Southbound traffic resumes flowing on Interstate 5 in Portland after a closure for joint repair

All southbound lanes of Interstate 5 are again open south of the Fremont Bridge after crews completed repairs late Thursday on a faulty bridge joint.

On Thursday night, the Oregon Department of Transportation closed that portion of the freeway for emergency repairs. Bridge joints hold together sections of highways that cross over creeks, culverts, roads and other underpasses.

Here’s how the Oregon Department of Transportation described the repair:

• This is a regular wear and tear issue with no expected structural damage. Bridge joint problems will cause an area to bounce, which causes concrete to crack. 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.
• Crews will form up the concrete from underneath, chip out old concrete, pull out the old joint and then repave it. It takes 3-4 hours for concrete to cure.

ODOT said in a media release Thursday evening that they would reopen the southbound lanes “as soon as it is safe to do so.” They said they were hoping to reopen them by midnight.

Traffic was diverted at milepost 304 onto the Fremont Bridge. There was no impact on the northbound lanes of I-5.