Southbound lanes of Interstate 5 in Portland closed around 4:45 p.m. on Thursday for an emergency repair to a bridge joint, Oregon Department of Transportation officials announced.
Travelers headed south to Portland were being diverted to southbound Interstate 405 over the Fremont Bridge, and the closed portion of I-5 isn’t expected to reopen for hours — or possibly as late as midnight.
In a press release at 5:30 p.m., transportation officials called the problem regular wear and tear. “Bridge joint problems will cause an area to bounce, which causes concrete to crack,” they wrote. “Some concrete dropped onto the ground below, essentially creating a hole in the deck. This happens often and must be repaired immediately, as it is unsafe for people to drive over what is essentially a large pothole.”
A view of what #PDXtraffic crews are working to repair in the SB lanes of I-5 at MP 303. This is the result of normal wear and tear to the deck's joint, eventually causing the concrete to crack, and forming a large "peekaboo" pothole that's clearly unsuitable for traffic. pic.twitter.com/CiRn2ccuBp
— OregonDOT (@OregonDOT) March 29, 2024
Repairs will take several hours in part because new concrete takes three to four hours to cure.
— Beth Slovic is a deputy editor on the public safety and breaking news team. Reach her at 503-221-8551 or bslovic@oregonian.com.
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