I-5 Southbound Closure
Southbound I-5 Rose Quarter Closure Begins Sept. 11. What You need to know.
A major closure on southbound Interstate 5 in Portland could significantly affect people traveling from Clark County beginning Friday, September 11.
Southbound I-5 will close through the Rose Quarter beginning at approximately 10 p.m. Some ramps may begin closing as early as 9 p.m. The closure will continue 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for up to five weeks.
ODOT expects significant delays and unpredictable travel times. If you travel into or through Portland, start planning now.
What will be closed?
All southbound lanes of I-5 will close between I-405 and I-84. Southbound through traffic will be directed onto I-405.
One lane will remain open from the I-405 split to the Broadway/Weidler exit, providing access to the Rose Quarter, Moda Center and Oregon Convention Center.
Northbound I-5 will remain open throughout the southbound closure.
Several southbound ramps in the area will also close. Drivers can view the complete list and an official closure map on the project website.
What should Clark County travelers expect?
ODOT says trips through the area may take two to three times longer than usual. Congestion could back up across the Interstate Bridge into Washington and affect streets in downtown Vancouver.
The effects may not be limited to the normal morning and afternoon commute periods. Traffic conditions and travel times could change throughout the day.
If you have flexibility, consider:
- Allowing substantially more time for your trip
- Traveling at a different time or postponing optional trips
- Using transit, carpooling or vanpooling
Check current conditions shortly before leaving. TripCheck provides real-time Oregon highway information, while the project’s closure travel resources include additional trip-planning options.
C-TRAN service will also change
Several C-TRAN routes serving Portland will operate on temporary schedules or detours:
- Route 60 will serve Jantzen Beach only on northbound trips beginning September 13.
- Route 105 service to downtown Portland will be suspended beginning September 14. Temporary Route 500 will connect the 99th Street Transit Center, downtown Vancouver and the Delta Park/Vanport MAX station.
- Route 105X will continue serving downtown Portland, but southbound morning trips will leave the 99th Street Transit Center approximately 30 minutes earlier.
- Route 190 will serve Marquam Hill and OHSU from Fisher’s Landing Transit Center instead of Andresen Park & Ride.
C-TRAN warns that congestion could also delay local routes serving downtown Vancouver. Riders should check the C-TRAN closure alert before each trip for current schedules and detours.
Why is I-5 closing?
According to ODOT, crews will perform structural repairs and maintenance and replace the rutted, cracked and potholed roadway with new concrete. This section of I-5 was last replaced in 1985 and has exceeded its expected 25-year lifespan.
ODOT says it selected one continuous closure after comparing it with alternatives that would have required four months of single-lane closures or two years of weekend closures.
This work is part of the larger I-5 Rose Quarter Improvement Project. ODOT describes that project as an effort to improve safety and congestion where I-5, I-84 and I-405 converge and to support reconnecting the Albina neighborhood.
Stay informed
ODOT has not announced a guaranteed reopening date. The agency says southbound I-5 will reopen as soon as the work is complete.
Travelers should continue checking the project’s construction and travel impacts page throughout the closure for updated information.