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Interstate 5 (I-5) is the main north–south
Interstate Highway The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. Th ...
on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the
Pacific coast Pacific coast may be used to reference any coastline that borders the Pacific Ocean. Geography Americas Countries on the western side of the Americas have a Pacific coast as their western or southwestern border, except for Panama, where the Pac ...
of the contiguous U.S. from Mexico to Canada. It travels through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, serving several large cities on the U.S. West Coast, including San Diego, Los Angeles, Sacramento,
Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
, and Seattle. It is the only continuous Interstate highway to touch both the
Mexican Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...
and the Canadian borders. Upon crossing the Mexican border at its southern terminus, I-5 continues to Tijuana, Baja California, as Mexico Federal Highway 1 (Fed. 1). Upon crossing the Canadian border at its northern terminus, it continues to Vancouver as British Columbia Highway 99 (BC 99). I-5 was originally created in 1956 as part of the Interstate Highway System, but it was predated by several auto trails and highways built in the early 20th century. The Pacific Highway auto trail was built in the 1910s and 1920s by the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, and was later incorporated into U.S. Route 99 (US 99) in 1926. I-5 largely follows the route of US 99, with the exception of portions south of Los Angeles and in the Central Valley of California. The freeway was built in segments between 1956 and 1978, including expressway sections of US 99 that were built earlier to bypass various towns along the route. US 99 was removed in 1972.


