By Jim Redden
North and Northeast Portland residents need to be prepared for massive traffic congestion problems that will be caused by the five-week closure of all southbound lanes of I-5 through the Rose Quarter beginning on Sept. 11.
The closure will substantially increase commute times and slow police and fire response times, according to transportation and public safety officials. Southbound freeway traffic will likely back up into the State of Washington and spill over onto nearby commercial and residential streets, including North Interstate Avenue and Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
“I know this will be difficult for a lot of people, but you have my commitment that we will reopen I-5 as soon as we can,” interim Oregon Department of Transportation Director Chris Warner said during an Aug. 27 press briefing with local government officials.
Motorists are urged to plan ahead, take alternative transportation like TriMet and bicycles when possible, and avoid driving through adjacent commercial and residential streets.
The work will not end with the southbound closure. ODOT expects crews to tackle the northbound lanes sometime in mid-to-late 2027.
The complete 24-hour, seven-day-a-week closure is part of ODOT’s I-5/Rose Quarter Improvement Project, which is intended to reduce congestion and improve safety where I-5, I-84 and I-405 converge.
I-5 southbound will be closed between I-405 and I-84; I-5 southbound travel will be detoured to I-405 southbound; regional traffic will be directed to I-205; one lane to the Broadway/Weidler exit will remain open for local and event center access.
On-ramps to the Fremont Bridge and the Moda Center to I-5 southbound will be closed; the I-5 southbound ramp to I-84 eastbound will be closed; local traffic needing access to the Moda Center area will be permitted to use one lane to exit at NE Broadway from southbound I-5; I-84 westbound to I-5 southbound will remain open; and I-5 northbound will remain open.
“We’re encouraging everyone to consider where they have flexibility in their daily travel. If you have the option to shift your travel times, use a different travel mode (carpool, transit, or bike), or even to work from home, do it! The more people shift the way they travel during this closure, the easier it will be for everyone, including those who need to drive like bus drivers, delivery drivers, and emergency responders,” ODOT says on its website.
The closure will allow ODOT crews to repair and reinforce weak areas, replace bridge joints, repave the surface, and repaint lane lines on the southbound lanes in the project area.
More information is available at i5rosequarter.org.