Vancouver C-TRAN riders face planned detours as September I-5 closure approaches

Vancouver-area transit riders and Portland-bound commuters are approaching overlapping transportation disruptions. C-TRAN is preparing regional and express detours for a planned southbound Interstate 5 closure beginning September 11, 2026, while Route 72 remains on a separate long-term detour tied to construction on the 152nd Avenue project.

C-TRAN also lists a broader September service change scheduled to take effect Sunday, September 13. Final route, stop and schedule details may change as the agency updates its operating plans.

What is confirmed for I-5

The Oregon Department of Transportation says all southbound I-5 lanes will close around the clock between I-405 and I-84 in Portland for up to five weeks beginning September 11. ODOT says one lane will remain open from the I-405 junction to the Broadway/Weidler exit, but the closure will affect a major route for Portland commuters, freight and regional travel.

Because C-TRAN’s Portland-bound regional and express services cross the Columbia River, Vancouver riders may encounter detours, changed stops, slower trips or revised transfer arrangements during the closure. The current agency listing identifies regional and express service as the affected category; it does not establish that every C-TRAN route will be disrupted.

C-TRAN is planning service changes

C-TRAN’s rider-alert listing says regional and express detours will begin September 11 in connection with the extended I-5 closure. The agency’s September service-change notice lists Sunday, September 13, as the effective date for schedule updates on numerous routes.

Those dates represent two related but distinct changes: detour planning tied to the highway closure beginning September 11, and a scheduled C-TRAN service update beginning September 13. Riders should not assume that route schedules, stop locations or transfer arrangements will remain unchanged during the construction period.

Route 72 is a separate disruption

C-TRAN’s Route 72 alert says the Orchards route is on a long-term detour because of construction on the 152nd Avenue project. The agency says the detour is expected to continue into 2027.

The Route 72 change is separate from the September I-5 closure. Riders using Route 72 should rely on C-TRAN’s current alert for stop closures and other route-specific details rather than assuming that the I-5 detour information applies to local Route 72 service.

What Vancouver riders should do

Portland-bound riders should check C-TRAN’s rider alerts and service-change information before leaving, especially when the September 11 closure begins. Use C-TRAN’s trip-planning and real-time information tools to confirm departure times, stops and transfers on the day of travel.

Drivers and transit users should allow additional time for trips across the Columbia River. ODOT has confirmed the closure date, location and duration range, but the practical effect on Vancouver travel will depend on traffic conditions and C-TRAN’s final operating plans.

The closure remains planned, not completed. C-TRAN’s detour paths, stop information and schedules may continue to be updated as September approaches.

Sources

• C-TRAN service updates and rider alerts
• ODOT I-5 Rose Quarter Improvement Project
• The Columbian report on Vancouver preparations