Route description

, - , CA , , - , OR , , - , WA , , - , Total ,


California

The southern terminus of I-5 is at the Mexican border at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the busiest land border crossing in the Western Hemisphere; the crossing handles a daily average of 70,000 vehicles and 20,000 pedestrians crossing northbound and connects with
Mexican Federal Highway 1 Federal Highway 1 ( es, Carretera Federal 1, Fed. 1) is a free (libre) part of the federal highway corridors () of Mexico, and the highway follows the length of the Baja California Peninsula from Tijuana, Baja California, in the north to ...
in Tijuana. The freeway splits in San Diego's
San Ysidro San Ysidro (Spanish for " St. Isidore", ) is a district of the City of San Diego, immediately north of the Mexico–United States border. It neighbors Otay Mesa West to the north, Otay Mesa to the east, and Nestor and the Tijuana River Valley t ...
neighborhood, with I-5 traveling northwest through Chula Vista and National City on the John J. Montgomery Freeway and
I-805 Interstate 805 (I-805) is a major north–south List of auxiliary Interstate Highways, auxiliary Interstate Highway in Southern California. It is a bypass (road), bypass auxiliary route of Interstate 5 in California, I-5, running roughly th ...
serving the eastern neighborhoods. I-5 follows the shore of
San Diego Bay San Diego Bay is a natural harbor and deepwater port located in San Diego County, California near the U.S.–Mexico border. The bay, which is long and wide, is the third largest of the three large, protected natural bays on California's of c ...
and intersects State Route 15 (a continuation of
I-15 I15 may refer to: * Interstate 15, a north–south Interstate Highway in the United States of America * Polikarpov I-15, a Soviet fighter aircraft * I15 (band) "Soulja Girl" is the second single from American rapper Soulja Boy's studio album '' ...
) near
Naval Station San Diego Naval Base San Diego, also known as 32nd Street Naval Station, is the second largest surface ship base of the United States Navy and is located in San Diego, California. Naval Base San Diego is the principal homeport of the Pacific Fleet, cons ...
. The freeway then travels around
Downtown San Diego Downtown San Diego is the city center of San Diego, California, the eighth largest city in the United States. In 2010, the Centre City area had a population of more than 28,000. Downtown San Diego serves as the cultural and financial center and ...
and San Diego International Airport before reaching a junction with I-8. I-5 bisects the University of California, San Diego campus, merging with I-805 nearby, and follows the Pacific coastline through the
northern suburbs Northern Sydney is a large metropolitan area in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on the north shore of Sydney Harbour and Parramatta River. The region embraces suburbs in Sydney’s north-east, north and inner north west. Northern Sydney ...
of San Diego. Between Oceanside and San Clemente, an stretch of the San Diego Freeway passes through Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton before entering
Orange County Orange County most commonly refers to: *Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area Orange County may also refer to: U.S. counties *Orange County, Florida, containing Orlando *Orange County, Indiana *Orange County, New ...
. At Dana Point, I-5 turns inland and heads north through Mission Viejo to the El Toro Y interchange in
Irvine Irvine may refer to: Places On Earth Antarctica *Irvine Glacier *Mount Irvine (Antarctica) Australia *Irvine Island *Mount Irvine, New South Wales Canada *Irvine, Alberta * Irvine Inlet, Nunavut United Kingdom *Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotla ...
, where
I-405 Interstate 405 may refer to: * Interstate 405 (California), a bypass of Los Angeles, California * Interstate 405 (Oregon) Interstate 405 (I-405), also known as the Stadium Freeway No. 61, is a short north–south Interstate Highway in Portl ...
splits and carries the San Diego Freeway designation. I-5 continues northwest as the Santa Ana Freeway through several Orange County and
Los Angeles County Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles, and sometimes abbreviated as L.A. County, is the most populous county in the United States and in the U.S. state of California, with 9,861,224 residents estimated as of 2022. It is the ...
suburbs and passes near Disneyland in
Anaheim Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the 10th-most p ...
. The freeway intersects I-605 in
Downey Downey may refer to: People *Downey (surname) *Robert Downey Jr. Places *Downey, California, US *Downey, Idaho, US *Downey, Iowa, US Businesses *W. & D. Downey, photographic studio *Downey Studios, created out of a former Boeing plant Schools * ...
and
I-710 Route 710, consisting of the non-contiguous segments of State Route 710 (SR 710) and Interstate 710 (I-710), is a major north–south state highway and List of auxiliary Interstate Highways, auxiliary Interstate Highway in th ...
in Commerce before reaching the city of Los Angeles. Southern Californians often refer to I-5 as "the 5" or as the Santa Ana Freeway in the Los Angeles area. At the East Los Angeles Interchange near
Downtown Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA) contains the central business district of Los Angeles. In addition, it contains a diverse residential area of some 85,000 people, and covers . A 2013 study found that the district is home to over 500,000 jobs. It is ...
, I-5 intersects US 101 and begins a short
concurrency Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to: Law * Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea'' * Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...
with
I-10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost cross-country highway in the American Interstate Highway System. I-10 is the fourth-longest Interstate in the United States at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. This freeway is part of the originally pl ...
on a section of the Golden State Freeway. The freeway splits from I-10 and turns northwest to follow the Los Angeles River through
