PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Construction to replace a 65-year-old I-5 bridge over Southwest 26th Avenue forced the closure of all lanes this weekend in Portland, forcing motorists to use detours that snarled traffic and frustrated drivers.
“I knew about the closure. I didn’t realize until I got onto Barbur what the impact was going to be because I haven’t thought about the alternate routes,” driver Brian Seidman of Portland said. “It’s pretty intense.”
This phase of the bridge rebuild, which began in Spring 2023, began Friday night and will continue until 5 a.m. Monday as crews remove the top of the existing bridge over 26th Avenue.
The closure runs southbound between the Southwest Terwilliger off-ramp and the Capitol Highway on-ramp, as well as northbound between the Southwest Barbur Boulevard off-ramp and the Terwilliger on-ramp.
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Don Hamilton with the Oregon Department of Transportation said closing down all six lanes over this 4-mile stretch actually costs less, cuts down on construction time and creates fewer traffic and environmental impacts.