Interstate Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Interstate Bridge |
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Looking south from Vancouver
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| Carries | 6 lanes of  I-5 |
| Crosses | Columbia River |
| Locale | Portland, Oregon to Vancouver, Washington |
| Maintained by | ODOT, WSDOT |
| ID number | 01377, 07333 |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Dual truss with vertical lifts |
| Total length | 3,538 ft (1,078 m) |
| Width | Northbound span 38 ft (12 m); southbound span 39 ft (12 m) |
| Height | Approx. 230 ft (70 m) |
| Longest span | 531 ft (161.8 m) |
| Clearance below | 72 ft (21.9 m) at highest fixed span; 176 ft (53.6 m) at open lift span |
| History | |
| Opened | February 14, 1917 (Northbound), 1958 (Southbound) |
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Portland–Vancouver Highway Bridge
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 Location in Portland, Oregon
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| Location | Portland, Oregon; Vancouver, Washington |
| Built | 1915–16 |
| Architect | Harrington, Howard & Ash |
| MPS | Historic Bridges/Tunnels in Washington State TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 82004205 |
| Added to NRHP | July 16, 1982 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 132,592 (2014) |
The Interstate Bridge is a famous bridge that connects two states: Vancouver, Washington, and Portland, Oregon. It carries Interstate 5 traffic over the Columbia River.
This bridge is actually made of two nearly identical steel bridges. They are "vertical-lift" bridges, which means a part of them can move up and down. This allows tall boats to pass underneath.
The first bridge opened in 1917. It carried traffic in both directions. Later, in 1958, a second bridge was built right next to it. Now, each bridge carries traffic in one direction. The original 1917 bridge is used for northbound traffic.
Today, about 130,000 vehicles cross these bridges every day. The entire structure is over 3,500 feet (about 1,067 meters) long. It has three lanes for northbound traffic and three for southbound traffic. In 1982, the bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical landmark.
Since 2005, people have been talking about replacing the bridge. It often causes traffic jams for cars and also for boats on the river. There have been several plans to build a new bridge.
The bridge got its name, "Interstate Bridge," because it connects two different states. In 1917, a street in Portland was even renamed "Interstate Avenue" because it led to the new bridge.
Contents
Building the First Bridge (1917)
The Interstate Bridge was built to replace an old ferry system. This ferry system was often too crowded. Construction on the bridge started in March 1915.
The first bridge opened on February 14, 1917. It cost about $1.75 million to build. This cost was shared between Clark County in Washington and Multnomah County in Oregon.
The first bridge has 13 steel sections. Three of these sections are 275 feet (about 84 meters) long. The other ten sections are 265 feet (about 81 meters) long. The bridge rests on strong piers that go deep into the ground.
One of the 275-foot sections is the special "lift span." This part can move up and down. When it's fully raised, it provides 176 feet (about 54 meters) of space below. This allows tall ships and barges to pass easily on the river. The towers that lift this section are 190 feet (about 58 meters) tall.
The original road on the bridge was 38 feet (about 11.6 meters) wide. It also had a 5-foot (about 1.5 meters) wide sidewalk. This was the first bridge for cars across the Columbia River between Washington and Oregon.
When it first opened, it was a toll bridge. Drivers had to pay 5 cents to cross. In 1928, the states of Washington and Oregon bought the bridge. They stopped charging tolls the next year.
Electric streetcars also used to cross the bridge. They ran from 1917 until 1940. The bridge had special tracks that could fit both Vancouver's standard streetcars and Portland's slightly different sized streetcars. Before the bridge, people had to take a ferry to cross the river with the streetcar. Streetcar service on the bridge stopped on September 3, 1940.
In 1957, the bridge became an important part of the new Interstate 5 highway.
Bridge Upgrades and Changes
In 1958, a big upgrade happened. A second, almost identical bridge was built next to the first one. This cost about $14.5 million. It doubled how many cars could cross the river.
The new bridge was built with a slight "hump" in it. This hump allows more boats to pass underneath without the bridge needing to lift up. This helps reduce how often the bridge has to open. Construction for this second bridge started in the summer of 1956. It opened to traffic on July 1, 1958.
When the new bridge opened, the old one was temporarily closed. It was rebuilt to also have a matching hump section. On January 8, 1960, both bridges were open at the same time. From then on, each bridge carried traffic in only one direction. The new bridge was for southbound traffic, and the old one was for northbound traffic.
Tolls were brought back for a while, costing 20 cents for cars. But they were removed again in 1966 after the building costs were paid off.
Over the years, the bridge has had other important upgrades. In 1990, the lift cables and road surface were improved. In 1995, the engine that powers the lift was replaced. In 1999, the entire bridge was repainted. A big electrical upgrade was finished in 2005.
The entire bridge structure is 3,538 feet (about 1,078 meters) long. The main lift section is 531 feet (about 162 meters) long. When the lift section is fully open, it provides 176 feet (about 54 meters) of space for boats.
The bridge lifts about 20 to 30 times each month. Each time it lifts, it takes about ten minutes. This can cause traffic delays for cars.
During busy times (like morning and afternoon rush hour), cars have the right of way. But outside of these times, boats on the river have the right of way. This means the bridge must lift for them.
In 2006, the six lanes of the bridges carried 130,000 vehicles every day. During four hours each day, the bridge is completely full of traffic.
Future Plans: Replacing the Bridge
The Interstate Bridge often causes traffic jams. This affects both cars on the highway and boats on the river. Both the Oregon and Washington transportation departments are studying how to replace the bridge. Experts say both bridge spans are "functionally obsolete." This means they are old and no longer work as well as modern bridges should.
Building a new bridge is complicated. There's another railroad bridge nearby that affects where the shipping channel can be. Also, nearby airports limit how tall a new bridge can be. Some people have suggested building a new bridge in a different location.
For many years, there was a big project called the "Columbia River Crossing" (CRC). This project aimed to replace the bridge. People debated whether a new bridge should include a MAX Light Rail line for public transportation. In 2007, Vancouver's mayor, Royce Pollard, strongly supported adding light rail.
However, the Columbia River Crossing project faced many challenges. There were concerns about its high cost. Some people in Portland worried that a bigger bridge would lead to more urban sprawl. There were also concerns about the environmental impact, like air pollution and effects on fish habitats.
In 2008, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) even said the project's plans didn't fully cover these environmental issues. In June 2013, the Washington Legislature decided not to provide more money for the CRC project. Because of this, the project was officially stopped.
New Replacement Program (2019–Present)
After the first project stopped, new efforts began in 2019. This new project is called the "Interstate Bridge Replacement Program." It's a joint effort by many groups. These include the transportation departments of Oregon and Washington, federal agencies, and local cities like Portland and Vancouver.
In 2017, a special committee was formed to study replacing the bridge. In 2019, Washington approved $17.5 million to start planning work. Oregon then matched this contribution.
A new timeline for the project was approved in late 2019. They plan to start environmental reviews in 2020 and begin construction by 2025. The exact design of the new bridge is still being discussed. They are looking at things like including light rail, how many lanes it will have, and even if a third crossing might be needed.
