An extra day's closure is necessary to make sure the ramp re-opens safely
Aug. 23, 2018
Contact: Don Hamilton,
503-704-7452
PORTLAND – Re-opening
the ramp from westbound Interstate 84 to southbound Interstate 5 has been
delayed by a day after discovery of extensive damage to the metal rebar below
the road surface.
The ramp closed Friday, Aug. 17
and had been scheduled to re-open at 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 27. But the unexpected repairs
and the delay in pouring the concrete have pushed the opening back to Tuesday,
Aug. 28.
The re-opening is
weather dependent and extensive rain could create another delay. The concrete
requires three days to cure sufficiently before traffic can return to the ramp.
The problem is similar
to the issue that caused an 18-hour delay on Aug. 6 in re-opening the ramp from
westbound I-84 to northbound -5.
Travelers will be
informed of the delay by highway variable message signs and by updated
information on BigFixPDX.com, the web site with information of the 2018 summer
construction projects.
All on-ramps to westbound
I-84 between Interstate 205 and I-5 will remain closed until the ramp to
southbound I-5 re-opens. They are Northeast Halsey Street, Northeast Sandy Boulevard,
Northeast 58th/Glisan Street and Northeast 33rd Avenue.
Hamilton Construction
and ODOT crews found the metal rebar, part of the ramp structure, severely
damaged and in need of replacement in places under the existing concrete. The
damage could not be seen until the concrete was removed.
Both the metal rebar and
the concrete have been in place since the ramps opened in the early 1960’s.
We appreciate the public’s
patience and understanding during these multi-day closures and apologize for
the inconvenience.
The closure is the third
of three critical summer ramp closures where I-5 and I-84 meet, the busiest
interchange in the state. The project involves replacing bridge joints,
removing existing concrete and pouring new concrete. The work is needed to keep
the bridges functioning in the decades to come.
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