Winter Travel Advisory and Major Highway Construction Impact Thursday Commute

Morning Commute Overview

Commuters in the Portland metro area should prepare for a mix of weather-related cautions and ongoing infrastructure projects this Thursday, March 5, 2026. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) has issued a winter travel advisory as a cold front brings potential snow to elevations above 1,000 feet. While the valley floor is expected to see mostly rain and cloudy skies, those traveling through the West Hills or higher-elevation suburbs should be mindful of slick spots and hazardous conditions during the early morning hours.

Major Arteries and Roadworks

Several significant construction projects are currently affecting traffic flow on Portland’s primary highways. Drivers should plan for extra travel time on the following routes:

• Interstate 5 (South Portland): ODOT continues the installation of RealTime Variable Advisory Speed signs between the Ross Island Bridge and Terwilliger Boulevard. While most intensive work occurs overnight, expect to see lane adjustments and workers near the shoulder during the day.
• Interstate 5 (Rose Quarter): The Rose Quarter Improvement Project remains active. Nightly lane closures between Exit 302C and the I-405 on-ramp may result in lingering congestion during the early morning transition.
• Interstate 84 (McCord Creek): Traffic is reduced to a single lane in both directions near Warrendale for bridge replacement work. This bottleneck is expected to cause significant delays for those traveling toward the Columbia River Gorge.
• West Linn & Oregon City: The OR43 southbound off-ramp to I-205 northbound is subject to nightly closures. Additionally, OR224 westbound and the off-ramp to OR99E southbound are closed nightly from 8:00 PM to 6:00 AM, affecting late-night and early-morning commuters in the Milwaukie area.

TriMet Service Updates

Public transit riders are reminded that the March 2026 service changes are now in full effect. These adjustments, aimed at addressing budget gaps, have altered several key routes and frequencies:

• Line 24-Fremont/NW 18th: This route has been modified to eliminate stops along North Kerby Avenue and North Russell Street to speed up travel times between North and Northwest Portland.
• Frequency Reductions: Reduced service frequencies are now active on Line 8 (Jackson Park), Line 48 (Cornell/Hillsboro), Line 75 (Cesar Chavez/Lombard), and Line 76 (Hall/Greenburg), particularly during off-peak morning and evening hours.
• Schedule Adjustments: Minor timing changes of up to five minutes have been implemented on Lines 4, 40, 54, and 87 to improve reliability.

Commuters are encouraged to check the latest conditions before heading out and to utilize traction tires if traveling into higher elevations where snow may accumulate.