Glendale Glendale is the anglicised version of the Gaelic Gleann Dail, which means ''valley of fertile, low-lying arable land''. It may refer to: Places Australia * Glendale, New South Wales ** Stockland Glendale, a shopping centre *Glendale, Queensland, ...
and into
Burbank Burbank may refer to: Places Australia * Burbank, Queensland, a suburb in Brisbane United States * Burbank, California, a city in Los Angeles County * Burbank, Santa Clara County, California, a census-designated place * Burbank, Illinois, ...
. I-5 then leaves the river and travels across the
San Fernando Valley The San Fernando Valley, known locally as the Valley, is an urbanized valley in Los Angeles County, California. Located to the north of the Los Angeles Basin, it contains a large portion of the City of Los Angeles, as well as unincorporated ar ...
, later crossing the Newhall Pass through the Santa Susana Mountains to reach the Santa Clarita Valley; the Newhall Pass interchange with State Route 14 is notable for having separate lanes for truck traffic. The freeway passes the city of Santa Clarita and ascends into the Sierra Pelona Mountains, where the northbound and southbound lanes separate and cross sides for approximately . The northbound ascent includes a continuous 5 percent grade for . After passing Pyramid Lake, I-5 makes several turns as it follows a series of narrow valleys to reach the second-highest point of its entire length,
Tejon Pass The Tejon Pass , previously known as ''Portezuelo de Cortes'', ''Portezuela de Castac'', and Fort Tejon Pass is a mountain pass between the southwest end of the Tehachapi Mountains and northeastern San Emigdio Mountains, linking Southern Californ ...
(elevation ) in the Tehachapi Mountains. The freeway then traverses the narrow Grapevine Canyon and descends for into the San Joaquin Valley. At
Wheeler Ridge Wheeler Ridge is an unincorporated area, unincorporated community in the southwestern San Joaquin Valley, within Kern County, California, Kern County, California. It is at the junction of the valley floor and the Wheeler Ridge landform of the Te ...
near the south end of the valley, State Route 99 splits from the freeway to serve
Bakersfield Bakersfield is a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is the county seat and largest city of Kern County. The city covers about near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Valley region. Bakersfield's populat ...
and other major cities in the Central Valley, while I-5 stays to the west. Now named the West Side Freeway, I-5 travels northwest along the edge of the Central Valley through farmland and avoids populated areas. The freeway is connected to several of the valley's main cities, including Fresno,
Merced Merced (; Spanish for "Mercy") is a city in, and the county seat of, Merced County, California, United States, in the San Joaquin Valley. As of the 2020 Census, the city had a population of 86,333, up from 78,958 in 2010. Incorporated on April 1 ...
, and
Modesto Modesto () is the county seat and largest city of Stanislaus County, California, United States. With a population of 218,464 at the 2020 census, it is the 19th largest city in the state of California and forms part of the Sacramento-Stockton- ...
, by other highways. Near Tracy, I-580 splits from I-5 to provide the first of several connections to the San Francisco Bay Area;
I-205 Interstate 205 may refer to either of two unconnected Interstate Highways in the United States, both of which are related to Interstate 5 * Interstate 205 (California), a connector in the San Francisco Bay Area * Interstate 205 (Oregon–Washingt ...
northeast of Tracy also provides a connection through I-580. The freeway continues north through
Stockton Stockton may refer to: Places Australia * Stockton, New South Wales * Stockton, Queensland, a locality in the Cassowary Coast Region New Zealand *Stockton, New Zealand United Kingdom *Stockton, Cheshire *Stockton, Norfolk *Stockton, Chirbu ...
to Sacramento, where it follows the Sacramento River through the southern suburbs and along the edge of
downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business distric ...
. I-5 intersects two transcontinental highways in the Sacramento area: US 50 (and unsigned I-305) south of downtown and I-80 in the northern suburbs. After an unsigned concurrency with State Route 99 in northern Sacramento, the freeway turns west to pass the city's airport and resumes its northwestern path at Woodland. It then intersects I-505, another Bay Area connector, near Dunnigan. The freeway continues north along the western edge of the
Sacramento Valley , photo =Sacramento Riverfront.jpg , photo_caption= Sacramento , map_image=Map california central valley.jpg , map_caption= The Central Valley of California , location = California, United States , coordinates = , boundaries = Sierra Nevada (ea ...
, passing through farmland and several small towns before reaching the end of the valley at Red Bluff. I-5 then traverses the rugged
Shasta Cascade The Shasta Cascade region of California is located in the northeastern and north-central sections of the state bordering Oregon and Nevada, including far northern parts of the Central Valley and the Sierra Nevada mountain range. History Ind ...
region, passing through Redding and crossing Shasta Lake before beginning its ascent towards Mount Shasta. The freeway follows the Sacramento River upstream to the southwestern slopes of the mountain and turns northwest to reach Weed, where it intersects US 97, a major highway serving the Inland Northwest region. I-5 continues through
Yreka Yreka ( ) is the county seat of Siskiyou County, California, United States, near the Shasta River; the city has an area of about , most of it land. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 7,807, reflecting a meager increase fro ...
in the
Shasta Valley Shasta or Shastan may refer to: Native American * Shasta Costa, a people group native to southwestern Oregon * Shasta language, extinct language of the Shasta people * Shasta people, a people group native to northern California and southern Ore ...
and follows the
Klamath River The Klamath River (Karuk: ''Ishkêesh'', Klamath: ''Koke'', Yurok: ''Hehlkeek 'We-Roy'') flows through Oregon and northern California in the United States, emptying into the Pacific Ocean. By average discharge, the Klamath is the second larges ...
into the Siskiyou Mountains, where it crosses into Oregon.


