About the Interstate Bridge
The critical I-5 crossing that connects Oregon and Washington—and why it matters when the bridge goes up.
The Problem
The Interstate Bridge is a vertical-lift bridge—one of the few lift bridges on the entire Interstate Highway System. When a vessel too tall to pass under the fixed 72-foot clearance needs to travel upriver, both spans of I-5 must be raised, completely stopping all northbound and southbound traffic on one of the West Coast's most critical freight corridors.
Each lift lasts approximately 10 minutes, but the resulting traffic backup can take 20-30 minutes or longer to clear, especially during busy periods. With an average of 250 lifts per year—and some years seeing as many as 480 lifts—delays are a regular frustration for the 138,000 daily commuters, freight haulers, and travelers who depend on this crossing.
By federal law, marine traffic has right-of-way outside of restricted hours. Lifts are prohibited during peak commute times (6:30-9 AM and 2:30-6 PM on weekdays), but can occur at any other time—often clustering right after the morning restriction ends.
The bridge's narrow 10-foot lanes (modern standards call for 12 feet), lack of shoulders, and aging infrastructure contribute to a crash rate three times higher than comparable urban interstates. Any accident or stall blocks lanes entirely, compounding delays.
A Century of History
Before the Interstate Bridge, crossing the Columbia River between Portland and Vancouver meant ferries, rowboats, or in winter, sometimes walking across ice—a journey that claimed at least one life. The opening of the bridge on Valentine's Day 1917 was celebrated by up to 50,000 people, the largest crowd Vancouver had ever seen.
The Replacement Program
The Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) Program is a joint effort by Oregon and Washington to replace the aging crossing with a modern, seismically resilient, multimodal structure. The current bridges sit on wooden pilings in sandy, liquefiable soil—engineers warn they would likely collapse in a major earthquake.
The proposed replacement is a fixed-span bridge with 116 feet of clearance, eliminating the need for lift spans entirely. This would end traffic stoppages for marine vessels while improving safety, capacity, and earthquake resilience.
Project funding secured: $2.1 billion in federal grants, plus $1 billion committed by Oregon and Washington. Total project cost is estimated to exceed $6 billion, with construction expected to begin in 2026 and take up to 15 years to complete.
The new bridge will include dedicated light rail transit connecting Portland's MAX system to Vancouver, improved pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and modern freight capacity to support the I-5 corridor's role as a critical West Coast trade route.
Why This Monitor Exists
Until the replacement bridge is built, the lift spans will continue to operate—and traffic will continue to stop. For commuters, truckers, and anyone trying to plan a trip across the river, knowing when a lift is happening (or about to happen) can mean the difference between a smooth crossing and a 30-minute delay.
This monitor provides real-time bridge status using official WSDOT data, along with traffic conditions, lift history, and duration estimates. Our goal is simple: help you know before you go.
In the future, we plan to offer SMS alerts so you can receive instant notifications when a bridge lift begins—giving you time to adjust your route or wait it out.
Check Current Bridge Status
See real-time lift status, traffic conditions, and recent lift history.