Five-Week SB I-5 Closure Now Underway
Portland, Ore. – Southbound Interstate-5 is now closed, between I-405 and I-84, as Oregon’s Department of Transportation undertakes a massive maintenance and repair project the agency says is long overdue.
Saturday morning, nearly 12 hours after the closure, ODOT reports no major issues. The shutdown occurred overnight in stages, to accommodate people leaving the Friday night Weezer concert at the Moda Center. Crews began closing lanes at 10:45, but southbound I-5 wasn’t fulling shutdown until after 2 a.m., including restriping to direct traffic on to I-405. One lane is now open to allow local traffic to exit at Broadway, as well.
Through the weekend, they will work to remove concrete, then conduct “micro-milling” and “hydro-blasting” operations.
While ODOT officials note the weekend is, so far, going smoothly, they warn Portland won’t feel the full impact of the closure for a few days – notably, Monday morning’s commute is expected to take two to three times as long, for those who typically travel that stretch of I-5. They encourage drivers to plan ahead.
Click HERE to learn more about the project, which is expected to stretch into early October.