Truck drivers running through Oregon should plan carefully this week as construction tied to the I-5 widening project continues to reshape traffic flow south of Salem. Lane reductions, overnight shutdowns, and signed detours are now active and will continue through mid-January, with more changes expected as the project moves forward.
The widening effort, which started in 2024, is expanding I-5 to three lanes in each direction through the Salem area. Traffic has already shifted in several locations, and posted speeds have been reduced through the work zone.
Overnight lane reductions are underway on January 9
Work on the Battle Creek Road Bridge is now impacting traffic near mile marker 250. Overnight hours are most affected.
Through the early morning of Friday, January 9, I-5 is reduced to one lane in each direction between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. Drivers traveling overnight should expect slowdowns and congestion, particularly for heavy trucks moving through the corridor.
Full nighttime closures are scheduled for next week
Additional impacts are scheduled to begin next week with full overnight closures between Exits 248 and 252.
Those closures are planned for January 12 through January 14, running nightly from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Detours will be in place during the shutdowns.
Northbound detour
- Exit at 248
- Commercial Street SE
- Right on Kuebler Boulevard
- Re-enter northbound I-5
Southbound detour
- Exit at 252
- Kuebler Boulevard
- Left on Commercial Street SE
- Re-enter southbound I-5
All work remains weather-dependent and subject to construction needs, the Oregon Department of Transportation said.
Additional traffic pattern changes drivers should expect
Beyond the scheduled closures, ODOT has outlined several long-term changes that will affect how trucks move through the area.
Southbound I-5 traffic will be shifted onto what were previously the northbound lanes. Northbound drivers will use Exit 249 and the former on-ramp as the new northbound lanes.
Access from south Commercial Street to southbound I-5 will be limited to a single lane connection. A concrete barrier will separate northbound traffic from vehicles coming off Delaney Road, and traffic from Delaney Road will no longer be able to access the Commercial Street ramp.
Wiltsey Street SE remains closed at the Battle Creek Road SE intersection and is expected to stay that way until mid-2026. Drivers can detour using 36th Avenue SE north to Kuebler Boulevard.
What the project is addressing
According to ODOT, the first phase of the widening project focuses on the long-standing southbound bottleneck and congestion along the hill south of Salem.
Work in this phase includes replacing the bridge over the Commercial Street northbound off-ramp and the Battle Creek Road Bridge. The project also includes a new roundabout, paving improvements, and sound walls.
The work stems from an environmental study of the I-5 corridor between the Hayesville Interchanges and Battle Creek Road that was completed in the mid-1980s and approved by the Federal Highway Administration and the state in 1988.
What drivers should do now?
Drivers running overnight through the Salem area should allow extra time, confirm detour routes in advance, and avoid tight appointment windows during closure hours when possible. With lane shifts and access changes continuing, even daytime runs may see unfamiliar traffic patterns.
More project details and updates are available through the official project website, and drivers are encouraged to check conditions before rolling through the area.
Source: Land Line Media
