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Interstate Bridge

Coordinates: 45°37′05″N 122°40′30″W / 45.618068°N 122.675138°W / 45.618068; -122.675138 (Interstate 5 Bridge)
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Interstate Bridge
Coordinates45°37′05″N 122°40′30″W / 45.618068°N 122.675138°W / 45.618068; -122.675138 (Interstate 5 Bridge)
CarriesInterstate 5
CrossesColumbia River
LocalePortland, Oregon to
Vancouver, Washington
Maintained byODOT, WSDOT
ID number01377, 07333
Characteristics
DesignDual truss with vertical lifts
Total length3,538 ft (1078 m)
Longest span531 ft (161.8 m)
Clearance above15.5 ft (4.72 m)
Clearance below72 ft (22 m) closed, 176 ft (54 m) open
History
OpenedFebruary 14, 1917 (Northbound),
1958 (Southbound)
Statistics
Daily traffic124,500
Location
Map

The Interstate Bridge (also Columbia River Interstate Bridge, I-5 Bridge, Portland-Vancouver Interstate Bridge) is a pair of nearly identical steel vertical lift, through truss bridges that carry Interstate 5 traffic over the Columbia River between Vancouver, Washington, and Portland, Oregon, in the United States. First opened to traffic in 1917 with a second span opening in 1958, the bridge handles 124,500 vehicles (as of 2004).[1] The green structure, which is over 3,500 ft (1000 m) long, carries traffic over three northbound lanes and three southbound lanes.

First bridge

The bridge was built to replace an overcrowded ferry system operated by Pacific Railway, Light & Power Co. Construction on the bridge began in March 1915, following the sale of bonds.[2] The first bridge was opened on February 14, 1917 at a cost of $1.75 million, which was shared between Clark County and Multnomah County.[3] Clark County paid $500,000 with Multnomah County paying $1,250,000.[4] The first bridge has a total of 13 steel spans with three measuring 275 ft (84 m) in length while the remaining ten spans are 265 ft (80 m) long.[4] One of the 275-ft spans is the lift span for allowing river traffic by the bridge.[4] The original paved roadway was 38 ft (12 m) wide and had a 5-ft (1.5-m) wide sidewalk.[4] It was the first automobile bridge across the river between Washington and Oregon,[4] and the second to span the river at all, after the Wenatchee Bridge of 1908.[5] It was originally a toll bridge costing 5¢ per person. In 1929 the states of Washington and Oregon jointly purchased it from the counties and subsequently removed the tolls.[5]

Upgrades

In 1958 a $14.5 million upgrade created a southbound span and doubled the capacity of the bridge. The new bridge was built with a "humpback" that provides 72 ft (22 m) of vertical clearance and minimizes bridge openings. At the time the new bridge was opened, the old one closed to give it the matching humpback. When both bridges were opened in 1960, tolls were reinstated at $.20 for cars, $.40 for light trucks, and $.60 for heavy trucks and buses, before being permanently removed in 1966.

A $3 million upgrade to the lift cables, expansion joints, and a deck repaving was completed in 1990. The diesel generator used to power the lift was replaced in 1995 at a cost of $150,000. In 1999 the bridge was repainted at a cost of $17 million. A $10.8 million electrical upgrade was completed in mid-May of 2005. [6]

The bridge is 3,538 ft (1,078 m) long with a main span of 531 ft (162 m).[7] The vertical lift provides 176 ft (54 m) of clearance when opened. The lift takes 10 minutes to open and does so between 10 and 20 times per month. In 2001 the 6 lanes of the bridges carried 120,000 vehicles including 10,000 trucks, operating at capacity for four hours every day. [8]

Replacement

Components of the bridge were manufactured and prepared for assembly in Gary, Indiana.