Oregon

I-5 enters Oregon near Siskiyou Summit, which sits at and is the highest point on the highway. From the summit, I-5 descends by over at a 6 percent grade to reach the Rogue Valley. The freeway passes through Ashland and Medford, running parallel to Oregon Route 99, and turns west to follow the Rogue River to Grants Pass, where it intersects US 199. I-5 then turns north and crosses a series of passes in the Klamath Mountains to reach the Umpqua Valley, where it follows the
South Umpqua River The South Umpqua River is a tributary of the Umpqua River, approximately long, in southwestern Oregon in the United States. It drains part of the Cascade Range east of Roseburg. The river passes through a remote canyon in its upper reaches then ...
to Roseburg. The highway enters the Willamette Valley near Cottage Grove and forms the boundary between the cities of
Eugene Eugene may refer to: People and fictional characters * Eugene (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Eugene (actress) (born 1981), Kim Yoo-jin, South Korean actress and former member of the sin ...
and
Springfield Springfield may refer to: * Springfield (toponym), the place name in general Places and locations Australia * Springfield, New South Wales (Central Coast) * Springfield, New South Wales (Snowy Monaro Regional Council) * Springfield, Queenslan ...
. After crossing the Willamette River, I-5 intersects Oregon Route 126, which carries
I-105 Interstate 105 may refer to either any of three unconnected Interstate Highways in the United States, each of which is or was related to Interstate 5: * Interstate 105 (California), a spur of Interstate 5 in Los Angeles County, California * Inte ...
, and Oregon Route 569; both highways provide connections to Eugene and Springfield. I-5 then travels due north through farmland on the east side of the Willamette River, passing a junction with US 20 in Albany, and bisects eastern
Salem Salem may refer to: Places Canada Ontario * Bruce County ** Salem, Arran–Elderslie, Ontario, in the municipality of Arran–Elderslie ** Salem, South Bruce, Ontario, in the municipality of South Bruce * Salem, Dufferin County, Ontario, part ...
near the state capitol campus. It is connected to downtown Salem by Oregon Route 22 and the
Salem Parkway Salem Parkway may refer to: * Oregon Route 99E Business * Salem Parkway (North Carolina) {{roaddis ...
, which joins I-5 as the freeway crosses the 45th parallel near Keizer. From Salem, I-5 turns northeast and passes Woodburn before crossing the Willamette River on the Boone Bridge in Wilsonville, at the south end of the Portland metropolitan area. The freeway travels through the southern suburbs of
Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
, intersecting
I-205 Interstate 205 may refer to either of two unconnected Interstate Highways in the United States, both of which are related to Interstate 5 * Interstate 205 (California), a connector in the San Francisco Bay Area * Interstate 205 (Oregon–Washingt ...
in Tualatin and Oregon Route 217 in Tigard before entering the city proper. I-5 then turns northeast to follow
Barbur Boulevard Oregon Route 99W is a state-numbered route in Oregon, United States, that runs from OR 99 and OR 99E in Junction City north to I-5 in southwestern Portland. Some signage continues it north to US 26 near downtown, but most signage agrees with t ...
(part of Route 99W) and navigate the
Terwilliger curves The "Terwilliger curves" is the name given to a , six-lane section of Interstate 5 (I-5) in Portland, Oregon, known as one of the most dangerous stretches of highway in the state. Named for its physical characteristics and proximity to Terwi ...
. The freeway continues north through the South Waterfront neighborhood, crossing under the Portland Aerial Tram and the western approach to the
Ross Island Bridge The Ross Island Bridge is a cantilever truss bridge that spans the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon. It carries U.S. Route 26 (Mount Hood Highway) across the river between southwest and southeast Portland. The bridge opened in 1926 and was d ...
(carrying US 26) before reaching an interchange with
I-405 Interstate 405 may refer to: * Interstate 405 (California), a bypass of Los Angeles, California * Interstate 405 (Oregon) Interstate 405 (I-405), also known as the Stadium Freeway No. 61, is a short north–south Interstate Highway in Portl ...
. I-5 and I-405 form a complete loop around Downtown Portland, with I-5 crossing the Willamette River on the Marquam Bridge to run along the eastern riverfront. The freeway has interchanges with several major bridges crossing the Willamette, as well as the western terminus of
I-84 Interstate 84 may refer to: * Interstate 84 (Oregon–Utah), passing through Idaho, formerly known as Interstate 80N * Interstate 84 (Pennsylvania–Massachusetts) Interstate 84 (I-84) is an Interstate Highway in the Northeaster ...
near the
Oregon Convention Center The Oregon Convention Center is a convention center in Portland, Oregon. Completed in 1989 and opened in 1990, it is located on the east side of the Willamette River in the Lloyd District neighborhood. It is best known for the twin spire towers, ...
. From the I-84 interchange to a second junction with I-405 near the Fremont Bridge, I-5 is concurrent with US 30, which continues west towards Astoria. Through
North Portland North Portland is one of the six sextants of Portland, Oregon. North Portland is a diverse mixture of residential, commercial, and industrial areas. It includes the Portland International Raceway, the University of Portland, and massive cargo faci ...
, the freeway runs below street level until it crosses the
Columbia Slough The Columbia Slough is a narrow waterway, about long, in the floodplain of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Oregon. From its source in the Portland suburb of Fairview, the Columbia Slough meanders west through Gresham and Portland to ...
to bisect Delta Park. I-5 continues across
Hayden Island Hayden Island is an island in the Columbia River between Vancouver, Washington, and Portland, Oregon. The wide main channel of the Columbia (and the Washington–Oregon state line) passes north of the island. To the south, sheltered by the islan ...
to the
Interstate Bridge The Interstate Bridge (also Columbia River Interstate Bridge, I-5 Bridge, Portland-Vancouver Interstate Bridge, Vancouver-Portland Bridge) is a pair of nearly identical steel vertical-lift, Parker through-truss bridges that carry Interstate 5 ...
, a pair of vertical-lift bridges which carry the highway over the
Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, C ...
into Washington state.


