The I-5 freeway through the Portland's Rose Quarter on Aug. 27, 2026. Southbound lanes I-5 will be closed starting Sept. 11 for up to five weeks for repair, as part of the larger Rose Quarter Improvement Project.
Eli Imadali / OPB
If you live in the Portland-metro area, you might’ve heard about the plan to improve and expand I-5 through the Rose Quarter. On Friday night, that stretch of freeway through the Rose Quarter will be closed as the project begins in earnest for about five weeks.
Rose Gerber is the public outreach and media manager for the I-5 Rose Quarter Improvement Project with the Oregon Department of Transportation. We get details from her about the scope of the project, how it will likely affect traffic patterns in the coming weeks, and what ODOT and Portland transportation managers are doing to try to mitigate delays and encourage drivers to choose other routes and travel methods during these major closures.
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