You’ve been warned, but here’s a reminder: the Oregon Department of Transportation will shut down Interstate 5 at 9 p.m. Friday, June 28, between Southwest Terwilliger Boulevard exit and the Capitol Highway overpass mileposts 297 to 295.

The closure will allow ODOT crews to rebuild a freeway overpass over Southwest 26th Avenue that has been more than a year in the making.

The closure will start 9 p.m. Friday, June 28, and continue all hours and days through 5 a.m. Monday, July 1. Traffic will be detoured onto Terwilliger from southbound I-5 and onto Southwest Barbur Boulevard/99W from northbound I-5. Barbur Boulevard will be available to local traffic, but drivers looking to access the freeway north into Washington or southbound beyond Tigard will want to choose alternate freeways including interstates 405, 205, U.S. 26 and OR 217.

Portland travelers may want to consider public transportation including buses and MAX to get around what will surely be congested roadways and freeways in the metro area. Visit www.TriMet.org for tips on riding with TriMet this weekend.

To help keep drivers out of the closed section of freeway, the following ramps will be closed during the same hours as the freeway closure:

Northbound on-ramp closures:

• Southwest Kruse Way.
• Southwest Haines Street.
• Southwest Capitol Highway.
• Southwest Spring Garden Street.
• OR 99W/Barbur Boulevard.

Southbound on-ramp closures:

• Interstate 405 on-ramp.
• South Harbor Drive on-ramp.

An ODOT spokesman said the Hood Avenue on-ramp to I-5 southbound would remain open during the work. Drivers will still need to exit at Terwilliger. Drivers planning to use Southwest Barbur Boulevard should be ready for long delays.

Those driving through Portland, especially on the detour freeways, should plan for extra travel time or find alternate routes if their trip would normally take them through Southwest Portland.

ODOT’s recent release reiterated that the original overpass was built in 1959 and carries more than 100,000 vehicles per day. The deck is heavily worn and near the end of its useful life. The project will create a smoother ride for travelers and bring the structure up to today’s seismic standards.

To read more about the project visit this page: oregon.gov/odot/projects/pages.

Visit TripCheck.com this weekend to get real-time information on traffic delays in the area.