Washington

The highway enters Vancouver at the north end of the Interstate Bridge and immediately intersects Washington State Route 14 near the
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site Fort Vancouver National Historic Site is a United States National Historic Site located in the states of Washington and Oregon. The National Historic Site consists of two units, one located on the site of Fort Vancouver in modern-day Vancouver ...
. The freeway passes near downtown Vancouver and continues north through the city's suburbs before being rejoined by I-205 at Salmon Creek. I-5 travels north along the Columbia River to Kelso and Longview, where it switches to following the Cowlitz River between the
Willapa Hills The Willapa Hills is a geologic, physiographic, and geographic region in southwest Washington. When described as a physiographical province, the Willapa Hills are bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Columbia River to the south, the Ol ...
and Cascade foothills. The freeway then turns northwest to traverse a prairie and the adjacent cities of
Chehalis Chehalis may refer to: People * Chehalis people, a Native American people of Washington state **Lower Chehalis language **Upper Chehalis language * Sts'Ailes people (Chehalis people), a First Nation in British Columbia * Chehalis First Nation, Bri ...
and Centralia while concurrent with US 12. I-5 continues north to a junction with US 101 in
Tumwater Tumwater is a town in Thurston County, Washington, United States. The population was 25,350 at the 2020 census. It is situated near where the Deschutes River enters Budd Inlet, the southernmost point of Puget Sound; it also borders the state ca ...
, near
Olympia The name Olympia may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * ''Olympia'' (1938 film), by Leni Riefenstahl, documenting the Berlin-hosted Olympic Games * ''Olympia'' (1998 film), about a Mexican soap opera star who pursues a career as an athlet ...
and the state capitol campus. The freeway skirts the southeast side of downtown Olympia and turns east to cross Joint Base Lewis–McChord (formerly Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base). I-5 then turns north to enter Tacoma but bends east to intersect
I-705 Interstate 705 (I-705, Tacoma Spur) is a short Interstate Highway that is a spur route of I-5 located entirely within Tacoma, Washington, United States. The freeway serves as the connector between I-5, Downtown Tacoma, Tacoma's waterfron ...
, a short spur into Downtown Tacoma. The freeway turns north again after leaving Tacoma and its nearby seaport near
Fife Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross (i ...
to traverse the suburbs of South King County. I-5 intersects its eastern bypass of Seattle,
I-405 Interstate 405 may refer to: * Interstate 405 (California), a bypass of Los Angeles, California * Interstate 405 (Oregon) Interstate 405 (I-405), also known as the Stadium Freeway No. 61, is a short north–south Interstate Highway in Portl ...
, in Tukwila near Seattle–Tacoma International Airport. The freeway generally follows the Green and
Duwamish Duwamish may refer to: * Duwamish tribe, a Native American tribe in Washington state * Duwamish River, in Washington state * Duwamish (fireboat), ''Duwamish'' (fireboat) See also * Elliott Bay, often called "Duwamish Bay" in the 19th century * Du ...
rivers into Seattle, passing Boeing Field and the industrial district in the process. I-5 intersects
I-90 Interstate 90 (I-90) is an east–west transcontinental freeway and the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It begins in Seattle, Washington, and travels through the Pacific Northwest, Mountain West, Great Plains, Midwest, and ...
near Seattle's Chinatown–International District on the south side of
Downtown Seattle Downtown is the central business district of Seattle, Washington. It is fairly compact compared with other city centers on the U.S. West Coast due to its geographical situation, being hemmed in on the north and east by hills, on the west by ...
. The freeway turns northwest and bisects Downtown Seattle in a trench, with some sections covered by
Freeway Park Freeway Park, officially known as Jim Ellis Freeway Park, is an urban park in Seattle, Washington, United States, connecting the city's downtown to the Washington State Convention Center and First Hill. The park sits atop a section of Interstat ...
and the
Washington State Convention Center The Seattle Convention Center (SCC), formerly the Washington State Convention Center (WSCC), is a convention center in Seattle, Washington, United States. It consists of several exhibition halls and meeting rooms in buildings along Pike Stree ...
. ​It then turns north to intersect
Washington State Route 520 State Route 520 (SR 520) is a state highway and freeway in the Seattle metropolitan area, part of the U.S. state of Washington. It runs from Seattle in the west to Redmond in the east. The freeway connects Seattle to the Eastside region ...
near
Eastlake Eastlake may refer to: Places ;Australia * Kingston, Australian Capital Territory, formerly called Eastlake ** Eastlake Football Club, an amateur Australian Rules Football Club named after that location ;United States * Eastlake, Lake County, C ...
and crosses the
Ship Canal Bridge The Ship Canal Bridge is a double-deck steel truss bridge that carries Interstate 5 (I-5) over Seattle's Portage Bay (part of the Lake Washington Ship Canal, after which it is named) between Capitol Hill and the University District. The ca ...
over
Portage Bay Portage Bay is a body of water, often thought of as the eastern arm of Lake Union, that forms a part of the Lake Washington Ship Canal in Seattle, Washington. To the east, Portage Bay is connected with Union Bay—a part of Lake Washington— ...
, which lies between
Lake Union Lake Union is a freshwater lake located entirely within the city limits of Seattle, Washington, United States. It is a major part of the Lake Washington Ship Canal, which carries fresh water from the much larger Lake Washington on the east to ...
and
Lake Washington Lake Washington is a large freshwater lake adjacent to the city of Seattle. It is the largest lake in King County and the second largest natural lake in the state of Washington, after Lake Chelan. It borders the cities of Seattle on the west, ...
. I-5 continues through northern Seattle, passing the
University District University District can refer to a location in the United States: *University District, Detroit, Michigan * University District, Columbus, Ohio *University District, San Bernardino, California *University District, Seattle The University District ...
near the University of Washington campus and Green Lake before leaving the city. The section between Downtown Seattle and Northgate includes a set of reversible express lanes that add extra capacity in the peak direction of travel. I-5 continues through the northern suburbs of Seattle and turns northeasterly in Lynnwood, where it is rejoined by I-405, which serves the Eastside region. The freeway travels north through Everett, skirting the city's downtown and intersecting US 2, and leaves the Seattle metropolitan area for the rural Skagit Valley. I-5 descends into the valley and travels through Mount Vernon and
Burlington Burlington may refer to: Places Canada Geography * Burlington, Newfoundland and Labrador * Burlington, Nova Scotia * Burlington, Ontario, the most populous city with the name "Burlington" * Burlington, Prince Edward Island * Burlington Bay, no ...
before climbing into the
Chuckanut Mountains The Chuckanut Mountains (from "Chuckanut", an Indian word meaning "long beach far from a narrow entrance"), or Chuckanuts, are located on the northern Washington (U.S. state), Washington state coast of the Salish Sea, just south of Bellingham, Was ...
, where it turns west towards Bellingham Bay (part of the Salish Sea). The freeway travels around downtown Bellingham and turns northwest to continue across the rural Fraser Lowland. I-5 terminates at the
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 ...
on the Canadian border, adjacent to the eponymous monument, in Blaine. The highway becomes British Columbia Highway 99, which continues northwest to Vancouver.


