Transportation
In 2009, the Corvallis metropolitan statistical area (MSA) ranked as the highest in the United States for percentage of commuters who biked to work (9.3%), and the second-highest percentage of commuters who walked to work (11.2%). More than one of five Corvallis commuters traveled to work via some form of active transportation. In 2013, the Corvallis MSA represented the fifth-lowest mode share for commuting by private automobile (72.6%). During the same period, 8.8% of Corvallis-area commuters biked, another 7.9% walked, and 7.7% worked from home.
Corvallis Municipal Airport (CVO) serves private and corporate aircraft. Many well known celebrities have flown in and out of the Corvallis Municipal Airport over the years including John F. Kennedy in 1960, Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama.
The closest commercial air service is available at Eugene Airport (EUG), 35 miles (56 km), Salem Airport (SLE), 40 miles (64 km) or Portland International Airport (PDX), 95 miles (153 km).
The Groome Transportation Company provides multiple shuttles daily between Corvallis and the Portland Airport (PDX) with stops in Albany, Salem and Woodburn.
Historically Corvallis had a very busy passenger train station and depot that was located downtown. They are no longer in use, but have been moved to other areas in the city, preserved, and repurposed. The Corvallis passenger train station is currently the Corvallis Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant. Passenger service is currently provided by the Amtrak Cascades line at the nearby Albany Amtrak Station (ALY).
There are 2 freight lines that run through the city regularly.
Long-distance bus service is provided in Corvallis by Greyhound. It stops at the Downtown Transit Center and at OSU campus Transit stop (station ID: CVI and CVO).
FlixBus provides Regional service from the Downtown Transit Center and OSU campus Transit Center. There are 4 daily trips southbound to Eugene and the U of O campus, and 4 daily northbound trips to Albany, Salem, and Portland.
Local bus service is provided by 3 different transit systems, the Corvallis Transit System (CTS), the Benton Area Transit System (BAT) and the OSU Transit System "Beaver Bus". The Corvallis City Council approved an additional fee on monthly water utility bills in January 2011, allowing all CTS bus service to become fareless.
The CTS system runs a total of 9 routes within the city limits, Monday through Saturday with routes 1 through 6 having Sunday service at reduced frequency, covering most of the city and converging at the Downtown Transit Center. Additional commuter trips run in the early morning and late afternoon on weekdays, and midmorning and midafternoon on Saturdays.
One short-distance intercity route, the "Philomath Connection", is also run by CTS with multiple daily trips from the Downtown Transit Center to downtown Philomath with stops on the OSU campus. The "Linn-Benton Loop", operated by the Albany Transit System, runs multiple trips daily to the Albany Transit Center/ Albany Amtrak Station (ALY) and Linn-Benton Community College with three weekday routes and one Saturday route.
Two other intercity routes are run by the Benton Area Transit System (BAT) from the Downtown Transit Center and OSU campus Transit Center. The "99 Express" runs multiple trips daily to Lewisburg and Adair Village. The "Coast to Valley Express" runs multiple trips daily between the Albany Amtrak station (ALY) and the Newport Transit Center with stops in Philomath, Blodgett, Eddyville and Toledo.
One intercity route is run by Pacific Crest Bus Lines with stops at the Downtown Transit Center and on the OSU campus. The "99 Vine" runs four trips in each direction between McMinnville and Eugene. The "99 Vine" is fareless until June 30, 2026 due to a funding grant.
The Beaver Bus is run by Oregon State University Transportation Services for transportation across the main campus. The Beaver Bus has 3 routes from the Reser Stadium Transit Center and has multiple stops throughout campus. Buses arrive at every stop every 15–20 minutes from 7am-7pm.
From 2010 to 2011, CTS has seen a 37.9% increase in ridership, partially as a result of going fareless and "the rising cost of fuel for individual vehicles and the desire for residents to choose more sustainable options for commuting to work, school and other activities" According to Tim Bates, the Corvallis Transit System and Philomath Connection had 3,621,387 passenger miles traveled and 85,647 gallons of fuel consumed in fiscal year 2011, a period that covers July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011.
In 2019, the local bus system expanded to several more lines throughout the city, and the addition of a minimal Sunday service.
Highway 34
Oregon State Route 34 is the main connector from Corvallis to I-5, the main arterial north–south route though the state of Oregon, which lies 10–12 miles to the east of the city. Continuing on OR 34 another 9–10 miles east of I-5 is the city of Lebanon, Oregon the 3rd largest city of the Albany-Corvallis-Lebanon CSA. Westward on OR 34 connects Corvallis to Philomath, Marys Peak, Alsea and Waldport on the Oregon Coast.
Highway 20
US Route 20 is the main connector between the cities of Corvallis and Albany, Oregon, which is the 2nd largest city of the Albany-Corvallis-Lebanon CSA. US 20 runs approximately parallel to the Willamette River for 11 miles Northeast of Corvallis until it reaches North Albany and crosses the Willamette River into Downtown Albany. Westward US 20 connects Corvallis to Philomath, Blodgett, Eddyville, Toledo and Newport and the Oregon Coast.
Highway 99W
Oregon State Route 99W runs a north–south route and is the main connector between Corvallis and Eugene, Oregon, 44 miles to the South. On Highway 99w in between the cities of Corvallis and Eugene are the cities of Monroe, Oregon and Junction City. To the north on OR 99W from Corvallis are the cities of Adair Village, Monmouth, Independence, Rickreall, Amity and McMinnville.
There are eight major bridges in the city, all but two traverse the Mary's River or the Willamette River.
Harrison Street Bridge
Van Buren Street Bridge
Willamette River Bridge (Highway 34)
Mary's River Bridge (Highway 99W)
4th Street Bridge (Highway 99W over Mary's River)
Pacific Highway Bridge (Highway 99W over Railroad in North Corvallis)
15th Street Bridge (Over Mary's River to Avery Park)
Irish Bend Covered Bridge
There are over 100 street and pedestrian crossings that traverse over the tributaries throughout the city. There are 13 creeks and 2 rivers that run through the city.
The League of American Bicyclists gave Corvallis a gold rating as a Bicycle-Friendly Community in 2011. Also, according to the United States Census Bureau's 2008–12 American Community Survey, 11.2% of workers in Corvallis bicycle to work. The city of Corvallis is ranked third-highest among 'small' U.S. cities (with populations under 200,000) for bicycle commuters, behind Key West, Florida (17.4%) and Davis, California (18.6%).
