PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) – Southbound Interstate 5 through Portland’s Rose Quarter is set to begin reopening at 10 p.m. Wednesday, about a week and a half ahead of schedule, the Oregon Department of Transportation announced.
The closure was expected to last five weeks. ODOT said mild weather and crews working around the clock helped speed up the project. The goal is to have traffic moving on southbound I-5 by 5 a.m. Thursday, Project Manager Kenn Halquist said.
ODOT had warned of significant traffic impacts, but said backups did not reach Vancouver, Washington, as officials had feared. Travelers planned ahead and shifted their trips, ODOT Project Delivery Manager David Kim said.
Portland officials thanked people for adjusting their commutes and using detours. Some local businesses reported fewer customers during construction, while Moloko on North Mississippi Avenue saw business pick up, its owner and general manager said.
As crews remove traffic controls and reopen the highway, ODOT is asking drivers to slow down, follow speed limits and give workers space. The department said setting up and removing traffic controls are among the riskiest parts of construction.
The southbound reopening will not be the last major I-5 disruption for Portland. ODOT says a similar closure on northbound I-5 is planned for next summer.
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