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Sept. 20, 2020
Pack your patience Monday because traffic may be slow with northbound and southbound I-5 traffic all on the southbound span
 A bird's-eye view from an ODOT drone looking at the south tower of the northbound span of the Interstate Bridge. Crews are removing pins, cables and other components.
Reminders for weekday travelers
Tomorrow is the first weekday with the northbound span closed. Plan your travel strategy and check conditions before heading out to help reduce congestion.
Here are a few things to remember about traffic through the work zone:
- Traveling over the Interstate Bridge will look different and the speed limit is reduced to 40 mph through the work zone. Slow down and pay attention to signs and traffic control changes and watch for workers and equipment.
- If heading for downtown Vancouver, the City Center off-ramp (exit 1B) remains open from northbound I-5.
- The ramp from northbound I-5 to SR 14 is closed. The best way to get to SR 14 is to continue north to Fourth Plain Boulevard, cross over the highway and take I-5 south to SR 14.
- The I-5 north off-ramp to Jantzen Beach Center (exit 308) is open. However, the Hayden Island on-ramp to I-5 north in Portland is closed and travelers leaving Jantzen Beach/Hayden Island should follow the signed detour onto I-5 south.
- Bike and pedestrian travelers crossing the Interstate Bridge in both directions are sharing the sidewalk on the southbound span of the bridge. Cyclists, please walk your bike across the bridge to increase safety for all sidewalk users.
- Know before you go. You can view real-time traffic conditions and road cameras on TripCheck.com in Oregon and wsdot.com/traffic/trafficalerts in Washington. Expect delays and plan for them.
 How’s it going?
- The closure of the I-5 Interstate Bridge northbound span is scheduled for completion by 11:59 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27.
- The derrick crane on the barge next to the northbound span is beginning to move old parts off the bridge and lifting the new parts up.
- Our crews are successfully removing old parts from the 1917 bridge, including pins, cables and other old components.
- The zipper barrier machine is moving the concrete barriers on the southbound span twice a day, setting up for the morning commute between 2 and 3 a.m. and setting up for the afternoon commute between noon and 1 p.m.
Watch for buses on shoulder
Commuting over the Glenn Jackson Bridge may look a different starting Monday when C-Tran buses could, in some circumstances, use the shoulders.
Under this effort, buses may now use shoulders on some parts of Interstates 5 and 205 and, for the first time, in Oregon. In this Bus on Shoulder pilot project, when traffic drops below 35 mph, buses may use the shoulder on:
- I-205 northbound from north of the Airport Way entrance ramp to south of the SR 14 exit ramp.
- I-205 southbound from south of the SR 14 entrance ramp to north of the Airport Way exit ramp.
- I-5 southbound from 99th Street and the Interstate Bridge in Vancouver. Buses will use the left inside shoulder.
But buses may only use the shoulder under certain conditions. Buses are only allowed to go up to 15 mph faster than other traffic. And emergency vehicles, stalls and breakdowns always get priority on the shoulders.
This is new to Oregon but not to Washington. Since 2017, C-TRAN buses have been operating in Vancouver on the shoulder of SR 14 between I-205 and Southeast 164th Avenue.
The closure details
During the Sept. 19-27 nine-day northbound span closure, northbound and southbound traffic will share the three lanes and sidewalk on the southbound span. Movable concrete barriers allow two lanes of traffic in the busiest direction, with two southbound lanes open for the morning commute and two northbound lanes open for the afternoon commute.
The sidewalk on the southbound span remains open at all times for people walking or riding bicycles. View detour information.
During the bridge closure, four ramps in the project area will close for traffic control and to ensure a safe work zone. Signs will direct travelers to detour routes. Learn more on the project website.
Sept. 27-Oct. 4: Lane closure on I-5 south
The left lane on the southbound span will close Sept. 27-Oct. 4 around the clock as crews upgrade the median barrier, remove equipment and wrap up the project.
Other impacts
After the closure, travelers should expect occasional night lane closures on I-5, up to 30-minute bridge lifts on the northbound span and nighttime ramp closures between Victory Boulevard in Portland and SR 14 in Vancouver.
Learn more
- Visit our Flickr for video and photos.
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