History

An extensive section of this highway (over ), from approximately Stockton, California, to Portland, Oregon, follows the track of the Siskiyou Trail. This trail was based on an older network of Native American footpaths connecting the Pacific Northwest with California's Central Valley. By the 1820s, trappers from the Hudson's Bay Company were the first non-Native Americans to use the route of today's I-5 to move between today's Washington state and California. During the second half of the 19th century, mule trains, stagecoaches, and the
Central Pacific railroad The Central Pacific Railroad (CPRR) was a rail company chartered by Pacific Railroad Acts, U.S. Congress in 1862 to build a railroad eastwards from Sacramento, California, to complete the western part of the "First transcontinental railroad" in N ...
also followed the route of the Siskiyou Trail. By the early 20th century, pioneering automobile roads were built along the path of the Siskiyou Trail, notably the Pacific Highway. The Pacific Highway ran from British Columbia to San Diego, California, and was the immediate predecessor of much of US 99. The route of US 99 was in turn used as a basis for much of the route of today's I-5. A major deviation from the old US 99 route is the Westside Freeway portion of I-5 in California's Central Valley. To provide a faster and more direct north–south route through the state, the decision was made to build a new freeway to the west and bypass Fresno, Bakersfield, and the rest of population centers in the area instead of upgrading the existing highway (which was re-designated as part of SR 99). This re-route through California's Central Valley was the last section of I-5 to be constructed, with the final segment dedicated and opened to traffic near Stockton, California, on October 12, 1979. Representatives from both Canada and Mexico attended the dedication to commemorate the first contiguous freeway connecting the North American countries. It cost an estimated $2.3 billion in 1979 dollars (equivalent to $ in dollars) to construct all of I-5. This direct route also bypasses San Francisco and the rest of the San Francisco Bay Area. Original plans called for a loop Interstate with a directional suffix, I-5W. This route now roughly corresponds to I-580 from I-5 south of Tracy to Oakland, I-80 from Oakland to
Vacaville Vacaville is a city located in Solano County in Northern California. Sitting approximately from Sacramento and from San Francisco, it is within the Sacramento Valley. As of the 2020 census, Vacaville had a population of 102,386, making it th ...
, and I-505 from Vacaville to I-5 near Dunnigan. I-5W and most of the other Interstates around the country with directional suffixes were eventually renumbered or eliminated. Nevertheless, San Francisco is still listed as a
control city A control city is a city, locality, or other location posted on a series of traffic signs along a particular stretch of road indicating destinations on that route. Together with route numbers and cardinal directions, these focal points aid the mo ...
on northbound I-5 between SR 99 and I-580. On May 23, 2013, a portion of a bridge on I-5 collapsed in Washington (near Mount Vernon, between Seattle and the Canada–US border at mile marker 228.3), sending two cars into the water and requiring traffic in both directions to bypass the crossing. The Washington State Department of Transportation used a temporary structure to restore access across the river while a permanent bridge replacement was built. That process was completed September 15, 2013. On December 18, 2017, an Amtrak train derailed on an overpass crossing I-5 near Tacoma, Washington, and blocked several lanes of traffic. The I-5 corridor forms part of the West Coast Electric Highway, a partnership between the states of California, Oregon, and Washington to build and maintain a network of
charging station A charging station, also known as a charge point or electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), is a piece of equipment that supplies electrical power for charging plug-in electric vehicles (including electric cars, electric trucks, electric ...
s for
electric vehicle An electric vehicle (EV) is a vehicle that uses one or more electric motors for propulsion. It can be powered by a collector system, with electricity from extravehicular sources, or it can be powered autonomously by a battery (sometimes cha ...
s. The pact was formed in 2009 and the first charging stations—spaced apart—opened in 2011. In 2019, the three states also broke ground on a similar charging network for electric trucks along I-5 called the West Coast Clean Transit Corridor Initiative. The program is a collaboration of nine utilities and two agencies representing municipal utilities, and aims to enable electric freight and delivery trucks to operate along the entire West Coast corridor.


