
On Thursday, WSDOT crews will temporarily close the right and left lanes on both the northbound and southbound spans of the I-5 East Fork Lewis River bridges
WOODLAND – People traveling in both directions on Interstate 5 near Woodland at the Clark and Cowlitz county lines, should plan ahead for delays.
On Thursday, Aug. 3, the Washington State Department of Transportation’s bridge preservation crews will temporarily close the right and left lanes on both the northbound and southbound spans of the I-5 East Fork Lewis River bridges, for annual bridge inspections. The inspections started on Wednesday, Aug. 2 and will continue through Tuesday, Aug. 8.
During bridge inspections, travelers approaching the northbound and southbound spans of the bridges will encounter delays as traffic is shifted from three lanes of travel down to two lanes.
What to expect
- Thursday, Aug. 3: The left lane along the northbound span of the I-5/East Fork Lewis River Bridge, between mileposts 18-18.5, will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Monday, Aug. 7: The right lane along the southbound span of the I-5/East Fork Lewis River Bridge, between mileposts 18-18.5, will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Tuesday, Aug. 8: The left lane along the southbound span of the I-5/East Fork Lewis River Bridge, between mileposts 18-18.5, will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
As with any highway maintenance and construction project, travelers must exercise caution through the work zone. To keep both road users and road workers safe, travelers are asked to have patience and obey advanced warning signs.
Know before you go
People can receive real-time travel information via the WSDOT mobile app, the real-time travel map, or by following us on Twitter.
Also read:
- Opinion: Stay in your lane – seriously, it’s the lawDrivers must choose the nearest lane when turning in Washington, and left turns bring added risk. Even with signals, every driver must help prevent crashes by following law.
- POLL: After hearing state leaders describe the I-5 Bridge as vulnerable in an earthquake, what is your reaction?State and local leaders describe the I-5 Bridge as structurally at risk but recommend drivers continue crossing it while complex replacement plans unfold.
- WA and OR scale back I-5 Bridge ambitions as cost balloonsA $14.4 billion price tag prompts Washington and Oregon leaders to delay portions of the I-5 bridge project and prioritize just the main spans.
- Letter: ‘Now we have Engineer Bob telling us the I-5 Bridge needs replacing because it is built on shifting sand with wooden structures’Amboy resident Thomas Schenk critiques Democrat leadership, tax policies, and the addition of light rail to the I-5 Bridge, while urging Republican voters to participate more in midterm elections.
- The I-5 Bridge is vulnerable to collapse, but apparently not that vulnerableState leaders and Vancouver’s mayor warn about bridge safety, but insist it’s safe enough for daily use as they focus on moving forward with a costly replacement including light rail—despite decades of public resistance.






