ODOT’s Saturday surprise: Free-flowing traffic on I-205 bridge

Anticipating a big influx of Rose Festival-related traffic, Oregon transportation officials will keep all lanes open on the Interstate 205 bridge across the Columbia River until late Saturday night.

It’s a rare respite for northbound motorists who have been flummoxed by long backups over the past several weekends.

A $5.2 million project to replace 20 deck joints has prompted a two-lane closure on the bridge each weekend except Memorial Day since early May. The weekend-long closures, which normally start at 10 p.m. on Fridays, have resulted in miles-long backups for motorists heading north across the river from Portland.

Increasingly, motorists have migrated to Interstate 5.

“Each weekend, more and more folks are avoiding the Glenn Jackson and heading over to I-5,” said Brad Wurfel, spokesman for the Oregon Department of Transportation.

The result is major backups on both bridges, especially during peak weekend travel periods between noon and 5 p.m.

The problem is compounded by bridge lifts on twin spans of I-5. Wurfel said bridge operators are required to lift the spans any time a tall boat requires it during the weekend, in contrast to weekday restrictions that preclude bridge lifts during rush hours.

Officials remind motorists to check www.tripcheck.com or call 511 for the latest traffic conditions.