Avoid Traveling on I-5 North Again on Tuesday, Additional Freezing Rain Expected

Oregon Department of Transportation is again encouraging motorists to stay off I-5 going north in southern Lane County. Traffic is backed up for hours due to icy conditions and more freezing rain is expected to begin falling Tuesday around noon and will make conditions hazardous into Wednesday. Here is the latest from ODOT on the situation on I-5 starting south of Cottage Grove. "I-5 update: NB Interstate 5 may continue to be backed up for several miles in south Lane County on Monday with delays lasting two or more hours. Although the interstate is open, the delay is so long and the forecast so severe, ODOT urges travelers to delay their trips. The coldest temperatures are forecast for Monday night. Freezing rain expected Tuesday. Crews applied more deicer and salt, and made more passes in this section with plows than they have in a decade or more. These tools are limited in this severe weather. A major factor in the slowdown is vehicles not chaining up or stopping to chain up in the travel lanes. Law enforcement is citing people. Alternate routes are not viable because they are less maintained and impacted by this ice storm. Please delay your travel." For the latest conditions, check tripcheck.com