Portland braces for five-week I-5 southbound shutdown and massive traffic snarls

ODOT will shut down every southbound lane of I-5 through Portland for five weeks beginning Sept. 11 to resurface the highway, install new seismic beams, upgrade signage and add filtered storm-drain systems. The project, which tackles sections of the road bed untouched since 1985, could be delayed by rain, affecting both freight haulers like Bridgetown Trucking and daily commuters. Dave Chalmers, CEO of Bridgetown, says drivers may face up to 11-hour days and plans a graveyard shift to keep deliveries moving.

Portland officials anticipate rush-hour trips expanding to 6:30-9 a.m. and 4-8 p.m., with congestion spilling into Washington and neighborhood streets. TriMet will run two-car MAX Yellow trains every 15 minutes and provide free 10-minute e-bike or e-scooter rides from the Rose Quarter, while PBOT will deploy traffic cameras, temporary speed boards and extra crossing flags for school safety. Noise and dust from demolition work are expected, though contractors claim mitigation measures will limit impact. The shutdown is the first phase of a multi-year overhaul, with northbound lanes slated for closure next summer.