Shift Your Trip: District Two resources for ODOT's I-5 southbound closure

District Two resources for ODOT's I-5 southbound closure

Beginning Friday, Sept. 11 and for an estimated five weeks, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) will close all southbound lanes of Interstate 5—all hours, all days. The closure is for extensive repairs to the elevated structure just south of the Moda Center. It means significant disruptions for people driving through downtown Portland and for residents living in District Two.

Prepare for significant changes to daily commutes until crews complete the work. Sign up to receive updates by email or text message from ODOT on the I-5 Rose Quarter Project. 

Traffic Impacts

View full size image of A map showing existing heavy traffic and additional closure traffic resulting from ODOT's I-5 southbound closure that begins on Sept. 11, 2026.

Neighbors living or working in District Two (North and Northeast Portland) should expect to see an influx of traffic during the closure. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is working to mitigate these impacts and provide resources for you to lessen these impacts. Make sure you're signed up to receive PBOT Traffic Advisories and be alerted of major traffic disruptions during the closure.

Safety and infrastructure improvements

Road maintenance: PBOT Maintenance Operations crews are focusing on planned work in North and Northeast Portland that can be completed prior to the closure on Sept. 11, including proactively filling potholes along major routes, refreshing striping, and cleaning bike routes, including City Bike Bus and school bike bus routes. Once the I-5 work begins, crews will stop all non-emergency work in the area until the closure is lifted so they are not adding to congestion. Below, PBOT crews recently repaved a section of NE Wheeler Avenue next to the Moda Center.

Safety around schools: PBOT's Safe Routes to School team is supporting schools in the North and Northeast neighborhoods most impacted by the closure. The team will mitigate traffic with tools such as temporary speed-reader boards, and barrels with "Local Access Only" signs. The schools expecting the most traffic are Boise-Eliot Elementary, SEI Academy, Harriet Tubman Middle School, Beverly Clearly – Fernwood, Grant High School, Jefferson High School, Kairos PDX, and Sabin Elementary. They will monitor traffic at additional schools and add additional mitigation, if necessary, over the course of the closure.

Additionally, PBOT Traffic Engineers have identified streets that may experience increased traffic as people reroute around the I-5 closure. To help reduce cut-through traffic and maintain neighborhood safety and livability, PBOT will implement temporary access restrictions by placing "Local Access Only" barrels and signs and a few street closures. These traffic calming measures will be installed at the following locations: 

This signage will be deployed over the Labor Day weekend. The locations that intersect with Skidmore and Williams will be set up later in the week. 

Traffic monitoring and signal timing: PBOT's Traffic Systems and Operations team has installed additional CCTV traffic monitoring cameras in the Rose Quarter area and downtown to monitor traffic remotely. This adds to the 20-30 existing cameras on routes expected to experience congestion. Traffic engineers will monitor traffic from PBOT's traffic control room and will be able to adjust signal timing from there, if needed, to help keep traffic flowing. The public can also monitor Portland and area traffic conditions through ODOT's TripCheck platform. 

Remind people driving that "20 is plenty"

During the closure, community members can help promote safer speeds on neighborhood streets by picking up a free "20 is Plenty" yard sign. Signs are available at The Portland Building downtown and at the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods office. Placing a sign outside your home is a simple way to remind drivers to slow down and help keep our streets safer for everyone.

Pickup Locations:

• Portland Building: Pick up a yard sign today at the Portland Building front desk (1120 SW Fifth Avenue) during business hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods (NECN): Pick up a yard sign at Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods front desk (4815 NE 7th Avenue): Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed today and tomorrow (Aug. 31 and Sept. 1). Enter on NE 7th Ave., where 7th meets NE Wygant St. Please call 503-388-5004 when you arrive so staff can let you into the building.

Limit to one per household. Signs are 24" by 18" and include optional wire H-stakes. 

Support local businesses 

Our local businesses most impacted by ODOT's I-5 closure need your support. PBOT and the City of Portland are here to make supporting your local businesses easy. Choose to Shift Your Trip and delay your commute by supporting one of Portland's excellent business districts instead of waiting in traffic during rush hour.

We encourage you to visit eastside business districts that will be most impacted by the closure: 

• Historic Mississippi Business District 
• Williams Avenue
• The Soul District
• NE Broadway Business Association
• St. Johns Boosters
• Kenton Business District

Shift Your Trip 

Start planning now before construction starts. Getting around the Portland metro area for work, school, or fun could require extra time. Shift your trip. Explore alternate modes of transportation like transit, carpooling, or biking.

Try these options instead of being stuck in traffic:

• View full size image of Map of the N University and NE Cully routes for the Special Edition: I-5 N & NE City Bike Bus. Image text is described elsewhere on this page.

  Transit. Don't live close to a bus, C-Tran, MAX, or Streetcar line? Find a Park and Ride or bike to a transit line. For transit updates and service alerts, or to plan your trip, visit TriMet or C-Tran.

• Carpool. ODOT matches carpools through the Get There platform. Find coworkers to ride with or set up your own!
• Timing. Shift your trip so you're not on the road during peak morning or evening rush, typically 7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m. But according to ODOT's estimates, with construction congestion, commute times will be 6:30-9 a.m. and 4-8:30 p.m.
• Telework. Work from home if that's an option through your employer.
• City Bike Bus. Join the Special Edition: I-5 Closure N & NE City Bike Bus. Rides every Wednesday from September 16 – October 14.
• Discounted rides: BIKETOWN and Lime will provide free 10-minute rides on e-bikes and e-scooters for any weekday trip starting or ending in the Rose Quarter Transit Center. Users will be able to identify the promotional area by checking the BIKETOWN or Lime app and the discount will apply automatically. Any ride time after the first 10 minutes will be charged the regular going rate based on your membership type.

For more information:

Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) Customer Service

503-470-3127

i5RoseQuarter@odot.oregon.gov

Contact ODOT for recorded travel information or to leave a message for the project

PBOT Customer Service (by PDX 311)

3-1-1/503-823-4000

311@portlandoregon.gov

Every day, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. (excluding federal holidays) 

The City of Portland ensures meaningful access to City programs, services, and activities to comply with Civil Rights Title VI and ADA Title II laws and reasonably provides: translation, interpretation, modifications, accommodations, alternative formats, auxiliary aids and services. To request these services, contact the Portland Bureau of Transportation at 311 (503-823-4000), for Relay Service & TTY: 711.