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 . I-5 on the American side joins BC Highway 99 on the Canadian side. Being the most direct route between the major cities of Seattle , Washington and Vancouver , British Columbia, the crossing is the third-busiest on the border with up to 4,800 cars a day. Trucks and other commercial vehicles are prohibited from this location and use the Pacific Highway Border Crossing , which is 1.6 kilometres (1 mi) eastward.
9-588: In 1882, the initial border station was established at Elgin on the Nicomekl River about 9 kilometres (6 mi) northwest of the present crossing. The river was the only route for vessels serving the area. When the Semiahmoo Trail opened for vehicular traffic, a New Westminster–Blaine stage service was established. The opening of the New Westminster and Southern Railway in 1891 relocated the border station to
18-496: A site at Douglas about 300 metres (984 ft) west of the present Pacific Highway Border Crossing . The customs office was in the train station. When the Great Northern Railway relocated its track via White Rock in 1909, the border station moved westward to the present location near the foreshore. The Port of White Rock provided administrative customs oversight. Oversight passed to New Westminster in 1927 and then to
27-595: Is done at Pacific Central Station 's US border preclearance facility. Nicomekl River The Nicomekl River springs from the ground in Langley, British Columbia and travels west through the city to Surrey 's Crescent Beach, where it empties into Mud Bay, the northernmost section of the Boundary Bay of the Strait of Georgia . It has a total length of 34 km, with a drainage area of 149 km . The word Nicomekl
36-649: Is from the Halq'emeylem used by the Stó:lō people, meaning "the route to go" or "the pathway." The area from Mud Bay, British Columbia along the Nicomekl river, and portage area to the Salmon River and Derby, British Columbia was once occupied by Snokomish people, who were largely wiped out by a smallpox epidemic in the 18th century. Surviving members joined the surrounding Kwantlen , Katzie and Semiahmoo peoples. The river
45-423: The Nicomekl as thick with willows and with low banks "well wooded with pine, cedar, alder and some other trees." Work also noted signs of there being numerous beavers on the river. Nicomekl was more navigable than other nearby rivers making it important to Surrey pioneers. In 1911, Surrey council barred navigation up the Nicomekl and Serpentine rivers due to construction of dams to reclaim land. This ended use of
54-508: The Port of Pacific Highway in 1932. Canada built a large wooden border station in 1929, being replaced by a concrete structure in 1952. Enlargements were made in 1963. The present facility, which opened in 2009, included an increase in the number of lanes from seven to ten. Between the two border stations sits the Peace Arch Park , where visitors are free to cross the border within the confines of
63-502: The park. The Peace Arch was erected in 1921 when a hotel and residences occupied much of the later park area. In 2010, the only time the Olympic torch left Canada was in crossing the border into the US side of the park. The original 1920s-era brick building underwent a major rebuild in 1979. The General Services Administration constructed the new state-of-the-art facility which opened in 2010 but
72-622: Was first documented in writing on December 13, 1824, when James McMillan's Hudson's Bay Company expedition used the Nicomekl River to travel inland. They went up the Nikomekl to the portage area to the Salmon River which connected to the Fraser River 50 miles inland. McMillan built the first Fort Langley at that location two and a half years later. John Work, a clerk with the party, described
81-532: Was officially dedicated the next year. Wait times can be up to four hours; traffic lights exist on the southbound lane, with timers showing when the light will turn green so drivers can turn off engines. US Border Agents from the Peace Arch Border Crossing meet Amtrak Cascades southbound trains to process declarations and finalize passengers' admission to the United States, although much of the work
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