Washington State Route 543
State Route 543 | |
|---|---|
 BC 15 and SR 543 highlighted in red | |
| Route information | |
| Defined by RCW 47.17.797 | |
| Maintained by WSDOT | |
| Length | 1.09 mi[1] (1.75 km) |
| Existed | 1964–present |
| Major junctions | |
| South end |  I-5 in Blaine, Washington |
| North end |  Hwy 15 at the Canada–US border |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| Highway system | |
State Route 543 (SR 543) is a 1.09-mile-long (1.75 km) connector between I-5 and the Canada–US border, linking with BC 15.The southern terminus is with Interstate 5 (I-5) near Blaine, Washington. Over 3,000 trucks per day pass through the border crossing along SR 543 and BC 15,[2] because the Peace Arch border crossing does not allow commercial trucks.
Route description
SR 543 is a short highway entirely within the city of Blaine, Washington, that connects I-5 with the Canada–United States border. It begins at an interchange with I-5 with access only from the south and travels north through an industrial area with three lanes—two that run northbound and one southbound.[3] The highway passes between Blaine High School and the former municipal airport with signalized intersections at Boblett and H streets. From here, SR 543 widens to five lanes and passes under an interchange with D Street with interior ramps providing access to a residential area and non-border areas.[4][5]
As it approaches Canadian customs at the 24-hour Pacific Highway Border Crossing, the highway splits into several paths. Northbound traffic from the D Street interchange is directed into a NEXUS lane for passenger vehicles, while two lanes are used for general traffic and access to duty free stores. A set of lanes curve east and are used for buses and trucks that qualify for pre-clearance under the Free and Secure Trade program.[4][6] Southbound traffic entering the United States is split into a general queue and a truck route with holding lanes.[4] Border crossing times can become significantly delayed such as in the event of certain Seattle Mariners baseball games and summer holiday travel.[7] During the reconstruction of the Peace Arch border crossing, delays at the Pacific Highway crossing were similar to times seen right after the attacks of September 11.[8]
History
Prior to the current Washington route numbering system, this route was designated as Primary State Highway 1 Truck Route.[9] It ran east–west along D Street from US 99 to the Pacific Highway border crossing.[10] A 1.3-mile (2.1 km) expressway to serve the border crossing and connect it with I-5 was planned in the late 1960s to relocate truck traffic from city streets.[11] Construction of the new expressway was deferred in 1967 due to a federal cap on funds for highway projects.[12]
The relocation of SR 543 was approved by the Blaine city government in 1970 following negotiations with the state to add traffic signals.[13][14] The Great Northern Railway also proposed moving its tracks inland to the new truck route corridor, but those plans were shelved.[15][16] The new truck route opened on January 20, 1972, at a cost of $640,000.[17]
The Washington State Department of Transportation began reconstruction of SR 543 in May 2006 to expand the highway to five lanes between H Street and the border crossing. The existing truck lane was closed in October 2006 and was rebuilt to separate freight traffic from other vehicles accessing the border crossing and adjacent duty free store.[18][19] The truck lane reopened in December 2007 with access to a Free and Secure Trade lane for pre-approved commercial vehicles. The roadbed of SR 543 was lowered by 25 feet (7.6 m) to accommodate an overpass carrying D Street, which opened to traffic in November 2007. A full interchange at D Street opened on February 11, 2008, marking completion of the US$50.8 million project.[20][21]
Major intersections
The entire route is in Blaine, Whatcom County.
| mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.00 | 0.00 |  I-5 south – Bellingham, Seattle | Northbound entrance, southbound exit; SR 543 southern terminus | |||
| 0.82 | 1.32 | D Street – Blaine City Center | Interchange; northbound access for NEXUS passholders only | |||
| 1.09 | 1.75 | Canada–United States border–Pacific Highway Border Crossing | ||||
| Hwy 15 north | Continuation into Canada | |||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| ||||||
References
- ^ a b Strategic Planning and Programming Division (2007). State Highway Log: Planning Report (PDF) (Report). Washington State Department of Transportation. p. 1562. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 16, 2010. Retrieved August 17, 2008.
- ^ Blake, Abbey (November 20, 2004). "Omnibus Spending Bill Includes 2nd District Priorities" (Press release). Office of Representative Rick Larsen. Archived from the original on August 4, 2008. Retrieved August 17, 2008.
- ^ "Corridor Sketch Summary – I-5 & SR 543: I-5/SR 543 Jct (Blaine) to Canadian Border" (PDF). Washington State Department of Transportation. March 27, 2018. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
- ^ a b c Google (November 30, 2022). "Washington State Route 543" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
- ^ SR 543 lane configuration (Map). Washington State Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on February 14, 2010. Retrieved September 2, 2009.
- ^ "Directory of CBSA Offices and Services: Pacific Highway". Canada Border Services Agency. May 17, 2013. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
- ^ "Expect delays when traveling across the border this weekend". CKWX-AM. August 13, 2009. Archived from the original on August 20, 2009. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
- ^ Bolt, Kristen Millares (March 9, 2007). "Wait at Canadian border going from bad to brutal". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
- ^ Prahl, C. G. (December 2, 1965). "Identification of State Highways" (PDF). Washington State Highway Commission. Retrieved September 10, 2008.
- ^ "Blaine Men Are Chosen to Join Planners Group". The Bellingham Herald. June 16, 1964. p. 7. Retrieved November 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "The People of Interstate 5". Washington Highway News. Vol. 23, no. 1. Washington State Department of Highways. February 1972. p. 20. OCLC 29654162. Retrieved September 12, 2018 – via WSDOT Library Digital Collections.
- ^ "Local Highway Projects Delayed by Restrictions". The Bellingham Herald. January 13, 1967. p. A1. Retrieved February 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Blaine Accepts Truck Route". The Bellingham Herald. August 18, 1970. p. 10. Retrieved November 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Blaine wants truck route lights first". The Bellingham Herald. January 18, 1972. p. 1. Retrieved November 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "G.N. Track Move May Help White Rock, But Blaine Sees Problems". The Bellingham Herald. April 23, 1969. p. 5. Retrieved November 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "G.N. Says No Decision Yet on Tracks at Blaine". The Bellingham Herald. November 24, 1969. p. 4. Retrieved November 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Blaine Truck Route opens". The Bellingham Herald. January 20, 1972. p. 1. Retrieved November 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Truck crossing to close for widening". The Seattle Times. September 22, 2006. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
- ^ Fraley, Zoe (September 24, 2006). "Pacific Highway truck lane to close". The Bellingham Herald. p. C1. Retrieved November 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "SR 543 – I-5 to Canadian Border – Additional Lanes for Freight". Washington State Department of Transportation. July 2008. Archived from the original on July 24, 2008. Retrieved August 17, 2008.
- ^ "New SR 543 interchange ramps open Monday in Blaine" (Press release). Washington State Department of Transportation. February 8, 2008. Archived from the original on October 5, 2009. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
External links