Currently, many traffic engineers consider the bridge to be obsolete, both due to its age and its limited capacity. The bridge is frequently a bottleneck which impacts both traffic on the freeway, as well as on the river. The Oregon and Washington state departments of transportation are jointly studying how to replace the bridge. Initially, the estimated cost for a replacement bridge was around $2 billion,[9] but that number has climbed steadily to around $4.2 billion.[10]

Picture of the bridge in 1917-1919.

A replacement (especially a fixed span bridge) is complicated by a railroad drawbridge crossing the Columbia a short distance downriver, which constrains the location of the shipping channel; and by approach paths to Portland International Airport in Portland and to Pearson Field Airport in Vancouver, which limit the height of any new structure. Some have proposed replacing the bridge in a different location. There are presently 12 transportation plans that are being studied to improve and expand the Interstate 5 crossing of the Columbia River. [11] In late 2006, 2-4 of these plans will be selected for a final proposal. [12]

There is also a long standing debate as to whether or not a new bridge would include a MAX Light Rail line, express buses or bus rapid transit. During his 2007 "State of the City" address, Vancouver mayor Royce Pollard stated

I've said it before, but it bears repeating – Vancouver and Clark County residents have the cheapest buy-in to one of the most successful light-rail systems in the world, the MAX system. There is over $5 billion invested in light rail across the river. We can tap into that system at a very minimal cost. We’d be foolish not to. The bi-state Columbia River Crossing initiative is making plans for the future of our community for 50 years and beyond. This project should not happen without integrating light rail that comes into downtown Vancouver. If the final alternative doesn’t have a light rail component, I will not support it.[13]

In December 2007, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski advocated for a new bridge, publicly endorsing the Oregon Business Plan's proposal.[14]

In 2008, as fuel prices have increased and project cost estimates have soared, many in the area have begun questioning whether the project is worth the costs. In addition, many on the Portland side of the river fear that a 12 lane highway bridge to Vancouver, which has virtually no land use restrictions, will encourage suburban sprawl and development north of the river.[15]

References

  1. ^ "Average Daily Traffic on Oregon's Interstate Highways 1954–2004" (PDF). Oregon Department of Transportation. May 102006. p. 2. Retrieved 2007-08-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ Holstine, Craig E. (2005). Spanning Washington : Historic Highway Bridges of the Evergreen State. Washington State University Press. pp. 103–104. ISBN 0-87422-281-8.
  3. ^ Wood, Sharon (2001). The Portland Bridge Book. Oregon Historical Society. ISBN 0-87595-211-9.
  4. ^ a b c d e Horner, John B. (1919). "Oregon: Her History, Her Great Men, Her Literature". The J.K. Gill Co.: Portland.
  5. ^ a b Dorpat, Paul (1998). Building Washington: A History of Washington State Public Works. Tartu Publications. pp. pp. 111-112. ISBN 0-9614357-9-8. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ "Interstate Bridges Electrical Upgrade". Oregon Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2006-11-05.
  7. ^ Smith, Dwight A. (1989). Historic Highway Bridges of Oregon. Oregon Historical Society Press. p. 209. ISBN 0-87595-205-4. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ I-5 Partnership. "Regional Economic Effects of the I-5 Corridor: Columbia River Crossing Transportation Choke Points" (PDF). Retrieved 2006-11-05. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ Mayer, James (November 22, 2006). "Columbia bridge advice: Scrap the old, build new". The Oregonian. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ Rivera, Dylan (May 28, 2008). "Charge tolls first, then maybe build a bridge, Metro councilors say". The Oregonian. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. ^ "Preliminary Alternative Packages". Columbia River Crossing. Retrieved 2006-11-05.
  12. ^ Columbia River Crossing Project (2006). "Fall 2006 Newsletter" (PDF). Retrieved 2006-11-05. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  13. ^ "State of the City". City of Vancouver. January 23, 2007. Retrieved 2007-01-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ^ McCall, William (2007-12-04). "Ore.: Governor urges new bridge". Houston Chronicle. Associated Press. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ "Bridge to Disaster". The Portland Mercury. March 19, 2008. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

External links

Template:Portland Freeways

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