Nighttime lane and shoulder closures are scheduled for Interstate 205 between Tualatin and Clackamas during September and October, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). The closures will affect both northbound and southbound sections, mainly involving the right lane and shoulder.
Construction crews will be relocating rumble strips and installing new signs as part of the I-205 Bus on Shoulder Project. The work is expected to start on September 2 and continue through the end of October. Nighttime construction hours are set from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., Sunday through Friday, between Sunnybrook Boulevard and Stafford Road. Additional weekend night work may occur from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.
ODOT stated, “ODOT is collaborating with local transit agencies to support more reliable travel during peak hours by using the highway shoulder for authorized transit vehicles if and when traffic slows below 35 mph. This innovative concept is referred to as Bus on Shoulder.”
The section of I-205 between Interstate 5 and Clackamas Town Center has long been identified as a congestion bottleneck. ODOT cited findings from its 2020 Traffic Performance Report, which found multiple recurring bottlenecks in this area.
“Bus on Shoulder is safe, effective and cost-efficient way to ease congestion during high-traffic times on the highway,” ODOT said.
There are already two existing Bus on Shoulder corridors: one across the Glenn Jackson Bridge in partnership with C-TRAN and WSDOT, established in September 2020, and another on I-5 between Tualatin and Wilsonville with SMART since November 2021.
For updates about this project, ODOT recommends visiting its I-205 Bus On Shoulder project page. For statewide travel information or closure updates, travelers can check Tripcheck.com.
Addressing broader financial issues, ODOT noted that despite an ongoing funding crisis affecting maintenance and operations, most projects like this one will proceed because they rely on funds designated specifically for development rather than general maintenance or daily operations.