Junction list

;California : at the Mexican border in
San Ysidro San Ysidro (Spanish for " St. Isidore", ) is a district of the City of San Diego, immediately north of the Mexico–United States border. It neighbors Otay Mesa West to the north, Otay Mesa to the east, and Nestor and the Tijuana River Valley t ...
: in San Ysidro : on the
Nestor Nestor may refer to: * Nestor (mythology), King of Pylos in Greek mythology Arts and entertainment * "Nestor" (''Ulysses'' episode) an episode in James Joyce's novel ''Ulysses'' * Nestor Studios, first-ever motion picture studio in Hollywood, L ...
–San Ysidro–
Otay Mesa West Otay Mesa West is a residential neighborhood in the southern section of San Diego. It borders Interstate 805 to the east, Interstate 5 to the west, and California State Route 905 to the south. It neighbors Ocean View Hills to the east, Nestor and ...
neighborhood line (future I-905) : on the Barrio LoganSouthcrestLogan Heights neighborhood line (future I-15) : in San Diego : in San Diego : in
Irvine Irvine may refer to: Places On Earth Antarctica *Irvine Glacier *Mount Irvine (Antarctica) Australia *Irvine Island *Mount Irvine, New South Wales Canada *Irvine, Alberta * Irvine Inlet, Nunavut United Kingdom *Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotla ...
: on the
Downey Downey may refer to: People *Downey (surname) *Robert Downey Jr. Places *Downey, California, US *Downey, Idaho, US *Downey, Iowa, US Businesses *W. & D. Downey, photographic studio *Downey Studios, created out of a former Boeing plant Schools * ...
Santa Fe Springs city line : in Commerce : in Los Angeles : in Boyle Heights. The highways travel concurrently through Boyle Heights. : on the Mission HillsGranada Hills neighborhood line : in
Sylmar Sylmar is a suburban neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley and is the northernmost neighborhood within the City of Los Angeles. Historically known for its profusion of sylvan olive orchards, Sylmar can trace its past to the 18th century and th ...
: in
Wheeler Ridge Wheeler Ridge is an unincorporated area, unincorporated community in the southwestern San Joaquin Valley, within Kern County, California, Kern County, California. It is at the junction of the valley floor and the Wheeler Ridge landform of the Te ...
(Former US 99, future I-7 or I-9) : southwest of Vernalis : south-southwest of Lathrop : in Sacramento : in Sacramento : south-southeast of Dunnigan : in Weed ;Oregon : east of Grants Pass : on the
Eugene Eugene may refer to: People and fictional characters * Eugene (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Eugene (actress) (born 1981), Kim Yoo-jin, South Korean actress and former member of the sin ...
Springfield Springfield may refer to: * Springfield (toponym), the place name in general Places and locations Australia * Springfield, New South Wales (Central Coast) * Springfield, New South Wales (Snowy Monaro Regional Council) * Springfield, Queenslan ...
city line : in Albany : in Tualatin : in
Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
: in Portland : in Portland. I-5/US 30 travels concurrently through Portland. : in Portland ;Washington : on the Salmon CreekMount Vista CDP line : south-southeast of Napavine. The highways travel concurrently to Grand Mound. : in
Tumwater Tumwater is a town in Thurston County, Washington, United States. The population was 25,350 at the 2020 census. It is situated near where the Deschutes River enters Budd Inlet, the southernmost point of Puget Sound; it also borders the state ca ...
: in Tacoma : in Tukwila : in Seattle : in Seattle : in Lynnwood : in Everett : at the Canada–US border in Blaine


