Get to know Portland's bridges: Fremont

Flashback: Because residents were so dissatisfied with the look of the practical Marquam Bridge, the Portland Art Commission was brought into the design process alongside New York City firm Parsons Brinckerhoff (now WSP USA) to craft the vision for the Fremont.

• Named after John C. Frémont, who led early expeditions into Oregon, the bridge opened in 1973 after four years of construction.
• Its 902-foot, 6,000-ton tied-arch main span was floated into place via a barge and was then hydraulically lifted 170 feet into position, landing it a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest lift ever made at the time.

Follow the money: It cost a whopping $82 million — six times more than the Marquam — and was paid for largely by federal grants as part of the Interstate Highway System.

• The bridge, which carries I-405, I-5 and US 30 vehicle traffic, connects downtown and North Portland.

The latest: Last year, the bridge needed emergency repairs on a faulty bridge joint, closing a portion of the freeway. The Oregon Department of Transportation said it was just a regular wear-and-tear issue.

• The area surrounding the east side of the Fremont Bridge could look a lot different in coming years as the I-5 Rose Quarter Improvement Project rolls out, which aims to modernize infrastructure and revitalize the central city.