The Pacific Highway Border Crossing connects the town of

Blaine, Washington Blaine is a city in Whatcom County, Washington, United States. The city's northern boundary is the Canada–U.S. border; the Peace Arch international monument straddles the border of both countries. The population was 5,884 at the 2020 census. ...

and the city of

Surrey, British Columbia Surrey is a city in British Columbia, Canada. It is located south of the Fraser River on the Canada–United States border. It is a member municipality of the Metro Vancouver regional district and metropolitan area. Mainly a suburban city, Surr ...

on the Canada–US border.

Interstate 5 Interstate 5 (I-5) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific coast of the contiguous U.S. from Mexico to Canada. It travels through the states of Califor ...

/Washington State Route 543 on the American side joins

British Columbia Highway 15 Highway 15 (BC 15), known locally as the Pacific Highway, is a north–south highway primarily located in the City of Surrey, British Columbia. The southern terminus is with Interstate 5 (I-5) near Blaine, Washington, as State Route 543 ( ...

on the Canadian side. Since the 1970s, commercial vehicles driving directly between Blaine and Surrey have been required to use this route, one of the five busiest commercial US-Canada border crossings.

Canadian side

On the 1891 opening of the New Westminster and Southern Railway, controlled by the Great Northern Railway (GN), a border inspection station was established about west of the present crossing. When the GN relocated its track via White Rock in 1909, the border station moved westward creating the present

Peace Arch Border Crossing The Peace Arch Border Crossing is the common name for the Blaine–Douglas crossing which connects the cities of Blaine, Washington and Surrey, British Columbia on the Canada–United States border. I5 on the American side joins BC Highway 99 ...

. In 1913, a road was built along the former GN right-of-way (present Highway 15) to connect with the Yale Road (present Fraser Highway), which created an important road link between Vancouver and the border. That year, A.K. Westland became the inaugural officer at this new port of entry. He operated from a tent at the side of the road, which was replaced months later by a gabled wooden building. In 1923, an official ceremony commemorated the cement surfacing of the Canadian section of the Pacific Highway. To handle increased traffic through the crossing, the customs office was enlarged, which included a two-bedroom upstairs suite. Vehicle crash damage to the closed gates, which barred entry from midnight to 8am, led to their replacement with sensors. In 1937, the customs and immigration building was replaced by a Tudor-revival style structure. By 1944, this was the third busiest crossing in Canada. In 1953, a freight warehouse, truck bays and bus terminal were added. The 1937 building continued to handle auto traffic prior to replacement in 1986. The Port of New Westminster provided administrative oversight until the status was upgraded to an independent port in 1938. A vehicle inspection discovered of cocaine in 2008, in 2009, in 2013, in 2016, and (million) in 2021. In 2022, protesting truck drivers seeking to end public health measures related to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

blockaded the crossing for a few days.

US side

The initial border office occupied a residence. In 1915, the 24-hour office at the present Peace Arch site was closed and service at the Pacific Highway site extended to around 18 hours daily. The US operated out of large industrial building until a brick Georgian-revival border station was built in 1931. The crossing remained closed at weekends. The current facility was built in 1987. In 2012, the

NEXUS NEXUS is a joint Canada Border Services Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection-operated Trusted Traveler and Border control#Expedited border controls, expedited border control program designed for pre-approved, low-risk travelers. Members ...

hours were extended, becoming 6am to 9pm.

Gallery

Pacific Highway border crossing 1921.jpg, Pacific Highway
Canadian station, 1921 Blaine_Pacific_Highway_border_station_1931.jpg, Pacific Highway
US border station, 1931 Entering USA at Blaine WA 1973.jpg, Pacific Highway
US border station, 1973

References

{{reflist Canada–United States border crossings 1913 establishments in British Columbia 1913 establishments in Washington (state)

Canadian side

US side

Gallery

See also

References