Interstate 5 closures impact commuters in Washington and Oregon

Major highway maintenance and construction projects are causing significant disruptions to Interstate 5 (I-5) in Washington and Oregon.

In South King County, Washington, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has scheduled nighttime lane closures on southbound I-5 from Kent to South 272nd Street between September 14 and September 18. These closures are intended for drainage work. Additionally, the South 188th Street on-ramp to northbound SR 509 in SeaTac will close nightly from September 16 to September 18 for landscape work as part of the SR 509 Completion Project.

In Portland, Oregon, a five-week-long closure of a two-mile stretch of southbound I-5 through the Rose Quarter is beginning. The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) warns that travel times could increase two to three times due to widespread congestion. Drivers are advised to use navigation apps and expect heavier traffic on I-405, U.S. 30, and several local bridges and avenues throughout the duration of the repairs.