Pacific Highway Border Crossing


The Pacific Highway Border Crossing connects the towns of Blaine, Washington and Surrey, British Columbia on the Canada-United States border, and is located on the Pacific Highway, which runs from San Diego, California to Vancouver, British Columbia. The crossing was opened in 1913 as a dirt-road alternative to the Peace Arch Border Crossing, and became more popular when it was paved in 1923. As the highway passes through the crossing, it is known as British Columbia Highway 15 on the Canadian side and Washington State Route 543 on the American side. All commercial vehicles traveling between Blaine and Surrey are required to use this crossing, a policy established in the 1970s. This means that for the purposes of commercial traffic, it is the northern terminus of the Interstate 5 corridor. It is one of the five busiest commercial US-Canada border crossings.

History

When the crossing opened in 1913, Canada border inspectors operated out of tents until proper offices could be constructed. They resided in a gabled wooden building until a new border station, built in a Tudor-revival style, was completed in 1935. Canada built its current facility in 1986.
The US operated out of large industrial building until a brick Georgian-revival border station was built in 1931. It was used until the current facility was built in 1987.