Traveling in and around Portland this summer is going to be rough. There are more than two dozen road projects planned for the Portland area which will inevitably lead to lane closures, detours and traffic issues that could last a few hours or several months. Think of this as a test run for the the planned major projects that were approved as part of last year’s transportation package!
ODOT is trying to get the word out early about this summer’s road projects. “Each one is going to be awful,” Don Hamilton, Oregon transportation spokesman, said last month.
Below is a list of some of the upcoming projects that may impact how truck drivers navigate around Portland. We’ll also continue to publish the “Getting around…” section in the Express that has more truck-related information for these projects, as well as others around the state.
For more information on these, click here. You can also find out more about I-5 construction between Portland and Wilsonville at i5PDXConstruction.org.
- Interstate 84 and Interstate 5 ramps and bridges. The most disruptive project will require “around the clock” closures of three of the bridges connecting Interstate 5 and Interstate 84. Scheduled to begin the week of June 11, with three of the four connecting ramps requiring closure to all traffic 24-hours a day for up to two weeks each (only one ramp will close at a time).
- Interstate 5 paving project. At roughly the same time as the I-84 project, crews will begin repaving a six mile stretch of I-5 in both directionsfrom the Interstate Bridge to the Moda Center. Scheduled to begin the week of June 11, but look for full weekend closures in July & August.
- Oregon 99E in Oregon City. Multiple lanes of McLoughlin Boulevard in Oregon City will be closed from July through September as crews work to reduce the threat posed by a nearby hillside prone to landslides.
- More I-5 paving. Work crews are paving a 5 mile stretch of I-5 from Oregon 99W to I-205. This project is already underway and will last until next spring.
You can read about all of these and more on ODOT’s Project page.