How to Shift Your Trip

What is Shift Your Trip?

Shift Your Trip is a program through the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) that encourages the public to choose when, where, and how they travel through the city. 

During major construction or peak commute times, for instance, fewer vehicles on the road means less congestion and makes it easier for emergency vehicles to get through. If you're able to shift your trip and drive less or drive only during non-peak times, it also means less congestion for people without that flexibility.

Shift Your Trip was first launched to support Portlanders through the Oregon Department of Transportation's (ODOT) closure and construction of I-5 southbound through the Rose Quarter starting Sept. 11, 2026 and lasting an estimated five weeks. 

Major freeway construction impacting Portland

ODOT is in construction on phase 1A of the I-5 Rose Quarter Project. As part of the work, I-5 southbound through the Rose Quarter will be completely closed—all hours, all days—starting Friday, Sept. 11, 2026 and lasting an estimated five weeks. Additional information, detours, and maps on ODOT's project website. 

Here are the biggest expected impacts:

Longer commutes and peak times

During this project, ODOT estimates interstate travel times will be 2-3 times longer than normal with congestion likely to back up into Washington state and onto local Portland streets. According to these estimates, peak commute times with the most congestion will also be longer, from 6:30-9 a.m. and 4–8:30 p.m.

Busy alternate routes

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.

People driving will likely experience higher than normal congestion on both city streets and other state highways like I-405 and Highway 30 across the St. Johns Bridge. 

Additionally, this construction will likely cause congestion on the following bridges and city roads (see inset map): 

• Morrison Bridge 
• Steel Bridge
• N Greeley Avenue
• N Interstate Avenue
• N Mississippi Avenue
• N Vancouver Avenue
• N/NE Broadway
• NE 15th Avenue
• NE 33rd Avenue
• NE Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard

How to Shift Your Trip

Start planning now before construction starts. Getting around the Portland metro area for work, school, or fun could require extra time. Explore alternate modes of transportation like transit, carpooling, biking. Shift your travel time, telework if you're able, or spend time exploring a local business district to avoid peak congestion on the road. Explore the Shift Your Trip homepage for more options like:

• 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.
• Carpools. ODOT matches carpools through the Get There platform. Find coworkers to ride with or set up your own!
• Shift timing. Shift your trip so you're not on the road during peak morning or evening rush, estimated to be longer during the I-5 closure, from 6:30–9 a.m. and 4–8:30 p.m.
• Shop local. Save gas money and stress. Wait out traffic by supporting a local business before heading home. Grab food, visit a local bookstore or shop, or simply explore what's new one of Portland's local business districts. 
• 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 Sept. 16 – Oct. 14. Visit Portland.gov/BikeBus for more info.

Fewer vehicles on the road means less traffic and makes it easier for emergency vehicles to get through.  If you're able to shift your trip and drive less, it also means less traffic for those who don't have that flexibility. 

We're in this together! Spread the word. Tell five friends. 

How PBOT is supporting Portlanders during the closure

During the closure:

• Commute by bike: PBOT staff will host a Special Edition: I-5 Closure North & Northeast City Bike Bus every Wednesday from Sept. 16 – Oct. 14 with two added routes:
  • North University Park Route, meet at Portsmouth Park (N Hodge Avenue and Princeton Street) at 7:25 a.m.
  • NE Cully Route, meet at Kʰunamokwst Park (NE Alberta Court and 52nd Avenue) at 7:35 a.m.

• View full size image of A detailed map of North and Northeast Portland shows street closures and where "Local Access Only" signs will be placed.

• 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.
• Safety on neighborhood greenways: Neighborhood Greenways are a low-speed, low-traffic routes for walking and biking that form the backbone of our biking and Safe Routes to School network. In areas near I-5 that expected to be most impacted by the closure, PBOT is taking extra steps to make sure these routes stay calm and quiet. The team will mitigate cut-through traffic with limited road closures and barrels with "Local Access Only" signs.
• Discounted rides: Working in partnership with PBOT, 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.
• Supporting businesses: PBOT is working in partnership with Prosper Portland to amplify and support the local economy and any business districts impacted by the closure.
• Staged tow trucks: PBOT is staging two tow truck operators near the projected areas of highest congestion. Starting on Monday, Sept. 14, PBOT Parking Enforcement Officers will work with contracted towers to quickly clear stalled and inoperable vehicles from the right of way. The tow operator will be paid by PBOT to move disabled vehicles to the nearest legal parking space. The tow operator will not impound vehicles, or accept payment from vehicle owners, unless otherwise directed by PBOT or PPB staff. If a non-metered space is not available, then the vehicle may be placed in a metered space with a 24-hour payment waiver. To locate your vehicle call Portland Police Bureau Records at 503-823-0044.

Before the I-5 closure:

• Road maintenance: PBOT Maintenance Operations crews are focusing on planned work in North and Northeast Portland that can be completed prior to the closure Sept. 11, including proactively filling potholes along major routes, refreshing striping, and cleaning bike routes, including those on the City Bike Bus. Crews will also stop all non-emergency work in the area until the closure is lifted.
• Traffic monitoring and signal timing: PBOT's Traffic Systems and Operations team is installing 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. 
• Vision Zero messaging: Billboards around the city remind travelers that "Safe Drivers Save Lives" and how "Speed Kills." These critical messages remind people driving to follow the rules of the road.
• Practice bike commute: Join PBOT staff and Portlanders across the city for the Aug. 26 City Bike Bus to practice commuting by bike ahead of the I-5 closure on one of eight routes. All bike bus ride leaders will wear pink vests for easy identification.