Date:  Friday, July 23, 2010

Contact: Abbi Russell, WSDOT Communications, (360) 905-2058 (Vancouver)

Plan ahead to avoid congestion from construction work, local events

VANCOUVER – Drivers who typically use southbound I-205 and the Glenn Jackson Bridge should plan ahead for weekend-long lane closures and congestion this weekend.

Sunny weather, travel season and community events taking place this weekend means that drivers on southbound I-205 could see 10-mile backups and two-hour delays as the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) continues work on the Glenn Jackson Bridge.

ODOT’s contractor will close two southbound lanes on the bridge all weekend. Lanes will close by 9 p.m. Friday, July 23 and reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, July 26. The ramps from SR 14 to I-205 southbound will also close from 9 p.m. July 23 to 5 a.m. July 26.

Daytime traffic on southbound I-205 is expected to back up from the Glenn Jackson Bridge to the I-5/I-205 split (mileposts 26 to 37) during the around-the-clock closures. WSDOT is encouraging drivers to delay travel if possible or take alternate routes.

“We anticipate long backups, and we’re asking drivers to avoid traveling south on I-205 when the contractor has two lanes closed around the clock,” said Deputy Regional Administrator Rick Sjolander. “As we’ve seen before, congestion is also heavy on I-5 during these closures.”

If you have to travel south on I-205 or I-5 in Vancouver, plan your trips before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m., and give yourself extra time to get to your destination. Congestion is expected to be heaviest between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.

The weekend-long double-lane closures on the southbound span of the I-205 bridge are scheduled to occur every other weekend through September.

Drivers can view Vancouver traffic flow maps and area web cameras at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/vancouver/VancouverTraffic/. For statewide traffic information, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic, or call 5-1-1 or 1-800-695-ROAD.

Oregon travel information can be found at www.tripcheck.com.

For more information on the I-205 Glenn Jackson Bridge Joint Replacement project, please visit: www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/REGION1/GlennJackson/. 

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WSDOT keeps people, businesses and the economy moving by operating and improving the state's transportation systems. To learn more about what we're doing, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/news for pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real time traffic information is available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic or by dialing 5-1-1.

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