If you’ve ever sat in bumper-to-bumper traffic heading north out of Portland, you’ve probably spent more time staring at the Glenn L. Jackson Memorial Bridge than you ever intended. It’s huge. It’s gray. It spans the Columbia River with a sort of brutalist efficiency that defines the border between Oregon and Washington. But most people just call it the "I-205 Bridge." They don't think about the fact that they are driving on one of the largest segmental bridges in the entire country.
It’s just part of the commute.
Honestly, the "Glenn Jackson" is a bit of an engineering marvel hiding in plain sight. It’s not flashy like the St. Johns Bridge with its gothic spires, and it doesn't have the "will-it-fall-down-in-an-earthquake" anxiety of the nearby Interstate Bridge (I-5). It just works. Or at least, it works until a stalled car during rush hour turns the whole thing into a four-mile parking lot.
The Guy Behind the Name
Who was Glenn Jackson? He wasn't some long-dead pioneer or a ship captain. He was basically the king of Oregon’s roads for decades. He chaired the Oregon Transportation Commission for nearly 20 years. If a highway got paved in Oregon between the late 50s and the early 80s, Glenn Jackson probably had his hand on the checkbook.
The bridge was dedicated to him shortly after his death in 1980, while the structure was still under construction. It opened in December 1982. At the time, it was a massive relief for the region. Before this, everyone was crammed onto the I-5 bridge, which was already struggling to handle the explosion of suburban growth in Vancouver, Washington.
Why the Glenn L. Jackson Memorial Bridge is Different
Technically speaking, this thing is a twin-structure, segmental box girder bridge. That sounds like a mouthful, but it basically means it was built like a giant Lego set. Instead of pouring all the concrete in place over the water, engineers cast 2,600 individual segments on land.
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They hauled these massive chunks—some weighing up to 150 tons—out onto the river and hoisted them into place.
It’s a smart way to build because it’s faster and arguably more durable. It also allowed the bridge to have that distinct, low-slung profile that doesn't obstruct the view of Mount Hood too much on a clear day. The bridge stretches for about 11,750 feet. That is over two miles of concrete. When it opened, it was one of the longest bridges of its type in the world.
The Government Island Factor
One of the coolest, and weirder, parts of the Glenn L. Jackson Memorial Bridge is that it literally lands on an island in the middle of the river.
Government Island.
If you look down while driving, you’ll see dense trees and maybe some cattle. You can’t actually drive onto the island from the bridge—at least not if you’re a civilian. There are maintenance ramps, but for the most part, that island remains a strange, isolated wilderness sitting right beneath thousands of tons of steel and commuter rage. It’s mostly accessible by boat and serves as a state park. It’s a bizarre juxtaposition: the high-speed roar of I-205 overhead and a quiet, muddy island below where people go to camp and get away from the city.
The Commuter Struggle is Real
Let’s talk about the traffic. It’s the elephant in the room.
The Glenn L. Jackson Memorial Bridge carries about 150,000 vehicles a day. Sometimes more. Because it has eight lanes, people expect it to be fast. It isn't. The bridge acts as a massive funnel for people living in Clark County who work in Portland.
There’s a specific psychological phenomenon that happens on this bridge. Since it’s so long and wide, you feel like you should be going 70 mph. But then you hit the "hump" near the middle, and suddenly, everyone taps their brakes. The sun glare coming off the river in the morning (if you’re heading south) or the evening (heading north) can be absolutely blinding.
- Lane 1 (Far Left): Usually filled with people trying to do 80 who get very angry when someone does 60.
- The Middle Lanes: A chaotic mix of semi-trucks and minivans.
- The Right Lane: Constant merging from Airport Way or the SR-14 interchanges.
It’s a mess, but it’s a necessary mess. Without this bridge, the Portland-Vancouver economy would basically grind to a halt.
The Bike Path: Portland’s Best Kept Secret?
You might have noticed a fenced-in area in the center of the bridge. That’s the multi-use path.
