Oregon Public Broadcasting

If you're planning to drive to Canada this summer, the Department of Homeland Security recommends applying for a passport now if you don't have one already. 

The deadline is June first for U.S. and Canadian border crossers to carry a passport -- or an equivalent "passport card." 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection field operations director Michele James says the twice-postponed deadline is unlikely to be delayed again.

And she says drivers should try to avoid peak travel times at the Peace Arch border crossing.  Construction there has led to hours-long delays for travelers returning to the U.S.

Michele James: "It is definitely going to be a tough summer.  We saw it last year.  When you're down four lanes, that means you either have to make up for it somewhere else or we have to bear through it."

James says the reconstruction of the I-5 crossing won't be finished in time for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C.  But she's confident that additional inspectors and temporary lane reconfigurations can minimize delays during the region's time in the spotlight.