Auxiliary routes

* San Diego, California—
I-805 Interstate 805 (I-805) is a major north–south List of auxiliary Interstate Highways, auxiliary Interstate Highway in Southern California. It is a bypass (road), bypass auxiliary route of Interstate 5 in California, I-5, running roughly th ...
* Los Angeles, California—
I-105 Interstate 105 may refer to either any of three unconnected Interstate Highways in the United States, each of which is or was related to Interstate 5: * Interstate 105 (California), a spur of Interstate 5 in Los Angeles County, California * Inte ...
* Los Angeles and Orange County, CaliforniaI-605 * Los Angeles and Orange County, California—
I-405 Interstate 405 may refer to: * Interstate 405 (California), a bypass of Los Angeles, California * Interstate 405 (Oregon) Interstate 405 (I-405), also known as the Stadium Freeway No. 61, is a short north–south Interstate Highway in Portl ...
*
Tracy, California Tracy is the second most populated city in San Joaquin County, California, San Joaquin County, California, United States. The population was 93,000 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Tracy is located inside a geographic triangle form ...
I-205 Interstate 205 may refer to either of two unconnected Interstate Highways in the United States, both of which are related to Interstate 5 * Interstate 205 (California), a connector in the San Francisco Bay Area * Interstate 205 (Oregon–Washingt ...
* Sacramento, CaliforniaI-305 (unsigned) * Zamora, CaliforniaI-505 *
Eugene, Oregon Eugene ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located at the southern end of the Willamette Valley, near the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast. As of the 2020 United States Census, Eu ...
I-105 Interstate 105 may refer to either any of three unconnected Interstate Highways in the United States, each of which is or was related to Interstate 5: * Interstate 105 (California), a spur of Interstate 5 in Los Angeles County, California * Inte ...
* Portland, Oregon
I-405 Interstate 405 may refer to: * Interstate 405 (California), a bypass of Los Angeles, California * Interstate 405 (Oregon) Interstate 405 (I-405), also known as the Stadium Freeway No. 61, is a short north–south Interstate Highway in Portl ...
* Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington
I-205 Interstate 205 may refer to either of two unconnected Interstate Highways in the United States, both of which are related to Interstate 5 * Interstate 205 (California), a connector in the San Francisco Bay Area * Interstate 205 (Oregon–Washingt ...
* Tacoma, Washington
I-705 Interstate 705 (I-705, Tacoma Spur) is a short Interstate Highway that is a spur route of I-5 located entirely within Tacoma, Washington, United States. The freeway serves as the connector between I-5, Downtown Tacoma, Tacoma's waterfron ...
* Seattle, Washington—
I-405 Interstate 405 may refer to: * Interstate 405 (California), a bypass of Los Angeles, California * Interstate 405 (Oregon) Interstate 405 (I-405), also known as the Stadium Freeway No. 61, is a short north–south Interstate Highway in Portl ...
I-5 will have a complete set of auxiliary routes (i.e. 105, 205, 305, 405, 505, 605, 705, 805, 905), with the completion of
I-905 State Route 905 (SR 905), also known as the Otay Mesa Freeway, is an state highway in San Diego, in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of California. It connects I-5 and I-805 in San Ysidro to the Mexican border at Otay Mesa. ...
in San Diego County. Currently, I-80 and
I-90 Interstate 90 (I-90) is an east–west transcontinental freeway and the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It begins in Seattle, Washington, and travels through the Pacific Northwest, Mountain West, Great Plains, Midwest, and ...
are the only two Interstates to have complete sets of auxiliary routes. Several routes, including I-305 and I-505 in Oregon, were planned but left unbuilt due to local opposition.


References


External links

*
Interstate 5
at the Interstate Guide {{DEFAULTSORT:I05 05 Interstate 05 05