You can actually walk or bike from Oregon to Washington right between the lanes of traffic. It’s loud. You’re surrounded by concrete walls and the sound of screaming engines. But the view? It’s arguably the best view of the Columbia River Gorge you can get without being in a boat or a plane.
On a clear day, Mount Hood looks like it’s sitting right at the end of the river. To the west, you can see the Portland skyline and the grain elevators. It’s not a "relaxing" walk, but it is an impressive one. Just don't expect a quiet stroll. The vibration of the heavy trucks makes the whole path feel like it’s humming.
Safety and the Big One
Since we live in the Pacific Northwest, everyone wants to know: will it survive the Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake?
The Glenn L. Jackson Memorial Bridge was built to 1970s and 80s standards. While it’s beefier than the I-5 bridge, it isn't invincible. ODOT (Oregon Department of Transportation) and WSDOT (Washington State Department of Transportation) have done various seismic retrofits over the years. They’ve added "stoppers" and reinforced bearings to keep the spans from sliding off the piers.
It’s probably one of the safer places to be compared to the older bridges downtown, but you still wouldn't want to be there when the Big One hits. The soil near the riverbanks is prone to liquefaction—basically turning into quicksand—which is the real threat to the bridge’s foundations.
Common Misconceptions
People get a few things wrong about this bridge all the time.
First, people think it’s a toll bridge. It isn't. There has been endless political bickering about tolling I-205 and I-5 to pay for improvements, but as of right now, your wallet is safe.
Second, folks often think the bridge is flat. It’s not. It has a significant grade to allow for river traffic (ships) to pass underneath. Large ocean-going vessels head upriver to the Port of Vancouver and beyond, so the bridge has to stay high enough to clear those masts and chimneys.
Third, people assume it’s just one long piece of concrete. It’s actually dozens of independent segments held together by high-strength steel cables (tendons) running through the hollow "box" inside the bridge. If you could go inside—and maintenance crews do—you’d find a series of hollow chambers that look like something out of a sci-fi movie.
What’s Next for the I-205 Bridge?
The bridge isn't getting any younger. We are seeing more frequent repairs on the expansion joints—those metal teeth in the road that go thump-thump when you drive over them.
There is also the constant conversation about Light Rail. When the bridge was built, they actually designed the center to be strong enough to eventually carry Max trains or some form of light rail. The space is there. The structural integrity is there. The political will? That’s another story entirely.
For now, the Glenn L. Jackson Memorial Bridge remains the workhorse of the region. It’s not pretty, it’s not historic in a "picturesque" way, but it is an absolute beast of engineering that keeps the Pacific Northwest moving.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Crossing
If you are planning to head across the Glenn Jackson anytime soon, keep these things in mind to make your life easier:
- Check the Wind: The Columbia River Gorge is a wind tunnel. If you are driving a high-profile vehicle (like a van or a truck with a rooftop tent), be ready for massive gusts. The bridge is exposed, and it can get sketchy fast.
- The "Secret" View: If you’re a photographer, park at the Glenn Jackson Viewing Point on the Oregon side (near NE Airport Way). You can get a great shot of the bridge’s scale without getting stuck in traffic.
- Commute Windows: Southbound traffic usually peaks from 6:30 AM to 9:00 AM. Northbound starts getting heavy as early as 2:30 PM. If you can avoid the 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM window, your blood pressure will thank you.
- Biking: If you use the bike path, bring earplugs. Seriously. The decibel level from the traffic reflected off the concrete walls is high enough to cause ear fatigue over a long walk.
- Navigation: Don't rely solely on GPS for lane positioning near the SR-14 interchange on the Washington side. It gets confusing. Stay in the center lanes until you’re well across the water to avoid getting forced into an exit you didn't want.
The bridge is more than just a commute. It’s a massive, hollow, tension-held feat of human grit that spans one of the most powerful rivers in North America. Next time you're stuck in traffic there, look out at the water or the trees on Government Island and appreciate the sheer amount of concrete holding you up.
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References and Technical Data:
- Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) Bridge Logs.
- WSDOT Traffic Data and Historical Archives.
- ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) Segmental Bridge Case Studies.