SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – For the second time in September, a stretch of Interstate 5 in the downtown San Diego has shut down for an entire weekend.
The closure of some northbound I-5 lanes started at 9 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 29, from the National City area (at the Mile of Cars off-ramp) to state Route 163 for Caltrans repair work. Successive lanes were closed at the West Plaza Boulevard off-ramp and the Osborne Street off-ramp.
The weekend project is for crews to repair the bridge deck over SR-163; the closure will last until 5 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 1.
Caltrans said: “One lane of northbound I-5 will remain open to access State Route 15 (SR-15), State Route 75 (SR-75), State Route 94 (SR-94), and State Route 163 (SR-163) as well one lane through the work area. Northbound I-5 will remain accessible from the eastbound State Route 75 (SR-75) connector.”
The following ramps will be shut down during the project, according to Caltrans:
- Westbound SR-94 connector for the duration of the work
- F Street on-ramp for the duration of the work
- B Street on-ramp 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Pershing Drive on-ramp 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- 19th Street on-ramp 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- 6th Street off-ramp for the duration of the work
"This proactive work will ensure the structural integrity of the I-5 bridge through downtown for years to come," Caltrans District Director Gustavo Dallarda said. "During this closure weekend, please avoid using I-5 through downtown and travel on alternate routes like SR-163, I-805 and SR-15."
Drivers headed to San Diego International Airport were advised to take SR-15 north or Interstate 805 to Interstate 8 west and then I-5 south.
The airport authority advised travelers to allow more than two hours before their flight departs to account for potential traffic congestion and delays and to take the airport's free all-electric shuttle from the Old Town Transit Center, or use the MTS 992 bus from the Santa Fe Transit Station.
Three weeks ago, Caltrans repair work forced the closure of the southbound side of I-5 in roughly the same area, but that closure reopened ahead of schedule.
City News Service contributed to this report
