I-5 near downtown Sacramento facing more night closures, this time southbound

Sacramento’s freeway headaches may persist through the weekend as emergency road repairs to a troubled portion of Interstate 5 just north of downtown will continue, Caltrans said Thursday night.

The state transportation agency said crews would be closing southbound lanes of the freeway each night through Sunday near Richard Boulevard along the same area that a large pothole that opened up Aug. 30 on the northbound side, damaging more than 20 cars. 

After the initial northbound repairs to the pothole were made, Caltrans said it identified other sections southbound I-5 that needed repair. The northbound pothole and resulting debris were in the same area that caused similar backups and numerous flats Aug. 1. Earlier this week, both directions I-5 underwent partial closures in the same area.

Two lanes of southbound traffic will be intermittently closed from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. Thursday night into Friday with the Richards Boulevard ramps closed. Additional closures are slated from 9 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Saturday, 8 p.m. Saturday to 4 a.m. Sunday and 7 p.m. Sunday to 4 a.m. Monday.

Crews worked for more than a week to shore up the damaged northbound roadway, leading to significant delays along the state’s largest artery through the capital city, narrowing the roadway to two lanes from four, and causing residual delays on adjacent freeways.

For southbound motorists trying to use Richards Boulevard, Caltrans suggests using J Street past the closures to exit and turnaround to the northbound side of I-5 to exit at Richards.