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Interstate 5 in
Washington stretches along the nearly
1,400 miles of the western coast of the
United States. I-5's odd number indicates
that the traffic flows north and south. Built
mostly in the 1960s, I-5 gradually replaced US-99 as the main north-south artery on the
West Coast. As the only highway spanning from
the
Canadian to the
Mexican border, I-5 connects all of the
major centers of population along the western
seaboard.
Canada's BC Provincial
Highway 99 (named to coincide with
US-99, I-5's predecessor) becomes Interstate
5's northern boundary at the U.S. border in
Blaine, Washington.
Peace Arch greets the border between the two
countries, symbolizing their friendship. This
white marble monument, found partially within
the U.S. and in Canada, features the caption:
"Brethren Together in Unity", on the Canadian
side. The U.S. side bears the phrase: "Children
of a Common Mother".
Beginning in
Blaine, WA, Interstate 5 goes on to span
nearly 280 miles of the state. Traveling south,
the next large city is
Bellingham, known for its pulp and paper
industries and as the place where tourists can
drive directly onto a ferry bound for
Alaska. I-5 continues to unfold along the
eastern shores of
Puget Sound to the cities of
Everett and
Seattle, home of the
Space Needle and the
Seattle Seahawks. Renowned for its
innovative
Naval Station, Everett also features views
of the stunning
Cascade mountain range. Although dormant for
hundreds of years, the Cascade's are classified
as volcanic mountains. I-5 passes right through
the middle of
Seattle's metro area with the
Washington Convention Center building
directly over the freeway. Tacoma comes next,
where majestic
Mt. Rainier stands proud in the distance.
Then I-5 passes by the state Capitol
dome in Olympia and extends through
Kelso to Vancouver at the Washington state
line.
From
Vancouver, Washington, the Columbia River's Interstate 5 Bridge leads
into
Oregon. Spanning over 300 miles of Oregon,
cities such as
Portland,
Salem,
Eugene and
Medford provide easy access for travelers to
explore this picturesque state. Next, I-5 covers
nearly 800 miles through
California, coinciding with
Redding,
Sacramento,
Los Angeles and
San Diego. Finally, the border between the
U.S. and
Mexico at
Tijuana is I-5's southern boundary, where
the highway becomes Mexico Route-1D. Due to the
commuter and commercial traffic, this border is
renowned as the busiest international crossing
in the country.
Interstate 5 in
Washington shaped the western portion of the
state and the majority of the American west
coast, evidenced by the majority of large cities
found along the highway's route. This
magnificent freeway, generally six lanes and up
to as many as twenty-two lanes wide (in
California), has generated the need for Internet
accessible traffic cameras for the use of
travelers. At times congested but always scenic,
I-5 is an ideal route for traveling the eastern
seaboard.
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