Make travel plans now for disruptive full closure of I-5 freeway in SW Portland next weekend

Remember on Monday when propane tanks caught on fire and closed all the lanes of Interstate 5 for more than an hour, and then the northbound lanes stayed closed until the evening commute time? That will seem like small potatoes next weekend when all lanes of I-5 close in both directions between Terwilliger and the Capitol Highway exit from Friday night through Monday morning.

The construction closure will begin at 9 p.m. Friday, June 28, and continue all hours and days through the weekend, reopening by 5 a.m. Monday, July 1.

Southbound traffic will be detoured at Southwest Terwilliger Boulevard, and northbound traffic will be taken off the freeway at the OR 99W/SW Barbur Boulevard exit.

Through traffic into or out of downtown Portland or continuing to or from Washington are advised to use other freeways including interstates 205, 84, OR 217, and U.S. 26 to get around the closure. Barbur Boulevard will be available to local traffic, but drivers should expect long delays and big backups.

The closure is part of the construction of a new I-5 bridge deck over Southwest 26th Avenue. The project started nearly a year ago, and now is in the phase where crews will need to rebuild the roadway. The Oregon Department of Transportation notes that this deck carries more than 100,000 vehicles a day and is heavily worn. All efforts were made to keep the closure to as little time as possible. Read ODOT’s statement on the closure and why this was the method chosen to complete the work here: oregon.gov/odot/Projects.

In addition to the freeway closure these ramps will also close for the weekend:

Northbound on-ramp closures:

• Southwest Kruse Way.
• Southwest Haines Street.
• Southwest Capitol Highway.
• Southwest Spring Garden Street.
• OR 99W/Barbur Boulevard.

Southbound on-ramp closures:

• I-405 on-ramp.
• South Harbor Drive on-ramp.

ODOT warns drivers of near certain long delays when traveling through the metro area that weekend. Drivers should choose alternate routes or pick travel times that occur during less congested hours including early morning and late evening.

Following the weekend closure, I-5 travelers in the work zone will see nighttime single lane closures in both directions from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. on various weekdays and from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. on various weekends.

Within 90 days of the weekend closure, I-5 in and near the project area will have up to 30 nights of double lane closures in both directions from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. for prep work, striping, and placement of shoulder barrier.

To read more about the project visit this page: oregon.gov/odot/projects/pages.