Frequently Asked Questions

• I-5 southbound is closed between I-405 and I-84 
• This closure is all hours of the day from September 11 to early October
• One lane is maintained from the split with I-405 to the Broadway/Weidler offramp to provide access to the Rose Quarter events district, the Moda Center and the Oregon Convention Center
• I-5 northbound remains open at all times

Closed Ramps

• Onramp from Alberta St to I-5 SB: CLOSED
• Onramp from I-405 NB to I-5 SB: CLOSED
• Onramp from Greeley Ave to I-5 SB: CLOSED
• Onramp from Wheeler/Williams/Ramsay at the Moda Center to I-5 SB: CLOSED
• Offramp from I-5 SB to I-84 EB: CLOSED
• Offramp from I-5 SB to Morrison Bridge: CLOSED

Open Ramps

• Onramp from Rosa Parks Way to I-5 SB: OPEN
• Onramp from Going St to I-5 SB: OPEN
• Offramp from I-5 SB to Broadway: OPEN
• Onramp from I-84 WB to I-5 SB: OPEN
• Offramp from I-84 WB to Morrison Bridge: OPEN

Click here to view a map of the closure.

I-5 Southbound is closed in the Rose Quarter area for up to five weeks beginning September 11, 2026 for structural repairs and maintenance. There are a few reasons why this time frame was selected:

• The work must be completed in a continuous period between holidays and the special events in the City.
• The construction work being done includes drying large amounts of concrete over multiple weeks and that requires weather that is not too hot and not too wet.
• The construction schedule includes work in progress that needs to be completed before these structural repairs can be made.

The September timeframe was selected because it is the only 5-week period that fits these scheduling limits.

Travel could take two to three times longer than usual. Congestion is expected to extend into Washington by the Interstate Bridge and onto local city streets.  

We know this is going to be tough for travelers and businesses alike. The more people modify their travel plans, the better the system will function for everyone, including emergency responders and freight trucks. We’re urging travelers to plan ahead, leave early, adjust travel times if you can and consider options like carpooling or transit.

This section of road was last replaced in 1985. It is well past its 25-year lifespan. The highway surface has potholes, cracks and damage. Conducting these repairs now helps to keep I-5 infrastructure in good repair and avoids expensive and more frequent emergency repairs in coming years. 

For example, in spring 2024 a hole appeared just north of the project area requiring a full closure of I-5 southbound for emergency repairs during the afternoon rush hour. This kind of emergency closure would become more common if these kinds of repairs are not completed.

A continuous 5-week closure of I-5 was selected as the safest, shortest and most cost-effective closure option, resulting in the best road quality. In selecting our construction approach, the 5-week directional closure was compared to single lane closures for 4 months or weekend closures for 2 years.

Learn more about the closure options that were evaluated by viewing the I-5 Southbound Closure Decision Fact Sheet. 

ODOT has been coordinating with emergency responders to make plans for the closure and be prepared for impacts. We will continue coordinating closely throughout the closure.

To avoid impacts to emergency response times, drivers should immediately pull to the right side of the road when they see flashing lights or hear a siren approaching, even if there is congestion, to allow emergency vehicles to reach their destination as quickly as possible.

The more people choose to adjust their travel times or choose other forms of transportation during the closure, the better traffic will be for other travelers and for emergency responders who need to get to incidents.   

In addition to the critical repairs to I-5, the work is a steppingstone to building the remainder of the Rose Quarter Project and provides safety and traffic flow benefits to I-5 travelers. 

To prevent traffic backups, vehicles involved in an incident or stalled within the project boundaries will be towed by the project staged towing contractor selected by ODOT.

All tows taken by the staged towing contractor will be at the owner's expense.

As congestion will be hard to predict day to day during the closure, navigation apps such as Google, Apple, and Waze will be your best tool to determine your best and quickest route each day during the closure. We are also encouraging community members to shift to alternate modes of transportation during the closure when possible. If possible, consider carpooling, using public transit, and adjusting your travel time to avoid delays. We have created a travel resources page (https://www.i5rosequarter.org/closure-travel-resources/) to help people plan their trips.

Any time we do construction like this, there’s always a chance for delays from weather or existing roadway conditions. Our goal is to complete the work as quickly as possible and as safely as possible.

We’ve built this schedule carefully, and crews will be working around the clock. Additionally, a mechanic will be on duty 24/7 in case of construction equipment breakdowns so that we can minimize any delay in progress. Repairs to equipment can start immediately so that crews can put it back to work as quickly and safely as possible.

We know how big an impact this closures has, and we’re doing everything we can to stay on schedule and reopen as quickly as possible.

Light rain will likely not create any delay, while significant prolonged rain or severe weather could cause delays to construction.

There are several steps involved with the work and most are not impacted by rain. Concrete pouring and re-painting lane lines are the most sensitive to wet weather. The contractor has developed contingency plans to work through normal wet weather. The more severe the weather, the more delay it may cause. However, delays to construction may not translate to delays in the closure schedule, as the contractor has included buffer time in the closure schedule for possible weather events.

This kind of work is needed on other portions of our highway system. Engineers and planners have monitored this I-5 section closely for this type of road surface deterioration. There is a narrow window of time to restore the upper portion of the deck before the deterioration extends to the point of requiring a full replacement – which requires a longer closure to solve.

The funding is available now to complete this portion of work in the Rose Quarter. Next year, we will also be completing the northbound section with a similar closure. Many of our roads and bridges are in need of investment, but our state transportation funding isn’t keeping up with costs. Overdue infrastructure repairs are not unique to the Rose Quarter. This highlights the need for sustainable and reliable funding for transportation as more infrastructure across the state starts to show its age.  

Access to I-5 southbound from Alberta, Greeley and I-405 northbound has been limited to manage traffic flow and facilitate safe transitions by vehicles to the detour at I-405 southbound. 

The Going on-ramp will remain open for freight access from Swan Island to the interstate system. Local access to Broadway will be maintained via a single lane from I-5 southbound.

The new road surface will provide a smoother, safer ride, by addressing cracks and potholes on the highway. Similar to replacing the roof on a house, by completing this work now, we are able to avoid further damage and reduce the likelihood of disruptive emergency repairs. The work completed during the closure also creates the space needed to extend the I-5 south merging lane near the Moda Center to the Morrison Exit at 301.

• No bike routes will be closed during the closure. Pedestrians and bicyclists may experience higher traffic volumes on local streets as people use alternative routes.
• TriMet MAX will not be impacted by the closure, and TriMet has committed to operating double-car trains on every MAX line during the project. The MAX Yellow Line, providing north-south service parallel to I-5, will continue to arrive at stations every 15 minutes or better during the project. It serves two park and rides – Expo Center and Delta Park/Vanport. Other MAX lines serve park and rides at Parkrose and Gateway. 
• TriMet bus service may be impacted by traffic congestion. The extra automotive traffic on surface roads may slow some bus service. TriMet encourages riders to plan ahead and track vehicles in real time.
• Portland Streetcar may experience some delays due to congestion on surface road routes. 
• C-Tran is modifying its service to Portland to prioritize access to the Expo Center and Delta Park park and rides with connections to the Max Yellow Line. It is also modifying service times and some routes will be on detours for downtown Portland access due to anticipated delays. Riders should check C-Tran’s website for more info.