Morrison Bridge To Close Wednesday and Thursday Night From 9 p.m to 5 a.m.

PORTLAND, OR — Commuters using the Morrison Bridge Wednesday and Thursday night will need to find alternate routes on either the Hawthorne or Burnside bridges, Multnomah County officials announced Tuesday.

Beginning at 9 p.m. on both May 31 and June 1, the Morrison Bridge will close to cars, bicycles and pedestrians until roughly 5 a.m. so crews can complete work related to the replacement of the bridge's lift span deck. If work is completed sooner, county spokesman Mike Pullen said, the bridge will reopen sooner as well. The lift span will be raised throughout the work period.

"Ramps between the bridge and Interstate-5 and Interstate-84 will be closed," Pullen said, "except for the ramp from the Morrison Bridge westbound to I-5 north. Motorists can access I-84 eastbound at Northeast Grand Avenue and Northeast Everett Street."

To reach downtown, I-5 southbound travelers can exit at the Rose Quarter/Broadway Bridge; I-84 westbound travelers can exit at the Rose Quarter/Weidler exits, Pullen said, adding that I-5 south travelers can also access the onramp to Highway 99E/U.S. 26.

From June 26 to July 4 the Morrison Bridge will be inaccessible while crews pour concrete for the east lift span deck, Pullen said. The west portion will be filled in late August, which will also require another weeklong closure.

The whole lift span deck replacement will be completed by the end of October, Pullen said.

For more information, visit www.multco.us/bridges or follow @MultcoBridges on Twitter.

Photo Courtesy: Multnomah County