Marquam Bridge

This is probably our most traveled on bridge. I think it’s best that way since I think this is one of the most boring to look at. So might as well be on the boring one looking at the cool ones right? Sometimes you even get a spectacular view of Mt. Hood!
It gets us from west to east, even east to west! Just not necessarily fast.

The Marquam Bridge is a pathetic excuse for a bridge. It seems to contain traffic at almost any point within the day. But fortunately for commuters, there are sometimes alternatives by driving through the city. The view of Downtown Portland is nice, but after awhile it will get old for residents.
Going to the southwest side of town is usually not too bad. However, going the other way has resulted in traffic in my near unanimous recollection. As not to give low expectations, I respectfully have some distaste for the Marquam Bridge.
Portland can do better than this.

Oh shoot… another bridge review… what to say…
This one is actually easier than most.
The Good:
Great views of the city heading northbound.
Can be faster than other options for getting from Point A to Point B.
The Bad:
Not that visually appealing.
Can have terribly slow traffic at times.
Could be deadly if caught in such traffic during our predicted HUGE earthquake.

I never knew that one could review a piece of interstate highway infrastructure… how cool is that?!
The double-​decker bridge was one of my favorite attractions whenever we passed through the good ol’ Rose City. Of course we always commuted first from I-​5 SB to US 26 WB and vice versa, on our way to the coast. Who could argue with the beautiful panoramic views of the skyline as a reminder that you are in the City of Portland. However, the driver should never partake in such views as one wrong move could cause an astronomical mess.

Marquam Bridge (1966)
Named for P. A. Marquam, a county judge, this four-​lane, double-​decker monstrosity is also known as the I-​5 Bridge. The much-​needed span is not one of Portland’s prettiest bridges, but the view should not be missed. Get the most sensational panorama from the eastbound lanes. Keep your eyes peeled – at 55 mph, the scene practically flashes before you. And be careful: bridge traffic is often dense and dangerous.

Ok Unilocal,this bridge is not located 9 miles south of the river, please
fix this location so I can actually check in when I’m driving over it and
not 9 miles south of it.

3.5 STARS
I never knew Portland was called «Bridge City» until I started living here. With all these AKA’s, I just knew the city as the «City of Roses». There are about 11 bridges that connect between the East and West side of town that crosses over the Willamette River. After living here for a couple of years and learning how to use a smart phone to «check-​in», I was able to learn the names of each of the bridges.
MARQUAM BRIDGE (Est. 1966)
For all who live on the West side of PDX and ‘burbs (Hillsboro & Beaverton), you may encounter the Marquam Bridge if you are heading towards PDX airport, NE or SE areas of Portland. ***Side Note: Headed to the Portland’s airport (PDX) and you’re coming from the West? Take 26E, 405S, 5N, 84E, 205N and exit 24A Airport Way.***
Just like the Fremont Bridge, the Marquam is a double-​decker bridge that also has phenomenal views (but Fremont has better views IMHO). The upper deck headed towards PDX, while the lower deck heads towards the suburbs. It’s quite tall, that a bunch of ships can cruise through.
VIEWS
On a clear day, you can see Mt. Hood, the other bridges and the city itself.
On a cloudy day, the buildings and parts of the city stand out.
On a rainy day, you can see what Portland typically looks like. But caution while driving since it can be quite slippery on the road.
On a foggy day, the fog isn’t that thick, but it’s cool how you can see some of the building just peak through.
TRAFFIC
During rush hour mornings and mid-​afternoons, towards each end of the bridge, there’s a bunch of traffic. Caution that some lanes merge with the ⁴⁰⁵⁄₅ and some lanes lead for you to exit. When there’s no traffic, I recommend not driving more than 75 since one part of the bridge is curved (although speed limit is 55 on the bridge, I like to *zoom*zoom* =X).
I’m always passing through here, rain or shine, cloudy or foggy; the views make it one of my fave bridges.

Alright, I’m going to go with a 3.5 star rating for the Marquam Bridge. First off, did you even know you could review this thing? The possibilities never end with Unilocal!On to the review…
The double decker Marquam Bridge is my favorite part of going to and coming from work.
I take HWY 26 E, 405 N, I-​5 N, 84 E and visa versa. I go into work at many different times. When I put in OT, I will cross the Marquam anywhere from 5:30 am to 7:15 pm Mon-​Fri.
The mornings are my favorite part of the drive. There are many different scenes in the mornings…
Foggy: At times you cant see anything to the N, S, E, or W. Just pure THICK fog… it’s kinda cool.
Rainy: The classic view
Prestine: This is my favorite scene. Going over the bridge, seeing the tall buildings, looking at Mt. Hood and St. Helens, I simply love it.
Late night/​Pre-​Sunrise: This one is pretty cool too… I drove over the other AM at about 5:40am, the moon was full, reflecting off the water, sitting just on top of the buildings… it was quite a view. I wished I could stop in the middle of the road and take picture… it was post card material.
The bridge can be a pain when it comes to traffic, but again, I miss most of it due to my times of heading to work.
It could be better, it could be worse…3.5 stars!

I agree with Don B. The Marquam Bridge is just brutal. This is where function trumps form. It’s probably the highest traffic volume bridge in Portland. It does have some nice views for passengers of Tom McCall Park, but like I said this one ain’t pretty. It’s just a huge traffic moving behemoth.

The Marquam Bridge is the Freemont Bridge’s fugly friend that only gets invited out on double-​dates to make the Freemont Bridge look even sexier in comparison.
While the Marquam bridge does its job of getting traffic on I-​5 from one side of the Willamette to the other, it’s seriously such an ugly edifice amidst what are otherwise character-​filled bridges. The bridge itself is a basic double-​decker that’s tall enough for all ships to cruise underneath, and on the west side is connected to both I-​5 ande I-​405 by a tangled network of ramps that are sorely in need of a good cleaning and a paint job. Set in an otherwise picturesque portion of south waterfront, this eyesore of a conveyance serves a very utilitarian purpose in a very unflattering way.
That said, it’s never dropped me or my car into the river below, and for that, I award this landmark 3-​stars.