The opening of the Interstate Bridge on February 14, 1917 was one of the biggest events in Vancouver history. Crowds of people, about 40,000, turned out to hear the speeches and watch the first automobiles go across the Columbia River on the 3,500-foot-long single span interstate bridge. Seven hundred cars lined Vancouver’s Washington Street, waiting to cross. It was a glorious event. For the first time motorists could travel on the Pacific Highway from Canada to Mexico and visa versa without having to get on a ferry.The bridge had its beginnings with a much heated discussion between the citizens of Vancouver, Washington and the citizens of Portland, Oregon. This led to a meeting of 25 businessmen from Portland and the members of the Vancouver Commercial Club on January 29, 1909. This meeting was held for the purpose of starting a movement to build an interstate bridge over the mighty Columbia River. They agreed to urge their respective state legislatures to appropriate $5,000 each for the initial surveys.
The Washington legislature passed the resolution, but it failed to get through the Oregon legislature. Not to be defeated, the members of the Vancouver Commercial Club raised an additional $2,500 and with this money (all in gold) more than 300 Vancouver citizens headed by a band and by Scottish bagpipers, invaded Portland, marching through the streets carrying banners. The banner at the head of the procession read: ‘We want the bridge and so do you. We’ve done our part…now you come through.’
Within a month the citizens of Portland had acquired the necessary funds to have the bridge survey started. Finally construction was started in March 1915. On February 15, 1917, the Interstate Bridge was open, heralding a new era of commerce. ‘With Iron Bands We Clasp Hands’ was the banner headline in the February 14, 1917 Columbian newspaper.
The northbound span is the original bridge, although it was altered from 1958-60 to include the humpback. Discussion of a second span started in 1948. The southbound span opened in 1958. The oldest of the I-5's twin spans is secured by Douglas fir logs "stuck in the mud" of the river. The 1948 Memorial Day flood almost topped the Interstate Bridge's support piers. Neither of the bridges support piers go to bedrock--just "stuck in the mud" of the Columbia River.