of US 101 in Washington State.
context_page_description: State Route 401 is a 12.13-mile long state highway in Pacific County within the U.S. state of Washington. The highway originates at the north end of the Astoria–Megler Bridge west of Megler at an intersection with U.S. Route 101. The roadway travels northeast, paralleling cliffs, the Columbia River and the South Fork of the Naselle River to Naselle, ending at SR 4. The road was designated Secondary State Highway 12B between 1937 and 1964, when SR 401 was created to replace SSH 12B. The Astoria–Megler Bridge, completed in 1966, replaced a ferry east of the bridge, where the highway originally ended, and is known locally as Kingston Ferry Road. The roadway was extended west to the north end of the bridge, where it currently terminates. The former ferry terminal became the Dismal Nitch rest area, named after the Lewis and Clark Expedition's description of the place.
context_section_description: SR 401 originates at an intersection with U.S. Route 101 (US 101) at the north end of the Astoria–Megler Bridge west of Megler and southeast of McGowan. Traveling northeast between cliffs and the Columbia River past the Dismal Nitch Safety rest area to Knappton, the highway turns north along more cliffs and the South Fork of the Naselle River. In Naselle, the South Fork merges with the Naselle River, which the roadway crosses over three times before terminating at SR 4. The intersection with SR 4 is also the busiest segment of the road with an estimated daily average of 2,800 motorists, which has been decreasing from 3,100 motorists in 2005.
caption: Start of US 101 in Washington.
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